IAHE Action was notified about a hearing last week of the Indiana Advisory Committee to the U.S. Commission on Civil Rights relative to the School to Prison Pipeline in Indiana. We were told that the panels consisted primarily of public school teachers and administrators from urban schools in Indiana. It is our understanding that there was concern by some in attendance regarding the lack of balance pertaining to educational options. 
Due to this fact, grave concerns have been expressed regarding the report that will be produced by this committee. The committee members didn’t seem to know the difference between home schools and charter schools. They did point out the “seeming no regulation” of homeschool in Indiana. One advisory committee member asked, “Is the choice movement inhibiting public instruction?” and testimony was provided with statements like, “68% of students who attended charter schools came back to us. We are seeing the fragmentation of the neighborhood school. As we introduced magnet programming, open enrollment protocol to keep from losing students, has caused a problem. We are now moving kids back and forth between programs. I’m losing kids who are losing a community school environment.” There was no representation from the charter school or homeschool community at this hearing.
IAHE Action knows many families who had children that struggled in public school and have found success with home education. We are hoping that you will share your story with the advisory committee, so that they will have a balanced report. Testimony is due by March 18 and should be sent to mwojnaroski@usccr.gov .
school-to-prison_pipeline
Update on this issue may be located here.
It really concerns me that they didn’t seem to understand the difference between independent homeschoolers, virtual government schoolers, and push-outs. In order for anything to best serve children, it’s necessary to have better understanding.
We absolutely agree, Tracey. Definitions matter.
Thank you IAHE Action for this blog post. I do not understand why this panel met without any representation from the home school community. I sent an email to this committee on February 23 to tell of our experience with struggles in public school and how our son flourished when we transferred to home schooling. Home schoolers do not inhibit public schools in any way. Quite the opposite for us….in that now that we have a taste of how much quality curriculums, resources, and opportunities are available to home schoolers, why would I limit my son to a public education. We have a full 2.5 years in home school education under our belts now and it has been an amazing experience.
Thank you, Cheryl, for writing a letter to the Committee. We appreciate you coming along side IAHE Action to protect home education freedom. Our kids are counting on us!
It concerns me that people who admittedly do not understand the state laws on independent homeschooling, not public school online, are making sweeping statements that are false. Kids dropping out of public school and not following through on a commitment to continue public school online is an important issue that needs attention. But calling those students homeschoolers when they are not is confusing the issue. Which both makes it harder for those in charge to determine how to proceed on these student’s behalf, and falsely represents the actual independent homeschooling community which is thriving and not in need of further regulation. A community that would in fact be harmed by regulations not intended for them in the first place that would curtail the freedoms that allow us to provide our children with the individualized educations that allow them to thrive. I have so much respect and love for the public school and the talent and love poured out by those teachers and administrators. But those same people could not oversee, teach, or regulate my homeschool effectively. Homeschooling works very differently. I’m not making a statement about it being better or worse. They are clearly both great and needed options, just simply different. They can not regulate me anymore than I can regulate them. What we do is very different. I think correctly defining dropouts, public school online students, and independent homeschoolers would clear up a lot.
We agree, Emily. IAHE Action was very troubled by the statements from the transcript. The statements absolutely do not reflect what tens of thousands of Indiana home educators have experienced over the course of the past several decades of the modern homeschool movement. Thank you for standing with us for the cause of freedom.
Thank you IAHE Action for making us homeschoolers aware of this hearing. I, like the others above, am disturbed that homeschoolers and charter schools were not properly represented. I agree also that definitions do matter. I will be looking for your posts in the future on this topic. Thank you.
You’re welcome, Meredith! We’ll share more after the IAHE Convention. Visit us at the IAHE Action booth.
Keep us informed!!! As a veteran homeschool parent of 24 years, I have seen much misinformation passed around in the past few years. We must help to clarify and inform so that governmental leaders will see the difference in a true home education.
Will do, Joann. Definitions do matter!
I just don’t understand how they didn’t know the difference in the different types of schooling. Shouldn’t they be educated on that before having opinions on it?
We don’t understand it either. We are glad when people are referred to IAHE for counseling as it relates to home education information. In addition to our office, the sixteen IAHE Regional Representatives are prepared to answer phone calls and counsel people in their region. IAHE dedicates resources to make certain their Regional Representatives have received training to properly counsel families. They are homeschoolers who understand the requirements related to home education in Indiana. They interface with groups in their region of the state, so they are able to refer the family to a group that is a good fit.
As someone who was “pushed out” of public school in high school this is especially aggravating. Do their statements not show just how ill-equipped they are to even consider over seeing home educators?
What do you mean? What was your experience? Judging from the calls that IAHE has received, school do not have a good understanding of the difference between home education and virtual public schools. Families are not receiving good counsel when they exit the public school. Many are given IAHE’s number to call to get started in homeschooling, but as IAHE explains the responsibility involved with home education, they are no longer interested in pursuing this option.