Tennessee parents now have an additional option for conducting home instruction of their children. The Tennessee Department of Education has decided to recognize enrollment in the distance learning program of an accredited private school as a means of complying with the compulsory attendance law. One such school that has been verified by the Department of Education is International Virtual Learning Academy (IVLA). IVLA is an accredited, online learning program serving students in grades 3-12. Currently, IVLA serves students throughout the world, including many homeschoolers from Tennessee.

According to Dr. Connie Mayo, director of non-public and home schools at the Department of Education, parents may enroll their children in an online, Category III non-public school to meet the school attendance requirements. A Category III non-public school is one that is accredited by one of the five regional accrediting associations, e.g. the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools. Each school establishes its own admissions and academic standards consistent with its accreditation. International Virtual Learning Academy is accredited by the Northwest Association of Accredited Schools, one of the five regional associations.

Parents choosing this option are not required to notifiy their local school district, do not have to meet any state teacher qualifications, and do not have to administer any standardized test required by the state. They need only comply with whatever requirements are established by the school in which their child is enrolled. Category III schools located in Tennessee are required by state law to report to the school district where the school is located the names, ages, and residences of students attending the school. Out-of-state schools do not have to report such information about their students, because they are not located in any Tennessee school district.

Students residing in Tennessee are not eligible for the HOPE Scholarship unless the Category III school providing the on-line program is located in Tennessee. On the other hand, Tennessee citizens residing out of state as dependents of parents who are full-time religious workers in another nation or active-duty military are eligible for the scholarship under the rules of the Tennessee Education Lottery Scholarship Program.

Parents choosing this newly recognized option of home instruction through a Category III non-public school are eligible for membership in Home School Legal Defense Association.

Henderson, NV. - From his laptop computer in Henderson, Nevada, James logs into his Forensic Science class, joining more than half a million students across the country who take classes online. His instructor teaches from her home in Reno, Nevada, and other students and teachers are scattered across the U.S.

This senior is among a growing number of students in around the world taking online courses at International Virtual Learning Academy (IVLA), completing their high school diploma online for a variety of reasons. Some students want to accelerate their way through high school, some students need to make up credits, and can’t wait for summer school. Many students just like the ability to work at their pace, on a schedule that works around their life circumstances.

Demand is high worldwide for IVLA’s online learning program, but the school has made sure that every student wanting to enroll has a seat.

International Virtual Learning Academy offers an accredited California High School diploma. IVLA serves students worldwide, through its proprietary online learning management system. Currently, ILVA is enrolling students in grades 3-12. IVLA offers core curriculum for all of those grade levels, as well as a large selection of elective courses.

Nationwide, online enrollment has grown dramatically. A study released in June by the U.S. Department of Education’s National Center for Education Statistics found that about 507,000 students, mostly high-schoolers, were enrolled in online courses in 2005, up from 317,000 in 2003. Forty-four states offer significant online programs, and several of the states that don’t are planning to develop them, according to the North American Council for Online Learning.

Several IVLA students said they appreciate the flexibility of learning on their own time and the opportunity to interact with their virtual classmates on online discussion boards if they wish.

Because of an increasingly competitive work environment in a global economy, education officials say students must take challenging courses to prepare for college. Online schools like IVLA provide both challenging course, and 21^st century learning environments that assist students in preparing for higher education.

A great story from HSLDA’s President, J. Michael Smith

From the beginning of the re-emergence of homeschooling in the late 1960s and early 1970s, the strongest criticism of homeschooling was that untrained, noncredentialed parents could not provide the quality of instruction needed to match the education provided in public and private schools. To address this criticism, the Home School Legal Defense Association (HSLDA) commissioned several studies to compare how homeschoolers score on standardized achievement tests compared to their public and private school counterparts.

The results of those tests demonstrated that on average, homeschooled children regularly outperformed their peers. These test results had a significant impact on the growth of homeschooling. First, state legislators were convinced that homeschooling parents could provide a high level of education, and they passed laws that recognized the right to homeschool. Additionally, many parents who were contemplating homeschooling were encouraged to take the leap of faith to educate their children at home.

What the test results demonstrate is that a homeschool program tailored to the individual needs of the student is the best method of educating a child. This reality was further supported by test results on the SAT and ACT that demonstrated that the average homeschooled graduate tested higher than the average graduate from public schools.

Now we have additional test results that demonstrate homeschool graduates compare favorably with students at such prestigious schools as Harvard, Yale and Princeton universities and the University of Virginia.

The Intercollegiate Studies Institute (ISI) administers the American Civic Literacy Test (ACLT) to college students to measure their factual knowledge about American history, the Constitution and more. The results reveal that students nationwide lack even the basics. When ISI administered the ACLT in 2006 to a sample of students attending Ivy League schools, Harvard seniors answered 69.56 percent of the questions correctly, Yale seniors answered 65.85 percent correctly and Princeton seniors answered 61.90 percent.

