[email protected]

This is no longer just the Army.

We need contacts with US Air Force homeschoolers stationed in
Germany, especially near Ramstein AFB. Again, I don't know why this
has been so secret, but it's finally surfaced that the Air Force will
be holding a USAFE - U.S. Air Force Europe - focus group on May 24th -
LESS THAN TWO WEEKS. There is a - well, read for yourself.

Subj: [kmcnews] Homeschool Focus Group Information
Date: 5/13/01 4:18:23 PM Eastern Daylight Time
From: blakeandsusan@... (Blake and Susan Robertson)
To: kmcnews@... (KMC Christian Home Educators Newsletter)
CC: blakeandsusan@... (znl Robertson Blake & Susan)

KMC Christian Home Educators Newsletter - http://kmc.truepath.com

Hi,
Just wanted to give you some additional background information
about the focus groups. The root cause is discussed in the below e-
mail. The USAFE meeting is set for 24 May 01 at Ramstein AB, Bldg
525 from 0900 to 1100 with a slightly different format than the ARMY
groups. The USAFE meeting is set for 30 participants -- 10 Home
School parents, 10 DoDDS parents, and 10 educators and administrators.

We have 10 families who are planning on participating: (I will
ask if we can have more than 10 attendees Monday)
Robertson (Blake)
Simkins (Amanda or Steve)
Palmer (Susan)
Geary (Cathy)
Knutson (Lori)
Ali (Liz)
Dickey (David)
Vignassi (Lisa)
Birch (Eric) tentative
Dyche (checking schedule on Monday)

We have scheduled a preparation meeting for this Thursday 17 May
at 6:30 PM at Sembach Bible Church on B-40 for all attendees and
anyone else who wants to provide input and pray with us.

If you want to be an alternate or participate if we can get more
seats for home educators, please reply to me (we're CCed above).

The intent of the preparation meeting is to go over the 10
questions and discuss answers we collectively support. My aim is to
see that the dialog is positive and does not turn into a complaint
session. Many of us don't have complaints with DoDDS, but instead
choose to home educate because of religious conviction.

See you on Thursday, and if not, please pray that the focus group
is a positive exchange.

Tx
Blake Robertson
0631-360-8744

PS Don't forget the KMC Home Educators meeting Tuesday the 22nd at
7:00 PM
at Pulaski Chapel.

