In an unprecedented move, U.S. Education Secretary Betsy DeVos recently met with members of the Home School Legal Defense Association (HSLDA) to discuss concerns they have. One News Now reports:
For the first time in its 38-year history, the U.S. Department of Education arranged for a sitting U.S. secretary of education to meet privately with the Christian homeschool legal group.
DeVos was commended during HSLDA‘s visit for supporting homeschooling and respecting homeschool parents, and she was also requested to help forward the homeschool movement through cooperation and limited governmental restrictions.
“[We] asked her to continue to work to preserve the freedom and autonomy of homeschooling families, and asked her to continue to protect homeschool graduates from discrimination,” HSLDA reported.
DeVos reportedly said she believes parents should have control over their children’s educations, which should mean, fingers crossed, getting rid of DOE completely in the near future.
SOURCE: One News Now
IN THIS ISSUE:
School Choice Roundup
- FLORIDA: A Florida school district intent on keeping charter schools at bay is looking to make its case in front of the state supreme court.
- CHARTER SCHOOLS: The presence of charter schools tends to boost home values in neighborhoods, a new study out of Georgia shows.
- NEVADA: Legislators discuss the fate of Nevada’s ESA program, but no decision has been made yet.
- NORTH CAROLINA: North Carolina is considering expanding its voucher program.
- ONLINE ED: As online charter schools spread like wildfire, states try desperately to regulate them.
Common Core and Curriculum Watch
- MARYLAND: Maryland considers making slight changes to its state standardized test after students complain.
- SPYING: Student laptops and devices are collecting data on kids, and parents are ignorant of it, Truth in American Education reports.
Education Today
- MONEY MATTERS: The average salary for a public school teacher in one New York district is an astounding $161,454.
- SPELLING BEES: Some wanna-be spelling bee champions are now employing coaches at $200/hour.
- 4-DAY SCHOOL WEEK: In Oklahoma, some schools are holding class just four days a week to save money.
- GUNS: Colorado teachers will soon have access to advanced gun training classes to stave off mass shootings.
- HOUSING: A Colorado district attempts to lure teachers by offering them subsidized housing.
Teresa Mull is a policy advisor for education and an editor at The Heartland Institute.
