Bill would change testing for home-schoolers

CHARLESTON, W.Va. -- A bill before the House of Delegates is raising hackles among West Virginia home school families.

If passed, the bill would remove from state law language that allows home-schooled students to take "nationally normed standardized achievement tests."

Students instead would be required to take West Virginia's Westest 2 assessment or prepare a portfolio of their year's schoolwork to show educational progress.

The bill also would give the state Board of Education authority to "determine the proficiency scores necessary to remain in a home school environment."

Delegate Mike Manypenny, D-Taylor, introduced the bill on Feb. 15, but it remains in the House Education committee. He said he doesn't expect the bill to pass this session because the Legislature's calendar is full and his bill, House Bill 3152, didn't make the cut.

Manypenny said the law was never meant to disparage home schooling or home-schooled children. He said his goal was to reduce truancy and high school dropout rates.

Manypenny's home county, Taylor, had the second-highest dropout rate in the state for the 2009-2010 school year, according to state education department data. Of the county's 1,043 7th- through 12th-grade students, 45 students, or 4.3 percent, dropped out

http://www.dailymail.com/News/201102231335

Stephanie wrote:Nothing. Delegate Manypenny was just practicing being important.