Home School Mentioned In Trump's Plan For First 100 Days
Yesterday president elect Donald J. Trump released a plan outlining what he hoped to accomplish during the first 100 days of his presidency.
Throughout the election most homeschoolers were painfully aware that neither candidate spent very much time addressing homeschooling and their plans for education. On the one hand, Hillary has a long track record of statements about homeschooling, many of which were taken from her book, It Takes a Village, on amazon. The HSLDA was already preparing for Clinton. On the other hand, during Trump's campaign he only mentioned homeschooling (specifically) one time. Nevertheless, Trump did make it very clear during his campaign that he wants to abolish Common Core.
Now that Trump is president elect, he has released a plan for his first 100 days.
Education reform during Trump's first 100 days
Taken from Trump's first 100 day plan:
4. School Choice And Education Opportunity Act. Redirects education dollars to give parents the right to send their kid to the public, private, charter, magnet, religious or home school of their choice. Ends common core, brings education supervision to local communities. It expands vocational and technical education, and make 2 and 4-year college more affordable.
(Bold by us)
In a campaign ad, Trump said: "Common Core is a total disaster. We can't let it continue." And from earlier this year: "Get rid of Common Core — keep education local!" His definition of school choice, "School choice means that parents can homeschool their children... 100%"
"A lot of people believe the Department of Education should just be eliminated. Get rid of it. If we don't eliminate it completely, we certainly need to cut its power and reach," he wrote in his book "Great Again: How to Fix Our Crippled America."
The question then becomes, how will this be implemented and what does it really mean for homeschoolers? Trump's views and opinions on homeschooling were published along with his other plans in his book: Great Again: How to Fix Our Crippled America - via amazon.
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UPDATE: [HSLDA's Christian response] Homeschool Attorney's Summary Of Legal Changes To Homeschooling Proposed By Trump Administration
Does this mean we will be given money... and because the government gave this moeny to us, we'll have to do what they say? ... as homeschoolers?
This is widely available in Alaska, it works well.
However, we are still independent unschoolers.
We have to send complete curriculums entails to school, have them approved and attendance, testing as well as quarterly reports. We have to use state approved testing in NY so they are involved and it's currently left up to local schools to supervise.
homeschooling does need to be monitored...to protect kids like those from the polygamist mormons in Arizona whose boys end up with a 12yo education, get kicked out of their community and end up down and out and on drugs...all because the old men want the young girls for wives. this goes on all the time
No. No, it does not. The fact that some people screw up doesnt mean the rest of us need monitoring.
A note of clarification: "the polygamist mormons" is a non-sequitur. The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints does not practice polygamy. Any member of the Church who participates in polygamist relationships is removed from membership.
That's right, Erin! There are other laws set in place to protect people in those situations. No need to restrict homeschooling to accomplish that!
Sheryl, please don't take this the wrong way...but you are a moron. On second thought- do take it the wrong way. Mormons? Old men stealing child-brides...?? You are clearly a liberal, and you just LOST as evidenced by the election, so go away to another country...like Iran:)
Are you kidding right now? I homeschool 7 children. I don't have any boys being kicked out so old men can marry my daughters. I also don't have any tantrum throwing teenagers that throw themselves in the fetal position and need time off from school when things don't go there way!
*their! Sorry!
wtf did your transparent Mormon hatred rant have to do with homeschooling?
There are laws in place that protect already. I have done research bc ThIs comes up and articles randomly searched for re abuse and neglect...not homeschooled. There are a myriad of things we should be doing to help our neighbors and beuracracy is the least expedient.
I don't ebelieve we will be given money as home schooler but we may be able to use what we spend as tax deductible!
I remember hearing at one point that it costs 1,200 for a child to go through the public school and that it would be wise to allow the parents to decide if that meant it went to public, private etc. He didn't state home-school but it would be wise as that would certainly be an incentive for parents to raise/teach/train their children vs government--it would also allow for money to be poured back into museums, zoos etc.
