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| Wilson Weighs in on Proposed APS Home Schooling Fee |
March 02, 2000 |
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Dr. Brad Allison
Superintendent
Albuquerque Public Schools
725 University Blvd. SE
Albuquerque, New Mexico 87106
Dear Dr. Allison:
It has come to my attention that the Albuquerque Public School System is considering charging a registration fee to parents who choose to educate their children at home. I have some concerns about this proposed fee and would like to ask you and members of the APS School Board to consider this sensitive issue carefully.
I strongly believe that a registration fee will further burden New Mexican parents who are willing and happy to take on the costs of home schooling for the sake of providing their children the best possible education. Home-schooling proponents feel that a registration fee of any amount for the right to educate one’s own child is outrageous and unacceptable, and I encourage you to carefully consider their viewpoint. To charge parents for their active involvement in their children’s education is a disservice to these children and to their families.
Home-schooling is not a solution for every family. However, in Albuquerque alone, more than 1500 families have made what is arguably the largest commitment parents can make to their children’s education. Home-schooling parents must absorb the costs of text books, extra-curricular activities, and any other resources they need to develop their children’s gifts and prepare them to be successful adults. To add to the financial strain, most home schooling families only have one wage-earner so that at least one parent can focus on their children’s education.
According to New Mexico home schooling groups, families receive very little financial assistance, if any, from the State of New Mexico or from their local school district. Home-schooling parents accept these costs because they want to be actively
involved in their children’s education and home schooling allows them to actively promote good academics, common-sense morality, and family unity.
Finally, I understand that the justification for this fee is that the school district does not get any funds from the state for children who are home schooled. You and the board know that this is not true. The state has an obligation to educate every child. The money in the state budget is divided by the number of students enrolled on the fortieth day to give you your “unit value”. If home schoolers were counted, you would still get the same amount of money, but the amount per child would be lower. The district gets the funds, but you don’t have to spend them on children who are home schooled. In addition, charging a fee for registering home schoolers may raise some equal protection issues. Public schools cannot charge a registration fee to students who enroll. It may be discriminatory treatment to charge a registration fee to students who do not enroll.
Our school system should provide options to kids with different or special skills so that parents have the option to make the best choices for their children. Any parent with more than one child knows that what works for one kid doesn’t necessarily work for another. Charter schools, private schools, and home schooling can provide the options that parents need to meet their children’s educational needs.
Dr. Allison, I’m certain you’ll agree that parental involvement should be the cornerstone of our education system. Parents must accept responsibility for the critical role they play in helping their children succeed in their educational endeavors. This is a team effort, and each of us owes all our kids our very best. We owe the same to parents who make the extra effort to be actively involved in their children’s development through home education.
Sincerely,
Heather Wilson
Member of Congress
cc: Governor Gary Johnson
Albuquerque School Board Members:
Richard Toledo, President
Agatha M. Lopez, Vice-President
Bill C. Rothanbargar, Secretary
Matthew E. Archuleta, Member
Leonard J. DeLayo, Jr., Member
Dolores S. Herrera, Member
Mary Lee Martin, Member |
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