Compare this with students at Patrick Henry College (PHC), a Christian classical college located 50 miles Northwest of the District, where 80 percent of the students come from homeschooling backgrounds. The ACLT was given to PHC freshmen this fall. These freshmen scored at 71.6 percent, two points higher than Harvard’s seniors and 17.4 percent higher than the average senior mean score at 50 of the country’s top institutions of higher education.

I also have seen the scores of PHC freshmen on a standardized test by Educational Testing Service known as MAPP (Measure of Academic Proficiency and Progress). The MAPP tests proficiency in critical thinking, reading, writing and mathematics, and the results permit us to compare incoming PHC freshmen with college seniors at 253 participating institutions. The PHC freshmen tested higher than seniors at every other participating institution, including Baylor University, the U.S. Air Force Academy, and the universities of Colorado, Georgia and Mississippi.

The ACLT and MAPP results have their limits, and it must be remembered that PHC only admits high-achieving applicants.

The test results do show clearly what happens when you compare the best with the best: The best homeschooled students systematically outperform the best non-homeschooled students. This success did not happen automatically. It happened because tens of thousands of dedicated parents made tremendous sacrifices to educate their children.

I believe we can safely say the type of parental involvement children receive in a homeschool environment and the learning environment created by the home are significant factors in the success of the homeschool movement in academics. These results are a testament to the dedication of parents as well as the homeschool method of teaching. It is a proven combination for success in education.

At a NACOL symposium, virtual-school students discuss why they left their regular schools in favor of online instruction

International Virtual Learning Academy students say they enjoy the flexibility online classes provide.

What motivates a growing number of virtual-school students to forgo the traditional school structure and take their classes entirely online?

At the Virtual School Symposium hosted in mid-October in Phoenix by the North American Council for Online Learning, virtual-school students from a variety of programs explained they like being able to progress at their own pace–and some said they appreciate being able to take classes not offered by their traditional, bricks-and-mortar school.

Some of the comments made by the student panel, which spoke in front of the entire NACOL conference:

• I left conventional school because I wanted to study at my own pace while holding a job outside of school and focusing attention on out-of-school topics that related to college interests.
• “I was looking for something different to fit my schedule, and the traditional system wasn’t making the cut,”
• “You can create your own schedule. … It’s not the same routine I’d have in the traditional system, and I can get more of what I want to do done,”
• An online school also lets me choose courses that a traditional school might not offer, such as courses that focus more on computer science and graphics.
• “I’m really drawn by technology–that’s one of the main reasons I joined the school,”
• “In the traditional system, [the] main problem is that classes [move] only as fast as the slowest student … so it doesn’t adapt to your own learning style and learning environment. It really slows you down if you want to get ahead.”
• Enrolling in a virtual school not only frees up time for students to pursue other interests, it also teaches them valuable time-management skills.
• Working so independently encourages the same type of time-management skills that college students need to be successful. Managing classes, assignments, and social activities can be daunting, but most students develop a routine quickly.

International Virtual Learning Academy is part of a rapidly expanding resource for online education. A study released during the Virtual School Symposium confirms that the total number of full-time virtual-school students in the United States is on the rise, “along with a continued increase in the number of new full-time programs.” (See “Report assesses K-12 online learning.”)

Education leaders would be wise to listen to what students have to say, and consider ways they can build opportunities for self-paced learning and more freedom of choice into their own school offerings–or else risk losing a growing number of students to online schools that operate outside their domain.

International Virtual Learning Academy students have access to guidance counselors to help them navigate the college application process. Adding a high school component to the company’s virtual offerings made it necessary to provide a robust guidance-counselor support staff, a company representative said.

Even virtual-school teachers at the symposium said they liked many of the freedoms that come with teaching in an online environment.

Not just students, but teachers, too, can become frustrated in a traditional school setting, because much of their time is devoted to tasks such as asking students for late passes or collecting various assignments.

• “I’m not a disciplinarian now; I’m an educator,” one Virtual Academy Teacher said, adding: “Online, there is more one-on-one education.”
• “I have always looked for … alternative ways for students to learn. All students do not learn the same way–they are totally different,”
• In a traditional classroom, educators can “try to think outside of the box, but you’re still faced with the one-size-fits-all model,” she said. “If we know that all students are different, then we have to do something different. This is going to be one of the major reform efforts that education will see.”

International Virtual Learning Academy, like many other online schools, provides individualized education for each student. During the enrollment process, a student’s transcripts and learning needs are assessed, and a graduation plan is developed specific to their needs. Each course is taught by a highly qualified teacher with extensive training in online education.

