Last night at 7:30 pm, the Arkansas House of Representatives killed a bill that would have allowed home school students to compete fairly for the Governor’s Distinguished Scholar scholarships.
SB578 was a bill that both the Education Alliance and the Department of Higher Education agreed upon. It was a non-controversial solution to a major problem: Overwhelmingly-qualified home schoolers being denied their scholarships.
Yesterday there was some movement on the Tim Tebow bill that allows home school students to try out for extracurricular activities at their local public school.
The bill passed the Senate Education Committee yesterday, and is on its way to the entire Arkansas Senate for this week.
If you would like to contact your senator about this bill, you can leave a message for him or her at (501) 682-2902.
The following excerpt is from an interview Mike Farris, president of Home School Legal Defense Association, did with the Baptist Press:
NASHVILLE, Tenn. (BP)–As the practice of homeschooling continues to grow, an expert has noticed a “marked increase” in the scrutiny that parents and students can face when they choose to pursue an education at home.
“I think what we’re seeing is unfortunately a growing trend,” Michael Farris, chancellor of Patrick Henry College, told Baptist Press.