Dear friends and members of LEAH:
(The following is a version of a news release recently issued by HSLDA. There is additional information throughout, especially towards the end.)
The Board of Regents met in September and voted on proposed changes to the regulations concerning homeschooling and homeschoolers being admitted to and graduating from SUNY institutions. These changes will help eliminate the college admissions discrimination against homeschoolers in New York.
For the last 2 years, NY homeschool students have been discriminated against when attempting to be admitted and graduating from New York colleges and universities. A memo from the State Education Department (NYSED) revived a requirement that all college students must have a recognized high school diploma. In the case of homeschoolers this would mean gaining a GED; an exam designed for high school dropouts, and carrying an adverse stigma in the eyes of many people and institutions.
Upon learning of these policy changes, NYS LEAH immediately formed the LEAH College Admissions Task Force to stop this discrimination by NYSED. The LEAH Task Force, led by Glenn and Patti Owens of Rochester, immediately went into action. After two years, we are pleased to report that significant progress has been made to end the discrimination against homeschoolers seeking admission to New York colleges! The breakthrough has come in the form of new rules regarding college admission for homeschoolers which were adopted this month.
LEAH, with the invaluable assistance of the Home School Legal Defense Association (HSLDA), worked quickly to develop a three-pronged approach to change this situation. First, HSLDA filed a lawsuit for those homeschool students who were already in college and being denied the ability to graduate. This lawsuit put significant pressure on the Board of Regents to end the discrimination.
Second, LEAH and HSLDA worked with NY legislators to draft and introduce legislation designed to provide alternatives to homeschool graduates interested in attending college in New York. The bill, S6849 passed the Senate and was introduced in the Assembly, which also increased the pressure on the Board of Regents to fix the problem.
The final prong in the defense involved a grassroots effort led by LEAH and other NY homeschool groups to educate and inform the Board of Regents of the problems that homeschool students have been facing and convincing them to change the current policy.
These three prongs of action were given real power from the persistent prayers offered up by NY homeschoolers, asking that the Lord might give us favor in the eyes of the Board of Regents.
After receiving thousands of persistent calls and letters, and feeling the pressure from the impending legislation and/or a court decision, the Board of Regents heard the need for change and voted in favor of amending the Board of Regents Rule 3.47 in their September 2004 meeting. Praise God that He did answer those prayers!!
These changes will enable a homeschool student to be treated as any other applicant seeking admission to a community college or university in New York. The rules have been changed to provide several different options for homeschool students to demonstrate satisfactory evidence of their high school education.
No more discriminatory barriers for homeschoolers seeking admission. They only need to meet the same SAT or ACT scores and eligibility requirements as other students to gain entrance to college.
Once a homeschooler enters college they have to meet one of several options to graduate from college:
1) Complete the substantial equivalent of a four-year high school course, as certified by the superintendent or other school district official,
2) Complete 18 semester hours or the equivalent (such as CLEP credit) in specific subjects (required for nearly ALL students anyway) and 6 more credits in the student's major. No stigma attached to "earning" a GED in the student's academic record,
3) Pass the Regents exams in English, Mathematics, U.S. History and Government, Science and Global History and Geography. This option was included at the request of the New York State United Teachers (NYSUT), not HSLDA or LEAH. Since the Regents exams are based upon New York state content standards, in order for a homeschool student to pass these exams they would have to study the curriculum found in the public schools in order to perform well. For this reason, WE STRONGLY RECOMMEND THAT HOMESCHOOLERS DO NOT CHOOSE THIS OPTION.
4) Present a previously earned and be granted a degree from an institution accredited by an agency approved by the U.S. Dept. of Ed.,
OR
5) Pass a GED exam.
For more information on the amendments to Rule 3.47 see http://www.hslda.org/elink.asp?ID=1836
In addition, the amended Rule would allow homeschool students to attend the local community college full-time while they are still of compulsory attendance age and have not finished high school. The Individualized Home Instruction Plan (IHIP) form would be required to include a statement to this effect and identify the college and the subjects to be covered by that study.
LEAH, along with HSLDA, have been in frequent contact with the chairman of the Board of Regents and the State Education Department throughout this process and urged the adoption of these changes.
We will continue to provide input on how these options can be put into effect. The next step is for the Department of Education to publish guidelines for these new rules. We have been promised an opportunity to review the guidelines draft before publication to ensure proper implementation. We will keep you informed.
Even though we have achieved significant success and have obtained multiple pathways for NY homeschoolers to gain college admittance, we are aware that there still are scattered issues of unfair policy which may discriminate against homeschoolers in post-secondary life opportunities. NYS LEAH will continue to stand and fight for homeschool freedom. Please keep us informed of any specific instances of unfair policy affecting NY homeschoolers after high school completion.
In addition to offering praise to God, we should take time to thank HSLDA for their invaluable assistance in this effort. This assistance underscores the value of HSLDA membership for New York’s homeschool families. Without a New York membership base, HSLDA would not have been able to assist us. LEAH strongly recommends that all New York homeschool families join HSLDA and take advantage of their many membership benefits. Remember, there is a discount for LEAH member families. HSLDA can be contacted through www.hslda.org.
I would also encourage all LEAH members to take time to drop a card of thanks to Glenn and Patti Owens who led the LEAH task force on college admissions, and who have worked tirelessly for the last two years. They made countless trips to Albany and spoke at many homeschool meetings around the state, energizing homeschool families to fight against the tyranny of NYSED. It is likely that without their efforts, we would not be celebrating our success today. God powerfully used their efforts to achieve our success. They can be reached at:
[info removed for privacy purposes - ask your OOG chapter leaders for the Owens' address]
Finally, many thanks to all of you who took the time over the last couple of years to write and call our government officials in Albany. Our success today is testimony to the power of your efforts and of your prayers.
Sincerely,
Rich Stauter
President, NYS Loving Education At Home (LEAH)