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Senate Co-Sponsorship Memoranda
Senate of Pennsylvania
Session of 2013 - 2014
Regular Session
MEMORANDUM
| Posted: | December 7, 2012 01:08 PM |
|---|---|
| From: | Senator Kim L. Ward |
| To: | All Senate members |
| Subject: | Memo #15 - Home Education Program Affidavit Requirements |
I plan to introduce legislation requiring parents who choose to home school their children to submit additional information as part of the affidavit required under Pennsylvania’s home education program law. While there are no specific studies or statistics linking abuse and students educated at home, prosecutors and physicians who testified before the 2012 Child Abuse Task Force shared experiences of responding to serious child neglect and abuse cases in certain home school settings. The testimony and information which was shared suggests it would be prudent for additional safeguards to be put in place to ensure the health and safety of these children. Parents or guardians choosing to offer a home education program for their children are currently required by law to provide a notarized affidavit to the superintendent of the student’s school district of residence. The affidavit requires information on the education program to be offered, whether or not the child has his or her vaccinations, and an assurance that none of the adults residing in the home or persons with legal custody of the child have been convicted of a serious criminal offense within the past five years. The bill will add a provision to the affidavit requiring the parent or guardian and all adults in the home assure that the children in the home participating in the home education program have not received child protective services within the previous eighteen months. If you have any questions regarding this legislation, please do not hesitate to contact my office at 717-787-6063. |
Introduced as SB517