[HSList-OR] SB 494 - Gov's message

[Jody & Scott Arnold family]

Hi everybody,
Thought those of you in Oregon might be interested in this.

jody

>Return-Path: <owner...@LISTSERV.AOL.COM>
>Date: Mon, 18 Aug 1997 11:42:58 -0400
>Reply-To: Oregon Homeschooling Discussion List <OR...@LISTSERV.AOL.COM>
>Sender: Oregon Homeschooling Discussion List <OR...@LISTSERV.AOL.COM>
>From: Christine Webb <RETR...@AOL.COM>
>Subject: [ORSIG] SB 494 - Gov's message
>To: OR...@LISTSERV.AOL.COM
>
>In case some of you did not see this, I thought you might be interested in
>the Governor's letter about the veto of SB 494.
>
>Christine
>
>*******************************
>
>Secretary of State
>136 State Capitol
>Salem, OR 97310
>Dear Secretary of State Keisling:
>I am returning herewith Senate Bill 494, unsigned and disapproved.
>SB 494 contains child care and health care provisions which I strongly
>support. However, the
>addition to this bill of several sections relating to home schooling means
>that I cannot endorse it.
>Specifically, I object to the following provisions:
>The bill expands the number of students who would be exempt from compulsory
>school
>attendance, and whose parents would therefore not be subject to reporting
>their child's
>educational progress.
>The bill replaces the current annual examination of home schooled students
>with testing at grades
>3, 5, 8, and 10. While the statewide assessment of public students takes
>place during those grade
>periods, local public schools are annually, if not monthly, testing students
>to assess their
>performance and progress.
>The bill allows parents of students with disabilities to choose any person
>who has taught two
>years in any school during the past ten years to evaluate the child, instead
>of the current process
>of using exams from an approved list which are administered by a qualified
>neutral person.
>Maintaining the current practice better assures a quality and neutral
>assessment of the student.
>The bill puts into statute a satisfactory progress standard of an examination
>score at or above the
>15th percentile. This takes away the ability of the State Board of Education
>to address any
>concerns about such a low standard. The bill would allow, by law, even a
>student who scores
>below the 15th percentile to continue home schooling as long as the student
>scores at an equal or
>higher level in the next examination.
>Vetoing SB 494 does not change nor further regulate current home schooling
>practices. I have a
>high regard for parents who are able to make such a personal commitment to
>their children's
>education. I have also been impressed by the testimony that most home
>schoolers achieve at a
>higher than average level. However, changes to home schooling laws cannot
>jeopardize the
>state's role in ensuring that children under its responsibility receive a
>quality education.
>I regret having to forego the valuable child care and health care provisions
>in the bill. Yet, taken
>together, these changes to the home schooling laws do not serve a child's
>educational best
>interests, therefore, I am vetoing SB 494.
>Sincerely,
>
>John A. Kitzhaber, M.D.
>
>