(Frank Schnorbus/Nevada Homeschool Network) – 7/13/2011
Dear Nevada Homeschoolers,
Every two years Nevada's legislature meets, and to quote Mark Twain, “No one's life, liberty, or property is safe while the legislature is in session.”
How true!
Although we had a little bit of a scare this last session, as reported by Barbara Dragon here on NV-Alert on June 23, we are thankful that homeschoolers were left alone once again this session.
That was NOT TRUE, however, for Nevada's public school system! I just finished reading, word for word, the “enrolled” version of Senate Bill 197; this is the amended and finalized version that got signed by the Governor.
There is only one part of this new law that may be problematic for homeschoolers. Section 12 #3(a)(6) (which is on page 11 of the above link) took effect on July 1. The State Board of Education is instructed to establish goals for:
(6) Reengaging disengaged youth who have dropped out of high school or who are at risk of dropping out of high school, including, without limitation, a mechanism for tracking and maintaining communication with those youth who have dropped out of school or who are at risk of doing so.
Whether this is a “problem” for homeschoolers depends on how this directive is implemented. Our experience in a number of reports in the last couple of years is that local school administrators, who apparently have no communication capability with their local district superintendent's office, contact parents who have recently removed their child(ren) to homeschool, threatening the children with truancy. We have been told that “tracking” is the key word, and is being driven by new Federal regulations. See these two links:
Nevada Homeschool Network is concerned that local public schools may think this is an opportunity to legally contact homeschoolers and demand “show me your papers!” Since homeschoolers are required by Nevada law to notify the local district superintendent for each child being homeschooled, there is no reason for homeschoolers to ever be contacted, by anyone.
NHN recommends that if you have a child in public school and decide to begin homeschooling him/her, to “unenroll” the child from that school. Nevada law, specifically NRS 392.700 #2(a), says that you must file a Notice of Intent to Homeschool “not later than 10 days after the child has been formally withdrawn from enrollment in public school”. Public schools include both your local schools and charter schools.
Please contact NHN if you or someone you know starts having these problems with their local school or district during this upcoming school year! We are not attorneys, but we'll look into the policy or regulation that is driving the problem. We DO recommend that people join HSLDA (since they ARE attorneys) for the peace of mind that comes with having a lawyer on your side!