I live in AZ I am not LDS but I can say I don't know a single one that does home school. I do home school and am not of that religion. I would not mind if the government was more strict in watching how I teach them as long as the freedom isn't taken away and they also use it as an opportunity to provide tools etc.
1,200 a year**
Try adding at least one more zero on the end of that number. The national average in 2014 was $11,009 per year per student. I can't help but imagine the field trips and curriculum I could provide with over 30K a year to educate 3 kids. http://www.governing.com/gov-data/education-data/state-education-spending-per-pupil-data.html
I have homeschooled in the past and it never cost me money like that. If that is a number released by the school district it would account for teacher salaries
A tax deduction would be nice for some families. I don't want to be supervised. I test my children annually with standard tests and upon graduation their courses are reviewed by our local HS group who does a ceremony for them to be sure the ceremony is reserved for those who do the actual academics. I lived in a state that had oversight at the district level. While I never lost control of choosing curriculum and activities it added to what i had to do. It was a burden to keep all their work and find a person to review each year whom I also paid to review them and sign off on our work. This also caused our local school district more paperwork and toon them away from their reaponaibities which was to educate the public schoolers. I assumed responsibility for my children's education and it was not fair to make the district assume responsibility and have to sign off on plans they have no actual control over. It is just red tape for everyone when the focus needs to be educating outnumber children. Most parents who homeschool have their children's best interest at heart. There are some bad apples but that is in every schooling and family situation and not unique to homeschoolers. Laws are in place to protect minors and we do have requirements to follow as educators of our children. What is gained in hikeschoking is tailoring to your child's educational needs.
Any time you take money from any governmental agency there are going to be strings attached. If you don't want the strings, don't accept the money. Really simple.
As a parent that homeschools. I would not want their money as it comes with strings. My child, my money and my time.....MY WAY. No parent should be monitored by the state or the government. We are adults! I do not need a nanny to teach my kid or help me do what is right by my child.
I suspect it would come in the form of a tax credit.
This is so dangerous for homeschoolers, I'm serious. Gov controll.
I want to home school schools are horrible here bulling is the worst we rank low in education
Cathy- Home schooling is 100% legal in all fifty states. If you want to home school, then do so.
The country I was raised in - New Zealand provides a stipend per homeschooled child. There is little interference in the schooling despite it being a fairly liberal country.
"This is so dangerous for homeschoolers" why do you have to jump to a negative conclusion. As I say to the Liberals, Give things a chance before you protest, since you dont even know what your protesting, it hasn't occurred yet.
The danger of government "Free Money" is incredible. I can only pray that homeschoolers are not somehow forced to accept money from the government.
I am trying to figure out why some would consider this dangerous, this is the opposite of government control. I am not a complete fan of the guy, but it sounds as though he is giving the control to the parents not the government. And if you choose to homeschool, the plan is to get a credit on your taxes if you do.
If the government gives you money to homeschool your children, two things would almost surely follow. 1. Many parents would pull kids out of public schools so they could get the money, then they would not educate their children. This would lead us to 2. The government now wants a lot more oversight and control of your homeschooling process. Just because the first guy puts it into to action with no intention of this, doesn't mean that the next leader won't.
We homeschool 7 kids (or will by the time we are done) and I could gain a lot from this, but I will leave that money on the table if it means leaving the government out of my life.
This is already happening in Alaska. You turn in your receipts and get reimbursed. They do not pay for biblical curriculum. But they pay for swim lessons, art supplies, computers, etc. It works great for most but there are some who would rather not have anything to do with government and that is there choice. No laws here.
Oklahoma also reimburses homeschool parents
Peggy - Oklahoma reimburses parents???? Not a soul in our co-op, or anyone that I know, is aware of this. Can you tell us more?
