Alaska Home Educators Alliance

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Sample Letters - June Homeschool Survey Issues

Sample Letters - June Homeschool Survey Issues

Topics:
Fairness and Equality
Performance/ Accountability
Safety
Respect for Privately-Owned Curriculum

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(As an email… the subject line should read : Fairness for All)
Happy Homeschooler
Pleasant Lane
Joyville, AK
Date

The Honorable Legislator of District
PO Box 1234
Juneau, Alaska

Dear (Senator, Legislator, or State Board Member):

We as a homeschooling family have enjoyed many years of successfully educating our children. We appreciate the assistance from the state in the form of allotments that help offset the cost of curriculum and day-to-day materials.

With the support of the new governor, we are hopeful that the 15% spending cap for music, art, and PE on state-wide programs will be repealed, which will match in-district programs. The cap on these subjects is currently too small to take advantage of the rich opportunities in our community. (Personal Example here)

Homeschooling families in state-wide programs are as frugal with funding as in-district homeschooling families, realizing that the allotment stretches an entire school year. Having greater flexibility with this allotment would benefit our own two children who are exceptionally gifted in the areas of music and PE.

Please repeal the regulations that restrict instruction of our children’s gifts.

Thank you,
Caring parent

Dear members of the Alaska State Board of Education,

Thank you for volunteering to serve on the board. Our family appreciates your efforts to make sure that all children are achieving academic standards. Will you please put homeschool regulation relief on your agenda?

My husband and I are most concerned that we have to choose whether Billy and Mary will study Art, Music or P.E because each of them costs more than $807 for the year. We can not access the local school instructional activities because we do not have a second car and the school bus system will not transport them for these activities alone. Our children can ride to Karate lessons (which exercise their body and mind together) with their aunt. The music teacher comes to our home. Right now we must choose between
P. E. or music for a semester at a time.

Both Mary and Billy have tested in the advanced proficient sections of their latest SBA's. It seems unfair that they can not have music lessons and physical exercise at the same time in a semester. Before the 2004 regulations, we were able to access both. Please provide relief to homeschoolers and remove the spending cap!

Sincerely,
John and Ruth Hardworkers

Dear Alaska State Board Members:

I'm writing with great concern for my child's safety. He was bullied at school so I found a good homeschool program where a certified teacher helped me to choose curriculum and is always available when I need him. There are structured activities that I can take advantage of and slowly restore my child's confidence. My homeschooling has turned an angry child into a friendly compassionate child who just received an award from our church for helping to teach a class on Forgiveness.

Unfortunately we are not able to pay for music, art and P.E. all in one year with the small amount of money allotted for this type of instruction. We have to chose one or two. The money is going to our district, but the regulations will not allow the district to use it for my child. We have a learning plan in place that shows the curriculum that we are using, we test and try to meet all the requirements set forth.
I can not just send my child out on the street to play for 5 months out of the year. The streets are not safe because of snow and ice. Having the option to access instruction in music, art, and PE will help my child tremendously.

Please put us on the agenda and repeal the regulation on funding.

Thank you.

Sincerely,
Faye Safe

(As an email… the subject line should read : AUTHORITY of FUNDING)

Happy Homeschooler
Pleasant Lane
Joyville, AK
Date

Mr. XXXX XXXXX or Mrs. XXX XXXX or Ms. XXX SSSSWS
Ak State Board of EED

The Honorable Legislator of District
PO Box 1234
Juneau, Alaska

Dear (Senator XXX , Legislator xxxx, or State Board of EED Member(s) xxxxx):

As diligent homeschooling parents, we are appreciative of the opportunity to educate our children to their abilities.
All three of children are gifted athletes, involved in 2-3 sports every year. The cost of their uniforms is in our budget, but the additional activity fees of $75.00 per activity caught us by surprise.

The variety of our children’s activities would broaden with access to our allotment for their sports fees by repealing the 15% cap on PE, music and art. Our children scored in the advanced catagories on their SBA's. Based on their performance, we know how to best spend our own tax dollars that we receive in the form of allotments.

Please repeal the 15% cap that restricts our ability to ensure our children perform to their highest ability.

Sincerely,

Caring Parent

Email subject line: Respect Materials That Produce Good Test Scores!

Dear State Board Members:

After looking at your agenda, I'm really impressed with the issues you are dealing with across the State and appreciate your taking the time to address my challenges which are not a part of the agenda.

In 2002, my child was using Bob Jones Curriculum and testing in the 90th percentile. In 2005, I disenrolled in ______(statewide program)__. Our scores in the IOWA Basics Skills Test this year were in the 98th percentile (across the board). We are no longer able to use a statewide program and a curriculum that works well to meet my child’s needs. Why would any teacher stop using a curriculum that works so well?

In 2002, I listened in during the testimony on gavel to gavel when they were discussing HB464 (it was substituted with SB345 and became law). I was very disappointed to hear the misguided testimony from the Deputy Attorney General on Sept 20, 2005 regarding the Bill. There were hours of testimony from people who made it clear that their faith based curriculum was not supplementary....not supplementary at all!!

Although my child is an achiever in the areas of math, reading and writing, there are opportunities my child does not have because of my choice to stick with the curriculum that has helped me to develop a child of good character as well as a high achiever. He is not able to have music, art or P. E. lessons. We can not afford a new computer that handles online streaming. I would like to provide him with other opportunities and am willing to share my learning plans with certified teachers and learn more about resources that will help my child...if only people of faith were accepted and respected as they were previous to the 2005 audit and the new interpretation of regulations (four "fundable" subjects).

Thank you for putting this topic on the agenda for the next meeting. Thank you for supporting all homeschoolers who wish to participate in the public schools in Alaska.

Standing Alone For Now independent Homeschooler