Homeschooling Discrimination in Louisiana

Louisiana has a scholarship program called TOPS for students who score up to certain levels on the ACT. For some reason, the state is discriminating against homeschoolers by requiring a higher score. The rationale from one legislator was that home school curricula vary and have no standards, so the scholarship standards should be higher. I’d agree with that, except that the ACT is a national standardized test, so the student’s curriculum is completely irrelevant. Everyone takes the same test; what could be more fair than that?

Currently, homeschooled students must score two points higher than other students to get the same scholarship. However, that law will sunset this year, and students will have to once again score THREE points higher to receive the same money.

House Bill 634 will lessen the inequity, and require that homeschooled students only score one point higher than everyone else. If you live in Louisiana, please contact your state senator and ask him to request that Senator Chris Ullo allow the bill out of committee for a vote, and ask your Senator to vote for it. Contact info below the jump:

Locate and call your state senator: http://capwiz.com/hslda/home/
Contact Senate Education Committee: (225) 342-0682 and email seduc@legis.state.la.us
Contact Senator Chris Ullo, head of the Committee, and other Senate Education Committee Committee Members:

Senator J. Chris Ullo (Chairman)
Phone: (504) 361-6690
Email: websen@legis.state.la.us (general email)

Senator Sharon Weston Broome (Vice-Chairman)
Phone: (225) 359-9352
Email: lasen15@legis.state.la.us

Senator Bill Cassidy
Phone: (225) 925-2522
Email: Lasen16@legis.state.la.us

Senator Joel T. Chaisson, II
Phone: (985) 764-9911
Email: websen@legis.state.la.us (general email)

Senator Willie L. Mount
Phone: (337) 491-2016
Email: lasen27@legis.state.la.us

Senator Julie Quinn
Phone: (504) 219-4640
Email: quinnj@legis.state.la.us

Senator Gerald J. Theunissen
Phone: (337) 824-0376
Email: theunisg@legis.state.la.us

Here’s the email I sent:

Dear Senator Ullo and Senate Education Committee Members:

Please schedule a vote on House Bill 634. This bill reduces the discriminatory scoring standards for homeschoolers to qualify for TOPS. There is no justification for this inequity – the ACT is a standardized test. Whatever curriculum a student uses, the same test is administered to all and no one has an advantage. It is unfair to require different standards to certain groups of students who are taking the same test. Unless you are willing to give homeschooling families an equivalent tax break to make up for this unfair requirement, please provide a level playing field for all Louisiana students.

Thank you,

Laura Curtis

Here’s the email I received from the Home School Legal Defense Association that alerted me about this bill being killed in committee. HSLDA is a national organization which is invaluable which is invaluable not just to homeschoolers, but for anyone who supports freedom in education.

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From the HSLDA E-lert Service…
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June 20, 2007

Louisiana–Urgent Action Needed on TOPS Bill!

Dear HSLDA members and friends:

After being told that the TOPS bill would be heard in the Senate Education Committee we have just learned that the Chairman of the Education Committee, Senator Chris Ullo, does not intend to bring the bill up for a hearing. If House Bill 634 does not pass then home study students will be required to score 3 points higher then public school students on the ACT to be eligible for any TOPS award.

Please call your state Senator and ask him or her to urge the Senate Education Committee to bring House Bill 634 up in committee and pass it out to the full Senate. If Senator Chris Ullo is your senator please urge him to schedule the bill to be heard in committee.

House Bill 634 will eliminate the sunset clause in the current law and make it possible for homeschool students to be eligible for TOPS aid if they score at least 1 point higher on the ACT than public school students. The current requirement is 2 points higher on the ACT but that will expire for the 2007-2008 school year unless House Bill 634 passes. While this bill would not completely remove the requirement that homeschool students score higher to be eligible for the same awards as public school students, this bill moves the TOPS eligibility requirements in the right direction.

ACTION REQUESTED:

1) Please call your state Senator and ask him or her to request that the Senate Education Committee bring House Bill 634 for a vote. Please also ask him to support the bill. It is better for you to give a message in your own words but it could be something similar to:

“Please urge the Senate Education Committee to schedule a vote on House Bill 634. If this bill doesn’t pass homeschool students will have to score 3 points higher on the ACT than public school student just to be eligible for TOPS. This is discriminatory and should be stopped.”

To find the name and contact information for your local state senator you can use HSLDA’s legislative toolbox at http://www.hslda.org/toolbox . Please call both the local district number as well as the capitol office number. When calling, please be respectful but persistent.

2) Please contact the Senate Education Committee and urge them to schedule House Bill 634 for a vote. Please write your own message that
says:

“Please schedule a vote on House Bill 634. If this bill doesn’t get heard, homeschooled students will have to score 3 points higher on the ACT than public school student just to be eligible for TOPS. This is discriminatory and should be stopped.”

You can email the Senate Education Committee at seduc@legis.state.la.us or call them at (225) 342-0682. If you call you will likely talk with Hilma Hatcher, the senior secretary for the Education Committee. When calling, please be respectful but persistent.

BACKGROUND:

The Louisiana state financial aid program, TOPS, has been open to homeschool students who have been enrolled in approved home study program since the end of their 10th grade year. However, in order for a homeschool graduate to receive any TOPS aid he or she must score at least 2 points higher on the ACT than the minimum score required for public school students.

Currently the minimum ACT scores a public school student is required to receive to be eligible for TOPS are:

(1) For a TOPS-Tech award- 17
(2) For an Opportunity Award- 20,
(3) For a Performance Award- 23,
(4) For an Honors Award- 27.

While HSLDA generally opposes bills that would provide government benefits to homeschoolers we oppose discrimination against homeschoolers in the area of college entrance and scholarship opportunities. Since Louisiana already provides TOPS funding to students in homeschools HSLDA maintains that the 2 point difference between public school and homeschool students is discriminatory. We cannot stand by while Louisiana discriminates in such a blatant manner.

All Louisiana homeschoolers need to stand together for freedom, whether they choose the private school or approved home study option.
In our opinion, reducing or eliminating the 2 point penalty for approved home study programs would not create a significant risk of increased regulation for families who choose the private school option.

If you are not yet a member of HSLDA and would like to help us fight for greater parental rights and homeschool freedom in Louisiana please visit http://www.hslda.org/join/apply.asp .

Thank you for your part in fighting for freedom in Louisiana!

Sincerely,

Thomas J. Schmidt
HSLDA Staff Attorney

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the public news media.

More reasons to join HSLDA…

http://www.hslda.org/elink.asp?id=1104

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The HSLDA E-lert Service is a service of:

Home School Legal Defense Association
P.O. Box 3000
Purcellville, Virginia 20134
Phone: (540) 338-5600
Fax: (540) 338-2733
Email: info@hslda.org
Web: http://www.hslda.org

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How To Subscribe:

- Subscribe to the HSLDA E-lert Service at our website:

https://secure.hslda.org/hslda/elert/account.asp?Process=Subscribe

- Or send an email with name and complete mailing address to:

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