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By julia, March 5, 2010 10:31 pm

From a full article at The Mount Vernon-Lisbon Sun, dated March 4, 2010.  Written in first person by  Nate Willems, a Democrat from Lisbon, representing House District 29, which includes Mount Vernon and Lisbon. Excerpt about homeschooling:

“On a brighter note, it appears we have reached a compromise between the Department of Education and local school districts in regard to how funds for Home School Assistance Programs (HSAP) may be spent. The current plan would allow school districts to spend HSAP dollars on teachers, support staff, and equipment but not on administrators or for facilities. These changes would actually go into the Iowa Code and, therefore, should not be subject to change by the Department of Education. Though I might have liked to go a little further in giving school districts with an HSAP greater flexibility in operating their program, it is a reasonable compromise, and all parties can feel comfortable in moving forward with it.”

Hat tip to Ulrike.

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By julia, February 8, 2010 12:35 pm

First off, I want to remind you all that you’re invited to our 3rd Annual HSAP Day at the Capitol on Tuesday, March 9th from 2:00 to 4:30 p.m.

This year we’re doing things a bit differently. Instead of setting up displays, we’ll be hosting an ice cream and cookie social for legislators in the basement. (These are very popular!) The Iowa HSAP Professionals will buy the ice cream, bowls, cups, spoons, napkins, and coffee, but we need YOU to do two things for that day:

1. Show up! Legislators need to meet you and see what fantastic professionals we have in our organization.
2. We need to have HSAP students from all over the state bake cookies and/or brownies, package them individually in baggies, and attach an original piece of artwork or a letter telling about how great HSAPs are. (This can be 4 year olds thru high school seniors – or even parents!)

I’ll try to provide more information as we get closer (for example, if there is a specific bill that is still pending then, we might ask families to include that in the letter they write). However, the important part for now is to have you mark your calendars, and start getting families involved in making the goodies and the artwork!

Please RSVP and let me know how many teachers will be coming, and how many goodies you will be bringing.

On Monday, KCRG TV 9 News did a story about HSAPs. You can see the story here. There were quite a few online comments about it. Unfortunately, their moderator did NOT allow all of the comments to get posted, so the discussion was limited and a bit slanted.

On Wednesday I received a draft of the bill that Rep Jodi Tymeson submitted on our behalf, which would put into Iowa Code how HSAP dollars must be spent, and leave it out of the hands of the Iowa Department of Education and their administrative rules.

Andrea K. Farrier
Home Schooling Wife and Mom
Supervising Teacher, MPHSAP
Lobbyist, Ia. HSAP Professionals
(319) 461-4346 (cell)

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By julia, February 3, 2010 8:47 am

Area dad Todd wrote about attending HSAP Day at the Capitol with his son at his blog: click on DanceDad.

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By julia, February 2, 2010 12:41 pm

From a local HSAP coordinator, appears to be written by Andrea Farrier. Please visit your HSAP coordinator or talk to Mrs. Farrier (contact info below). Three Sisters has no other information. — JULIA

Funding for Home School Assistance Programs (HSAPs)

Department of Education Chapter 98.12 is the restrictive funding rule that the DoE wrote in May of 2009. It would require school districts to spend the money they receive for HSAPs ONLY on teachers and materials. The cost for buildings, operations, maintenances, bookshelves, tables, etc… would have to come from the district’s general fund in order to keep the programs running as they currently are. The Administrative Rules Review Committee (ARRC) referred this rule to the legislature at their December, 2 009 meeting.

• This rule needs to be taken up, CHANGED, and passed out of the education committee. If not, it will go into effect, as written, at the end of session.
• If the rule isn’t changed, it will gut what HSAPs offer, or force districts to get rid of these programs entirely.
• HSAPs save tens of millions of tax payer dollars annually, and HSAPs are a very effective and efficient form of education.
• HSAPs have been helping home schooling families for over 17 years.
• Changing this rule is REVENUE NEUTRAL to the state, and would help districts by not forcing them to drain their general funds in order to keep these successful programs running.
• HSAPs serve an important population of students, whose needs would not be met as successfully anywhere else.
• HSAPs provide excellent student achievement at a fraction of the cost to tax payers, and need to be supported.

Want more information? Contact the Iowa HSAP Professionals Lobbyist

Andrea Farrier (319) 461 4346

First off, I want to remind you that it is absolutely critical that you contact your state elected officials ASAP about the funding rule (Chapter 98) that was referred to the legislature by the Administrative Rules Review Committee at their December meeting. The chair of the education committee in each chamber will receive this rule. If they allow it to die in committee (not make it to the floor for debate) then it will go into effect as it is written, which would severely limit the way that districts could spend HSAP funds and the services that HSAPs offer. If you’re not sure who your elected officials are, just check out this link. Don’t believe that your phone call will make a difference? Actually, it’s the BEST way to make change happen – and often the only thing that will determine how a bill moves forward.

While every legislator needs to hear about this issue, it is most critical the the education committee members have a thorough understanding of what this rule would do to HSAPs and school districts. IF YOUR LEGISLATOR IS ON THE EDUCATION COMMITTEE, IT IS ESPECIALLY CRITICAL THAT YOU CONTACT HIM/HER!!!!! These members are (the colors of the names are only because I’ve clicked more recently on some than on others):

SENATE:

• Becky Schmitz (D, District 45), Chair
• Brian Schoenjahn (D, District 12), Vice Chair
• Nancy J. Boettger (R, District 29), Ranking Member
• Staci Appel (D, District 37)
• Daryl Beall (D, District 25)
• Robert E. Dvorsky (D, District 15)
• Randy Feenstra (R, District 2)
• Shawn Hamerlinck (R, District 42)
• William M. Heckroth (D, District 9)
• David Johnson (R, District 3)
• Keith A. Kreiman (D, District 47)
• Paul McKinley (R, District 36)
• Herman C. Quirmbach (D, District 23)
• Steven J. Sodders (D, District 22)
• Mary Jo Wilhelm (D, District

HOUSE:

• Roger F. Wendt (D, District 2), Chair
• Gene Ficken (D, District 23), Vice Chair
• Mike May (R, District 6), Ranking Member
• Ako Abdul-Samad (D, District 66)
• Polly Bukta (D, District 26)
• Royd E. Chambers (R, District 5)
• Dennis M. Cohoon (D, District 88)
• Peter Cownie (R, District 60)
• Cecil Dolecheck (R, District 96)
• Wayne W. Ford (D, District 65)
• Greg Forristall (R, District 98)
• Doris Kelley (D, District 20)
• Kevin Koester (R, District 70)
• Mary Mascher (D, District 77)
• Linda J. Miller (R, District 82)
• Eric J. Palmer (D, District 75)
• J. Scott Raecker (R, District 63)
• Sharon S. Steckman (D, District 13)
• Annette Sweeney (R, District 44)
• Phyllis Thede (D, District 81)
• Jodi S. Tymeson (R, District 73)
• Nathan Willems (D, District 29)
• Cindy Winckler (D, District 86)