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HB2795 House Special Initiatives
sub-committee hearing
on 02-27-08
The video of this hearing is available
via YouTube in about 5 minute segments to make it easier to pass around and
enable folks to quickly find the portion they're looking for. Comments
are those of TnHomeEd founder Kay Brooks. Audio of the hearing is being
hosted at
www.tnhea.org/HB2795_20080227A.mp3
HARDAWAY: "What it does, Mr. Chairman, is to make use of best
practices that the homeschoolers would be able to develop,
proven out. We've got to have some general way of measurement
and actually collecting that data and bringing it into the school
system. But that's cheaper and makes a whole lot more sense than
having to develop umpteen laboratory schools. We've already got
it working..."
Part 2 of 7: 6:07 minutes: Comments by homeschool dad Dr. S. David Carr
who characterized the legislation as 'interrupting freedom and
alarming citizens" and stated his belief the legislation wasn't
about testing but control. There were questions from Rep. Jim Coley (R-Memphis)
regarding testing and TANAS Executive Director Debbie Landers
was asked to help clarify those. TANAS is a CRS accrediting agency.
Landers stated there was already a level playing field in the
form of the ACT test and that her concern was that "any test
mandated will drive curriculum."
Part 3 of 7: 5:01 minutes: Rep. Tommie Brown (D-Chattanooga)
asserted that she was a supporter of homeschooling and the
legislature granting us the right to do so. Further she comments on
her support for Hardaway's effort and further states that her
"goal and prayer will be that the day will come when you
[homeschoolers] will not want to homeschool. You'll find a
school system, in Tennessee, that you will be very proud of and
that would counter anything anywhere in the nation."
Part 4 of 7: 4:08 minutes: Comments by Dr. Bruce Opie
(wearing a yellow Pre-K now sticker)
of the State of Tennessee Department of Education regarding the
current testing situation. He related that just this year the State BOE made a
percent of the end of course test score a part of the
overall grade [25%] and "that would be the graduation
requirements." This is being phased in with this next
year's 7th graders and will be required, according to Opie, of
those students in Category 1 and 3 schools that choose to
participate and those homeschool students who choose to
homeschool through the local education agency (school district).
Part 5 of 7: 4:02 minutes: Comments from Andrew
Huffman a homeschool graduate and now father homeschooling his
own children. His comments included "What's not broken doesn't
need fixing." and if there are other elements of the educational
functions of the state that need attention homeschoolers should
not be penalized.
Part 6 of 7:5:45 minutes: Comments from bill
sponsor Rep. G. A. Hardaway (D-Memphis)
which characterizes this legislation as the beginning of a
dialogue and again mentions best practices.
"This is not the
final language."
He talked of conversations he's had on the phone with
homeschoolers and in the hallway that day and said "It's that
kind of dialogue that's going to be necessary to develop the
kind of educational system for all of our children because all
of these children have to, at some point, depend on each other
as the future approaches."
"Let's work on
things together. Let's talk about whether the assessment tests
that the public schoolers are doing and the assessment tests
that the private schools and the homeschoolers are doing need to
be the same. "
Part 7 of 7: 5:33 minutes: House Education Committee
Chair Rep. Les Winningham (D-Huntsville)
strongly suggests Hardaway put the bill off notice, "get the
language you want" and
then place it on notice. Towns says roll it just three weeks. Hardaway decides to ignore Winninigham and follow
Town's lead.
In closing Windle notes that all the communication he
received on this bill was pleasant and positive. Rep. Jim Coley (R-Bartlett)
seconds that saying he has enjoyed the correspondence. Rep. Ron Lollar (R-Bartlett)
suggests that Hardaway prepare far enough in advance and have
the right information to prevent a second disruption of
legislative business. Towns says he's not bothered by the phone
calls and emails and invites citizens to 'wear it out'.
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