> ----- Original Message -----


> > Bill and Jeanne:
> >
> > The message below is one which I sent out to our local group
after
> > checking with Dr. Perez that it would be OK. You may want to
forward it
> on
> > to your group and your HEART e-mail list.
> >
> > George Hull
> >
> > > Dear Heidelberg Homeschoolers:
> > >
> > > The information below was provided by Dr. Mike Perez,
Director
of
> > > Education for US Army Europe in response to questions about how
the
> > > homeschooling policy review arose and what the issues
associated with
> this
> > > review were. It provides some of the background about how the
issue
got
> > > started and what the review process is. We are providing it
for you
> > > information.
> > >
> > > George Hull
> > >
> > >
> > > > E-mail Letter from Dr. Mike Perez:
> > >
> > > > 1 . Over one year ago, LTG Jordan, USAREUR Deputy Commanding
General (DCG),
> > > > became aware of a situation in Heidelberg involving a young
man who
had been
> > > > home schooled throughout his high school years. This young
man was
a
> > > > military family member who was unable to achieve high enough
scores
on the
> > > > Armed Services Vocational Aptitude Battery (ASVAB) to qualify
for
entrance
> > > > on active Army service. The DCG began to ask a series of
questions,
such as:
> > > >
> > > > a. Who is responsible for ensuring that home schooled
children
within
> > > > USAREUR communities receive a quality education?
> > > >
> > > > b. What are the Commander's responsibilities concerning
education
of all
> > > > school age children in USAREUR?
> > > >
> > > > c. How many school age children in USAREUR communities are
being
home
> > > > schooled?
> > > >
> > > > d. What set of laws, rules, regulations apply for home
schoolers in
> > > > USAREUR?
> > > >
> > > > 2 . The Education Division within the Office of the ADCSPIM
is
> > > > responsible, among other things, for the DoDDS Liaison and
Policy
Function
> > > > at Headquarters, USAREUR. Research into this issue revealed
the
following:
> > > > Home schooling, like all education, is a States' rights issue
in the
U.S.
> > > > Therefore, almost all regulatory authority concerning public
education is
> > > > found in the individual States' laws. Likewise, each State
passes
laws
> > > > concerning the conduct of home schooling within that State.
> > > >
> > > > 3 . The crux of the home schooling issue is the balance of
two
sets of rights:
> > > >
> > > > a. The rights of parents to home school their school age
children.
> > > >
> > > > b. The rights of children to a quality education.
> > > >
> > > > 4 . In Europe, the rights of parents to home school their
school
age
> > > > children are protected. In fact, many parents within the
European
U.S.
> > > > community exercise this option.
> > > >
> > > > 5 . In Europe, there are no U.S. laws that protect the
rights of
children
> > > > to a quality education.
> > > >
> > > > 6 . Although there is a current Army regulation that briefly
addresses
> > > > "educational neglect," there is insufficient definition to
provide
> > > > meaningful guidance to Commanders in the enforcement of any
policy
related
> > > > to such neglect.
> > > >
> > > > 7 . A review of existing State laws in the U.S. reveals a
wide
range of
> > > > possible laws concerning home schooling.
> > > >
> > > > 8 . There is a series of councils in USAREUR that makes it
possible
for
> > > > parents, DoDDS teachers and administrators, and Commanders to
voice
their
> > > > concerns about education of school age children in this
Command.
This
> > > > series includes:
> > > >
> > > > a. School Advisory Council (SAC) at the individual school
level.
> > > >
> > > > b. Installation Advisory Council (IAC) at the installation
(ASG)
level.
> > > >
> > > > c. Component Commander's Advisory Council, chaired by the
DCG twice
> > > > annually.
> > > >
> > > > d. The European Schools Council, chaired by the J-1 staff at
Headquarters,
> > > > European Command (EUCOM), and attended by the USAREUR DCG
(also
> > > > twice annually).
> > > >
> > > > e. The Dependent Education Council, chaired by DoDEA in
Arlington,
Virginia
> > > > and attended by the USAREUR DCG twice annually.
> > > >
> > > > 9 . In the past two years, at each CCAC, ASG Commanders have
voiced
their
> > > > concern about the lack of detailed policy on home schooling
in EUCOM
and in
> > > > USAREUR. Based on these concerns, the USAREUR DCG raised
this issue
at the
> > > > past two DEC meetings in Arlington, VA. As a result, the
Department of
> > > > Defense Education Agency (DoDEA) has formed a Home Schooling
Working
Group
> > > > (HSWG). The first meeting of the HSWG was held on 12 Feb 01
at
DoDEA HQ in
> > > > Arlington, VA. Present were representatives from:
> > > >
> > > > a. HQ, DoDEA.
> > > >
> > > > b. HQ, EUCOM, J-1.
> > > >
> > > > c. HQ, Department of the Army, Community and Family Support
Center
(CFSC).
> > > >
> > > > d. HQ, U.S. Marine Corps.
> > > >
> > > > e. HQ, U.S. Air Force.
> > > >
> > > > f. HQ, USAREUR.
> > > >
> > > > 10 . Based on current States laws, following issues were
identified
to be
> > > > included in the HSWG focus:
> > > >
> > > > a. Attendance/Hours of Instruction per Subject.
> > > >
> > > > b. Record keeping.
> > > >
> > > > c. Curriculum requirements/core subjects.
> > > >
> > > > d. Teacher qualifications.
> > > >
> > > > e. Requirement to notify of intent to home school.
> > > >
> > > > f. Accountability.
> > > >
> > > > g. Access to sports and other school-sponsored activities and
facilities.
> > > >
> > > > h. Testing.
> > > >
> > > > 11 . Based on this preliminary meeting, the following
actions were
taken:
> > > >
> > > > a. DoDEA has requested Department of Defense (DoD) General
Counsel
(GC) to
> > > > conduct research and report concerning the laws of host
nations
where
> > > > military personnel are stationed outside the Continental U.S.
(OCONUS).
> > > >
> > > > b. DoDEA has requested DoD GC to conduct research and report
concerning
> > > > current regulations within DoD which might impact on home
schooling
OCONUS.
> > > >
> > > > c. DoDEA has requested Component Commands, e.g. USAREUR, to
conduct
Home
> > > > Schooling focus groups and has provided a set of standardized
questions for
> > > > those groups.
> > > >
> > > > d. DoDEA will convene a full HSWG in September (tentative).
> > > >
> > > > (1) The HSWG will consist of voting and non-voting members:
> > > >
> > > > (a) The voting members will be comprised of representatives
from
each
> > > > component command, i.e. USAREUR; U.S. Air Force, Europe
(USAFE);
Marine
> > > > Forces, Europe (MARFOREUR); Navy, Europe (NAVEUR); Central
Command
> > > > (CENTCOM); Marine Forces Pacific (MARFORPAC); U.S. Army,
Pacific
(USARPAC);
> > > > Eighth U.S. Army (EUSA); Commander in Chief, Pacific
(CINCPAC), and
the
> > > > Defense Domestic Education School System. (DDESS). Each of
the
component
> > > > commands will be permitted to designate two voting
representatives,
one
> > > > command representative and one home schooling parent. (Only
exception will
> > > > be DDESS with two home schooling parents.)
> > > >
> > > > (b) The non-voting members will be: DODEA; representatives
from
each CINC (5).
> > > >
> > > > 12 . It is estimated that this meeting of the full HSWG will
take
3-4 days.
> > > > This meeting will be conducted in the Washington, DC area.
The Home
School
> > > > Defense League of America and other external groups will be
invited
to
> > > > present.
> > > >
> > > > 13 . The HSWG will:
> > > >
> > > > a. Consider the issues identified in paragraph 11 above.
> > > >
> > > > b. Develop recommendations.
> > > >
> > > > c. Report out to Director, DoDEA and other DoD officials.
> > > >
> > >
> > >
> >
>
>



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