05. State Review and Approval of a Home-Based Private Educational Program’s Calendar and Curriculum (4/89)

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Whereas there is no general agreement as to the one best way to educate children, and no set calendar or curriculum has been shown to be consistently superior; and

Whereas the tutorial approach to education is recognized to be very effective in meeting the individual educational needs of a student; and

Whereas the standardized approach to calendars and curriculums used in the public schools for classes of 10 to 30 students is inappropriate for home-based private educational programs; and

Whereas one of the major strengths of a home school is that the small number of students makes it possible for curriculum to be individually designed for each student to take advantage of his/her talents, abilities, and learning style, and requiring state review and approval of curriculum would seriously threaten this strength; and

Whereas the U. S. Supreme Court has ruled that the state may not have a monopoly in education; and

Whereas state review and approval of calendars and curriculums could lead to a standardization that could result in a monopoly in education; and

Whereas the U. S. Supreme Court has ruled that parents have the right to chose an education for their child that is consistent with their beliefs and principles; and

Whereas the U. S. Constitution and Wisconsin Constitution and statutes provide for the separation of church and state, including parental choice in what subjects and curriculums a child is taught; and

Whereas prior to 1984 the Department of Public Instruction (DPI) in Wisconsin abused even its limited authority to review and approve home schoolers’ calendars and curriculums by arbitrary and unfair treatment of them, leading the Wisconsin legislature to deny DPI’s request for a statute granting DPI such authority; and

Whereas hundreds of studies have shown parental participation in a child’s education to be the single variable that consistently correlates positively with student achievement; and

Whereas the current law provides for prosecution of parents and students under existing statutes for failure to meet the required standards set forth for home-based private educational programs; and

Whereas the current law is working well;

Be it resolved by members of the Wisconsin Parents Association (WPA) that WPA is opposed to state review and approval of a home-based private educational program’s calendar and curriculum and will work to prevent such actions being mandated for home-based private educational programs. 4/89