For more information, visit the International Virtual Learning Academy at: www.internationalvla.com

Homeschooling has been growing at a rate of about 15% each year for the past 15 years. With this phenomenal growth, many distance-learning opportunities have been developed specifically for homeschoolers.

Among the more popular distance-education options for homeschoolers are online courses offered directly to homeschoolers, or alternatively, by public and private schools.

One of the few Online Curriculum providers that work directly with homeschoolers is Global Student Network (GSN). This curriculum company places the homeschool parent into the “teacher’s” online portal, which includes the answer keys for all lessons. After enrolling, the homeschool student logs on to their private student portal and begins to work on their selected courses. Each time the student completes a lesson, it is delivered to the parent’s portal in-box as a “lesson-to-grade.” The parent reviews their child’s answers against the provided answers and grades the lesson. Once graded, the lesson is returned to the student and maintained in their online course portfolio. GSN provides free diagnostic assessments in Reading and Mathematics for all newly enrolled students.

Online academies are another choice of distance learning for homeschoolers. Students enroll in these programs just like they would a regular school and then access the class through the internet. All courses are completed online and use online learning systems for class work. The advantage to online academies is that many of them are accredited and will send a high school diploma upon completion. They will also keep detailed transcripts that students can use when applying for college. Another benefit is that most online academies offer distance learning on a course-by-course basis. This way, families can utilize the school for subjects they struggle with teaching or for elective courses they have trouble finding materials on. One such online academy is the International Virtual Learning Academy (IVLA), which has open enrollment throughout the year. Students at IVLA are assigned a highly qualified teacher for every course, and complete courses on a pace appropriate to their learning level. IVLA also provides free diagnostic assessment at the beginning of each school year.

If a homeschooler wants to keep their child at home, but worries about developing a well-rounded curriculum, both of these options are excellent options.

Both GSN and IVLA are web-based and students complete the same courses as public schooled children. This is a good option for homeschoolers who want to include religious education into their children’s curriculum without having to worry about developing the entire curriculum. Overall, advanced technology has made homeschooling easier and more obtainable for families who want to explore that educational option.

For more information about Global Student Network go to: www.GlobalStudentNetwork.com

For more information about International Virtual Learning Academy go to: www.InternationalVLA.com

GSN’s Homeschool blog does not endorse, support, or refute political positions, but does work to provide information of value to homeschoolers. This article was forwarded from the Homeschool Legal Defense Association’s president, Michael Smith.

Since the election of Barack Obama as U.S. president, HSLDA has received more than a few calls from both members and nonmembers. Some are quite concerned about the future of homeschooling under an Obama presidency.

First of all, let us always remember that “God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power, love, and a sound mind” (2 Timothy 1:7). He also instructs us to be wise, plan, and be prepared in everything we do.

Despite HSLDA’s efforts prior to the election to get an official statement from the Obama campaign regarding their position on homeschooling, we received no response.

So where does that leave us?

We do know that the Democratic Party has an official position of supporting public education. The National Education Association (NEA), which is the national teachers union, is a major supporter of the Democratic Party. We know that the NEA’s position is that every child should be either taught by a certified teacher or supervised by one. Additionally, their position is that the curriculum used by all homeschoolers should be approved by the state, and children should only be able to continue to be homeschooled based upon systematic evaluation by the state.

It is important to remember that under the United States Constitution, the federal government has no authority over private and home education. This is not to say that they will not attempt to exercise authority in these areas. And whenever private educators accept grants and benefits, there are conditions to receiving those benefits, including being subject to regulation.

Just because the federal government has no constitutional authority over home education, however, doesn’t mean that federal bureaucrats or legislators might not attempt to impose some form of regulation over private and home education. We saw this back in 1994, when the reauthorization of the Secondary and Elementary Act (H.R. 6) contained an amendment which would have conditioned funding to the states for public education to require that all teachers be certified in every subject area they teach. The homeschool community rose up; over a million phone calls were made to the U.S. Congress, and the amendment was defeated. During that process, Representative Dick Armey from Texas introduced an amendment which stated that the federal government and Congress have no authority over private and home education. This protective language was passed by the House of Representatives.

With your help and the help of homeschoolers all across America, we will vigorously resist any effort on the part of the federal government to regulate home education. Obviously, this will take resources—which come from our membership—and we would encourage our current members to continue standing with us, and encourage others to join us.

An immediate concern to watch is the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child. Although we do not know what Barack Obama’s specific position on the treaty is, we know that future Vice President Joe Biden has publicly indicated that this UN Convention should be ratified by the United States.

It does appear that we will soon have the challenge of keeping the UN Convention from being ratified by the U.S. Senate, ratification requiring a two-thirds majority to pass.