No tax break will be incentive enough to pull your kid out and homeschool, it's not as if you'll get the $10-12k they spend per child, that's anti homeschool rethoric. I don't want the $, because there's always strings attached.
I feel exactly the same way. You keep your money and I'll teach my kids. It sounds fair (and safe) to me.
Nothing is ever free except Yeshua
Considering is platform is Less government control and more liberty, I think it's a great goal.
That is wonderful news! I believe that parents should have a choice on how and where to educate their children.
Would you take the money if you knew the government would chose your curriculum and dictate what you taught?
Common Core is a global push (the reason Hillary supported it). He's going to have to change things at the UN and the deal Bill Gates has with UNSECO before he can eliminate Common Core. He'll also have to do away with Pearson, the overseas publisher where most public schools textbooks come from. He's also going to have to figure out how to take care of the DC Trade Organizations (NGO) and more that own the copyright to Common Core and make it almost impossible to take action against because it's not a body of people! I want it gone but I don't think most of America and our politicians even realize what it is and what it will involve to get rid of.
I home schooled my son, also bought several books from Pearson AND not at a bulk discount!! They still have an education market either way.
What I love about the plan suggestion too is the technical school support. MANY children wasting time in public school stressed out trying to pass SOL's in areas they'll never need/use. Let these high school age children focus on more options for trades & areas that will truly make a difference in their lives.
Pearson was publishing schoolbooks before Common Core
That's the beauty of homeschooling: my son attends trade school during his last two years of high school. The schools attached to it take the kids on a field trip to visit the trade school during eighth grade so that by the time they enter 10th grade, they are already prepared to go there starting in grade 11
My only concern is that "government anything" is a trojan horse. So I want to wait and see what the stipulation is for homeschoolers. Does this money com with strings, are we expected to take it or be considered "not legit", will states require a homeschool registry? (some already do & its not something I want to be a part of).
When the state wants to "help you" be self-sufficient, it usually means it wants to know where you live & if you have kids... and even if Trump has no interest in playing with the loop hole this creates, there is no reason to assume another politician won't take advantage of it.
Praying my cynicism is proven wrong.
In my state you have to register as a home school home. I think the money would come in handy to most families, because I haven't met a home school family who cared LESS for their child than the public school system. Anyone sacrificing so much already won't be doing it for the money, for sure. But people go through seasons, and when my husband was let go and out of a job with no income coming in for 5+ months, it was very hard to get by, let alone by books and such for 5 kiddos. Heck, we even struggled to buy necessary supplies one yr. I had to apply for financial assistance from HSLDA and send in receipts to make sure the money was spent on the children's education and not a vacation. Which I completely agree with! So if we would be given a tax credit for homeschooling, I would be all in favor, as will most people who I know , and would put that money to the best education possible! Then you will see America great again, when the next few generations will be educated human beings!! Bring the bibles back in school, and you won't need them in prisons.
The best thing I read from Facebook: My oldest son (my step son who lives with is) is in public school and he was so glad trump got elected because he says he hates common core. Lol we don't talk about common core at home because I don't want him to feel left out because he's public school and my others are homeschool so I thought it was funny!
I hope homeschoolers will be given a tax credit instead of a voucher. Vouchers have the potential for government control where tax credits give parents the freedom to choose what is best for their children.
I don't care about money! I am happy for parents to be able to choose where and how to educate as long as they learn what they need in life and get in college! I am exited to read he wants to make college more affordable and to stop common core!
Home school i think its best for some of families and children i would vote for it
Many states already offer public school at home through the K12 program. Local schools don't let you know that this is a free option. All they want is $$'s and SOL scores.
