A bill that would effectively end state oversight of homeschool education cleared the New Hampshire Senate Thursday with unanimous Republican support.
Among other things, the bill would lift the requirement that parents notify the state or a school district that they are home educating their child, end their duty to keep a record of the educational materials they use or to subject their child to an annual academic evaluation.
"The bill as amended modernizes the state's home education framework by revising its definitions and administrative requirements by better recognizing a parent’s right to direct their children's education," Salem Sen. Daryl Abbas said prior to the vote.
Senate Democrats opposed the bill, which includes a provision that clarifies that home-schooling families who rely on the state’s voucher-like Educational Freedom Account program can still rely on public schools to provide special education, take a specific course or participate in athletics.
“They can take spots on sports teams, take spots in a crowded AP class, be in science classes with additional labs, while they are also taking a voucher,” said Stratham Sen. Debra Altshiller, herself a former home-school parent. “This bill is extreme overreach; it is the definition of double-dipping.”
The bill is supported by conservative groups, including Cornerstone Action, and Americans for Prosperity, and opposed by teachers unions and school administrators.
While the core policies of the legislation are staunchly backed by Republican leaders in both the House and Senate, the measure could still be subject to further negotiation.
That’s because the Senate attached new provisions to the bill dealing with pharmacy benefits managers. The language comes from a Senate-backed bill that failed to gain traction in the House.
