Home school parents, children turn out to oppose state test mandate
Mar. 4—CONCORD — A proposal to require all home-school and private-school students to take the state assessment tests for reading and mathematics drew hours of opposition during a public hearing Monday.
"This would make New Hampshire the most hostile state for home-school education in the United States," said Joel Grewe, executive director of the Home School Legal Defense Action, a national group representing 100,000 home school programs.
State Rep. Corinne Cascadden, D-Berlin, said the intention of her bill (HB 1610) was to require state assessment tests for students of parents who receive taxpayer education grants called Education Freedom Accounts (EFAs) to send their children to private or alternative public schools or home-school them.
"New Hampshire taxpayers have a right to know how students are performing in reading and math," Cascadden said.
However, as written, the test mandate also would apply to home-schooled children of parents who don't receive an EFA, many of whom packed the House Education Committee room to oppose the bill.
"This infringes on our rights as home-school parents and students," said Jacqueline Garcia, a home-schooling parent in Meredith who does not receive an EFA.
Two years ago, the Legislature passed a law requiring all home-school students to undergo some form of annual assessment.
"There is no compelling reason for this bill," said Michelle Levell, director and a co-founder of Granite State Home Educators.
The EFA law also requires parents to confirm that their student took a national standardized exam or the state assessment test, or created a portfolio to demonstrate competency.
In the 2022-23 school year, only 1% of EFA students took the state assessment test, according to Matt Sutherton, director of policy with the Children's Scholarship Program, which administers EFAs for the state.
During that year, 69% of EFA students took a different national exam and 30% made a portfolio, Sutherton said.
The EFA administrator reports these results in aggregate form to the state Department of Education.
Several speakers noted that many students in public schools get failing grades on their assessment tests.
"This shows you what happens when you threaten people's rights to educate their own children, especially when they don't take public funds," said state Rep. Erica Layon, R-Derry, referring to the large turnout.
Karen Towle, a home-school parent from Merrimack, said the bill would create an unfunded mandate, because school districts would have to make space for all home school students to take the assessment tests.
Some of the home school parents not getting EFAs said that program could have more accountability to it.
"It is (public) funding, somehow, they need to have accountability, of course. Why not make sure that child is being tested appropriately?" said Abigail Bellemore, a home schooling parent from Chester.
More than 200 signed up online in support of the bill. Nearly 750 opposed it.
The House panel is expected to make a recommendation this month.