The problem with this option is that it is still public schooling. You are still dealing with the teachers, counselors, principals, etc that want to infringe on what, where, why, and how your children learn. Still dealing with school calendars, issues when you have special learners, etc. I spent 8 years doing the K12 option with my oldest 2 after pulling them out of the brick and mortar school. I wished up when it came to my youngest 3 and went with homeschooling where I chose the curriculum - the school days/times - how they learn (based on what works best for each of them) - everything is up to me and their father to decide. I butted heads with the powers-that-be in the K12 program, especially when it came to counting Biblical things counting towards their attendance. Not to mention the science and history portion of public school varies so much from what we believe and want our kids to learn. So the K12 (and other online public school options) aren't always the best option for some that make the choice to homeschool due to religious reasons.
The Government is giving you their money, they would simply be returning what you paid in tax that usually goes to educate your children in public school. When we homeschooled, we had to pay tax for the public schools, whether we used them or not. Putting the money the school's get into the parent's hands also means the schools will be forced to compete for our business and will be motivated to offer the best product. I'm glad for the change!
**I meant to say, the Government is NOT giving you their money...I wish these post had an "edit" option.
Considering is platform is Less government control and more liberty, I think it's a great goal.
Hey guys, I watched a lot of Mr Trumps campaign speeches and the message I got was LESS government in your business, not more. Climb out from under the democratic rock that was always in all of your business and breathe
Currently, many counties in Missouri anyway, provide a refund of personal property taxes earmarked for the local school district back to homeschooling families who request it. However, despite Missouri being one of the least restrictive states to home school in, it puts you on the school district's radar. All it takes is one well meaning but intrusive and uninformed case worker to cause problems that would far outweigh any funds received. I'd just rather not, that's all.
The two books mentioned written, by Clinton and Trump, should tell us a lot about these two people. Just going by the reviews alone with Trump having almost 5 stars with a 74% (5) star rating and 12% (1) star compared to Clinton's book at an overall 3 1/2 star rating with only 44% (5) star and a whopping 31% (1) star rating definitely tells a person what many people think of the author's ideas. To tell the truth, Hillary's book definitely shows a person who is totally out of touch with reality. Trump on the other hand appears to understand the mind of the child, the integrity of the family and so much more. For all intents and purposes we have one person who has been involved in the raising of 5 children vs the other raising 1 child. Who has the more experience, especially when you look at how each individual child has turned out as an adult?
Not arguing facts & numbers here, but I question how involved Trump really was in raising his 5 kids. Not saying Clinton was more hands-on, but being a mother oftentimes means you are more hands-on. In addition to Trump saying that he provides the funds and she raises the kids.
Where does it say anything about gov't interference??? It says Common Core will be gone & people will have choices on where to send children, including homeschool!! Where do you pull all this extra Nonsense out of??
Don't need the government's money! Their money, their rules.
I would just be happy if the property tax I pay every year would be reduced because 75% of goes to public education in one form or another. If my taxes were lower, I would feel like I got some $$ back and they wouldn't be poking their noses into my homeschooling business.
We are home-schooling our 9th grader this year for the first time and it is working well for her and us. She's enrolled in an on-line accredited academy and has access to all her teachers via text, phone and e-mail. She never got this much individual attention and support in public school, and always found school very noisy and distracting. She learns best when she can read aloud to herself, and she can work at her own pace. I don't understand why anyone is concerned about "government interference." It's our responsibility to keep her on track and meet the curriculum requirements. She does the work and passes the tests. She's getting a complete and balanced education and catching up on some things she's missed in the past. Her younger brother is still enrolled in the local public school, where he is doing well and will probably remain. We just want to do what's best for our kids and it's great to have options. If a tax credit is available, we'll take it. Every little bit helps. Nobody comes knocking on our door asking questions. Why would they?
I'd be happy keeping the 2300.00 we pay in taxes that go toward the local schools we don't use. Then I could easily pay for what we use during the school year and maybe afford for them to play a sport.
As much as I think property that I already own should not be taxed, in am not willing to give over my rights as a parent to a government that wants to give me some of that back, and then use that as an excuse to regulate homeschoolers. No money is worth the bigger price we will all pay. Don't try to fund home education please.