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No Pass, No Drive Update 2018

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  On Monday, May 14, 2018, a mother took her homeschool student to take her permit test. Unfortunately, the Pike County Circuit Clerk office stated that in order to allow the student to take the permit test, the Clerk’s office would need a letter from “the homeschool program” the student is enrolled in as proof she is homeschooled. Knowing this is not the procedure outlined by the Kentucky Department of Transportation, the family left. They communicated with CHEK on Tuesday evening about the incident. CHEK Board member Devonne Bolin called the Pike County Clerk’s office on Wednesday, May 16. After speaking with the clerk, who did reiterate that the homeschool family needed to bring a letter of proof before the student could take the test, Devonne explained the actual steps outlined by the KDT. Devonne also explained that independent home educators do not use a specific program from which they would be able to obtain a letter. The only letter homeschoolers submit is to the lo
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Legislative Update: April 2018

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On Tuesday, I was in Frankfort, Kentucky with CHEK Board Members, a local support group leader, and our local affiliated attorney, A.C. Donahue, to meet with the Legislative Research Commission. The LRC has received a request from at least one legislator to review the homeschool laws of Kentucky and the surrounding states. While the LRC stated that they don’t have a particular agenda, it appears clear that this review of Kentucky homeschool law is related to House Bill 574 that Rep. Harris introduced earlier this year. As you remem ber, that bill would have dramatically changed the homeschool law in Kentucky. In their review of state law, the LRC reached out to CHEK and asked them to present information about homeschooling. CHEK in turn invited us to be involved in the meeting along with Mr. Donahue and a local homeschool leader. The meeting lasted nearly 3 hours and we all were able to provide plenty of information to give the LRC an accurate picture of the status of hom
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Legislative Alert: HB 574 Aggressive Encroachment on Private Home Education

By DBolin
HB574 , an act relating to homeschool, was submitted to the House on February 27 by Representative Chris Harris , and is currently awaiting discussion in the House Education Committee. We have not seen a bill that so aggressively attacks our freedom to home educate in more than eight years. If this bill became law, it would drastically transform the face of private home education in Kentucky. It is CHEK’s stance that bills, such as these, are unnecessary and ultimately harmful to homeschoolers as they further increase the state's control of the education and upbringing of our children. CHEK is actively communicating our concerns to the House Education Committee. We encourage you to contact your legislators to let them know your concerns for HB 574 . If this pro posed bill became law, i t would: Create a legal definition of homeschool in Kentucky. Require parents to submit and affidavit to the Kentucky Department of Education, on an annual basis, verifying each child
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Homeschool Day at the Capitol 2018

By DBolin
CHEK is excited to announce the upcoming Homeschool Day at the Capitol in association with Christians at the Capitol on Friday, February 9, 2018.  With demolition of the old convention center it has made planning a bit difficult this year, but what is difficult for man is not a problem for God!  This year, all events will take place on the Capitol grounds .  Please, be sure to enter through the main entrance, or make your way there to pick up a packet, including a map of the Capitol grounds. Start the day off at 9AM in the Capitol building watching your State government at work, or take advantage of the self-guided tour with a downloadable audio recording of Chaplain, Lee Watts, educational home education tour. There are tickets available at the Capitol to sit in on both the House of Representative Chamber or the Senate Chamber.  Let your statesman know that your family will be there, and ask for a time to meet with them.  Also, your child may want to serve as page for their Re
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Clearing It Up: Two Important Things to Understand about Home Schooling

By DBolin
Arguments I most often hear or read from people in favor of more government oversight of home schoolers come from a misunderstanding of two things.  Let’s see if we can get those cleared up. The first argument goes something like this: “Most home schoolers are doing a good job, but we both know that some parents take their kids out of school to ‘home school’ when they get in trouble or are about to fail a grade and then don’t school them.  Those kids are slipping through the cracks.  Surely, most home schoolers wouldn’t mind a little extra oversight if it would help locate those kids whose parents aren’t doing a good job.” No and yes. No, those are not home schoolers.  Those are truants.  There are already laws on the books in every state to fight truancy.  All the education personnel, law enforcement, and court designated workers have to do is use the truancy laws already in existence to prosecute those who are breaking compulsory education laws.   Ah, “Ye
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Update on HB58

By DBolin
The purpose of CHEK has always been to preserve the freedom of private home educators as well as parental rights in Kentucky. CHEK opposed HB 58 in its original language. To protect private schools operating in homes, CHEK leadership met with legislators to discuss concerns. Reaching an agreement, we are very thankful the sponsor of the bill for amending the language to protect our private school status and to specify all that will be required of private educators at home is a scholarship report (report card). We have moved back to a neutral position. New Language: "Homeschool" which is not defined in Kentucky law, as we are a private school state was amended to "Private school at home". "Adhere to the same academic standards as other participants verified by submission of quarterly scholarship reports provided to the public school offering the extracurricular activity in which the student will participate" You can view the debate of this bil
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Declaration of Participation Forms for Title II, III, and IDEA-B

By DBolin
Kentucky is a private school state, meaning there are no "homeschool" laws on the books! Yes, you read that right! Pioneer homeschool leaders were wise to think ahead 25 years ago when the case of private church schools and homeschooling arose. Hang in here with me for just a minute and you will understand the connection between this statement and the forms. Your homeschool is a private school that operates in your home, the exact same as the local parochial or private church schools. Have you heard the phrase, "There is strength in numbers", or "A three cord strand cannot be broken"? We fall under private school laws. Of course, the 4th amendment gives us right to privacy in our home (yea!). Many people do not understand this about our Kentucky laws, and this was the perfect opportunity to interject. Now about the forms, federal law requires that the state send every (yep, you guessed it) private school these forms; if they do not get a response t
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