Should the UN Convention be ratified, it would impose the United Nation’s view of children’s rights on America. Under the U.S. Constitution, treaties become the Supreme Law of the land, taking precedent over state laws and state supreme court decisions.

The UN Convention on the Rights of the Child is not in the best interest of parents or children, as it would undermine the parental authority that our laws currently recognize. For further information on the UN Convention of the Rights of the Child visit ParentalRights.org.

To summarize, homeschoolers should not live in fear, but we do need to be wise, and we will need to be vigilant to protect parental rights and homeschooling freedoms in the future. We stand prepared, with your help, to do that as we’ve done for 25 years.

Michael Smith
HSLDA President

From the HSLDA President:

Action is needed now to stop a harmful early education bill, H.R. 2343, the Education Begins at Home Act. Despite the bill’s seemingly homeschool-friendly title, the legislation is actually yet another “big government” encroachment into the sphere of education.

H.R. 2343 seeks to expand the Head Start Early Home Visitation program to supposedly “educate” parents of children from infants to 5-year-olds on parenting strategies. If passed, this bill would literally open the door for government employees to enter private homes to impose unelected officials’ educational agendas, which may prove offensive and contrary to many families’ moral and religious beliefs. Although at this point enrollment in the home visitation program is voluntary, government programs almost always grow beyond their original scope when bills are amended.

This intrusive and unnecessary legislation comes at a whopping starting cost of more than $190 million—a burden that will be incurred by already struggling American taxpayers.

Action Requested

Please call your U.S. representative today and urge him or her to oppose H.R. 2343, the Education Begins at Home Act. It is not necessary to identify yourself as a homeschooler. You can say something as simple as the following:

“I am a constituent and I strongly oppose H.R. 2343. The government should not be involved in funding questionable early education programs, especially at a time of financial uncertainty when our hard-earned tax dollars could be better spent elsewhere.”

You can reach your U.S. representative by calling the Capitol Switchboard at 202-224-3121, or by using our Legislative Toolbox.

This bill has been placed on the House calendar and could come up for a vote anytime this week, or even during the weekend as Congress rushes to finish legislative priorities before they adjourn.

Background

For more information on H.R. 2343 and the dangers of early education, please visit our online bill page.

Sincerely,

J. Michael Smith
HSLDA President

California law requires all children who are not attending a public school to either be enrolled in a private school or to be taught by a certified teacher. In California, homeschoolers generally operate as private schools, and private schools are required to register annually between October 1 and 15 with the California Department of Education

Individual family homeschool students who are not enrolled in a private school satellite program or “umbrella school” desiring to homeschool do so establishing a private school exemption in their home. The filing time is just around the corner, so write yourself a reminder and don’t let the deadline get past your busy schedule.

The online affidavit can be found at: http://www.cde.ca.gov/sp/ps/rq/affidavit.asp between October 1 and October 15, 2008

After turning in their year-end assessment, a Maine homeschool family received a letter from the Maine Department of Education instructing them to submit a “subsequent year” letter with their children’s ages, and the starting date of their homeschool program. The form the state sent also asked the family to provide assurance that the program would continue for at least 175 days and cover all the required subjects.

Calling on the Home School Legal Defense Association for assistance, HSLDA attorney Scott Woodruff reviewed the state’s correspondence and spotted their gaffe: they were demanding information the family had already submitted—and only needs to be submitted once. Under the major reforms of Maine’s homeschool law in 2003, families must submit a fairly detailed notice of intent their first year of homeschooling, but only need to file a brief letter in subsequent years confirming their intention to continue with homeschooling (called the “subsequent year letter”).

Attorney Woodruff wrote a letter to the Department of Education explaining that they were demanding information that was not appropriate for a subsequent year letter. As of this writing, the Department had not replied to the letter or a follow-up email. Families should avoid using the state’s “subsequent year letter” form since it calls for information not required to be submitted.

In the wake of the unanimous ruling of the Court of Appeal for the Second Appellate District to recognize homeschooling as a legal option in California, two of California’s most senior officials have given their opinion of the ruling.

Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger:

“This is a victory for California’s students, parents and education community. This decision confirms the right every California child has to a quality education and the right parents have to decide what is best for their children. I hope the ruling settles this matter for parents and homeschooled children once and for all in California, but assure them that we, as elected officials, will continue to defend parents’ rights.”

State Superintendent of Public Instruction Jack O’Connell:

“I am pleased that the courts have clarified the right of California parents to homeschool their children. I have respected the right of parents to make educational decisions they feel are in the best interest of their children. I recognize and understand the consternation that the earlier court ruling caused for many parents and associations involved in homeschooling. It is my hope that today’s ruling will allay many of those fears and resolve much of the confusion.”