CHNOW.ORG - Newsletter 2 of 3

The Christian Homeschool Network (CHN) is legislative liaison for Christian Heritage Home Educators and a state liaison for Home School Legal Defense Association. CHN started in 2004 as a statewide grassroots lobbying organization. Founders Scott and DiAnna Brannan have done most of the lobbying efforts. DiAnna Brannan is our official registered unpaid lobbyist. CHN is the only Washington State homeschool organization with a registered lobbyist in Olympia.

Our family was excited to attend Homeschool Day at the Capitol for the first time. We all learned so much about how our state government operates, and seeing where it takes place was wonderful! We were privileged to meet two of our local legislators. Both were more than willing to set aside time from their busy schedules and talk to us, answering questions from our children, and offering to have pictures taken together. Overall it was a great experience; it took away a lot of the mystery surrounding our state government and opened our eyes to how it all works. We look forward to going next year! Julie

The above testimony gives a great overview of the Home Educators’ Day at the Capitol event. It was a full day of civics opportunities, informative speakers, encouragement, and great fellowship, and it was, most importantly, a powerful and positive testimony to lawmakers of home education.

We started in a packed out room with a legislative update from Scott and DiAnna of CHN, a vision for home education presented by Pastor Roth of Christian Heritage, and a special candid talk about the budget from Senator Hewitt, Senate Minority Leader. Next we gathered in the Rotunda for our largest event, the Celebration under the Dome.

Looking up at the estimated 400 in attendance, Rep. Kretz, 8^th district, Deputy Minority Leader, said, “DiAnna, this gives me hope for our future!”

CHN and Christian Heritage would like to thank the following legislative speakers: Senators Stevens, Hargrove, and Benton, and Representatives Kretz, Kristensen, Shea, Taylor, and Klippert. It is our hope that families were encouraged by their informative and hopeful messages. A moving moment was when Rep. Klippert led us in singing “Amazing Grace”! What a beautiful thing to hear God’s people sing His praises in a place in such need of His grace.

The Apple Pie Team was able to meet with Lt. Gov. Brad Owen, who gladly accepted his pie and gave them a very informative overview of his role in government. We are thankful for his support of home education.

We were delighted to have a visit from Supreme Court Justice James Johnson, who stopped by to offer his support to home education.

CHN and Christian Heritage are especially thankful to the families who came to spend this special day with us. We have heard from so many of you regarding how much this blessed your family and how some have been motivated to get more involved. We are grateful for all of you who met with your legislators. From some of your feedback, it sounds like several of you had some very interesting and important conversations. Bless you for making the sacrifice to come and stand with CHN to protect our homeschool freedoms.

Families brought 120 delicious homemade apple pies. Thank you to the Couch and King families and volunteers who then wrapped them in ribbon and added thank you cards and promotional material on home education. The Apple Pie Team delivered the pies to legislators along with knives, plates, forks, and napkins.

I cannot tell you how impressed I was with the demeanor and poise of the group who visited my office. We spoke about a variety of issues facing the legislature. They were smart, polite and very articulate. They were a breath of fresh air in this very challenging session. Your organizations are doing a wonderful job! They were wonderful ambassadors. I look forward to working with you in the future. Rep. Fred Finn, 35th District

One young girl, who must have been 11 years old, stopped to tell me how much she appreciated how hard I worked. You know children just do not talk that way any more. Where do you find these children? Legislative Aide

After many days of restaurants and cafeteria food it is nice to have something from home. Thank you to the person who took the time and effort to make this delicious pie. Rep. Kristiansen, 39^th district, Minority Caucus Leader

We cannot describe how incredibly intense and overwhelming the legislative environment is. To be able to stand out above the crowd is amazing and the Apple Pie Surprise allows us this advantage.

The Apple Pie Surprise allows us to share the love of Christ by honoring those in authority over us and by meeting their needs. It also opens the door to those who do not think we would love them. We had the chance to personally deliver a pie to such a legislator. We cannot describe how touched he and the staff were by this loving and respectful gesture. And we asked nothing in return. We wanted to show the respect and honor God says we are to show to those in authority over us. A simple homemade thank you for all of their hard work with no strings attached. This is not something they see much of in Olympia. Scott and DiAnna Brannan, CHN

Son of man, I have made you a watchman for the house of Israel;

so hear the word I speak and give them warning for me. Ezekiel 3:17

Legislative Update

Bravo for all your work! Thank you for your on the spot timely support and action. I feel so assured with your ministry because it is not reactionary but instead responds with calmness to our representatives. YOU have made homeschoolers look good to them all these years. You have stood in the gap for us and made all the difference. We take you for granted too much!! Nancy

HB2428 House Supplemental Operating budget included cutting the funds for alternative learning programs, K-6^th grade, from the budget. This resulted in many parents who use on-line and parent partnership programs delivering hundreds of calls and e-mails to the legislature, asking them to put the funding back into the budget. This has been happening all session as many other government programs have been cut. What they didn’t expect was that, this time, these calls would come from “homeschoolers!”

Unfortunately many alternative learning program users who opposed this funding cut called and identified themselves as “homeschoolers.”

CHN was quick to act! On Friday, February 26, 2010, Scott and DiAnna were in Olympia informing members of the House Ways and Means Committee that these calls were from parents of public school students, not homeschoolers. They also informed them that CHN and independent homeschoolers actually supported the cuts to these programs, and that this has been part of the CHN legislative platform for the past several years.

Monday, March 1st, DiAnna returned to Olympia with the following letter, which she hand-delivered to all of the House and Senate members. http://www.chnow.org/page73.aspx

With virtual schools and part-time attendance available to homeschoolers, we question if parent partnership programs are necessary anymore. We would therefore support legislation to end the parent partnership programs. If, however, the legislature chooses to continue their operation, we would support legislation to restructure their funding model to reflect their lower cost of overhead, prohibit the use of terms such as homeschooling, home-based, or home education, prohibit the use of $400 to $1600 per student allotments given to parents, and enact penalties for non-compliance with state law and rules (CHN’s 2010 legislative platform).

Status: Special Session has been called to finalize the supplemental operating budget.

The responsibility of government is to prioritize spending, to reduce the footprint of the government. The opportunity to contract out or privatize and to live within the revenue we currently have. Rep. Alexander (R) Ranking Minority member, House Ways and Means Committee.

Homeschoolers are a very diverse group; CHN recognizes that there are some differences among us. However, we must acknowledge that legislation can have an affect on all of us. Sometimes bills comes up which are not ones CHN would support or oppose. However, it may be an issue for another homeschool group. Out of respect for the other group and their members, we will still advise the legislator and then contact that group.

When working with a bill that violates your principles—be careful. Once you start to work on a bill you oppose, hoping to address your concerns, supporters are then convinced your concerns are being addressed. This then puts you in a position to no longer oppose the bill, in effect neutralizing your opposition. However, in cases where there are only concerns with a bill, work to amend the bill to correct it thereby protecting your interests.

Olympia, WA – Much confusion has occurred in the recent education budget dispute regarding the Alternative Learning Experience (ALE) programs. This is because many people are not aware of the difference between a public-school-at-home program and homeschooling. “It is wrong to blame homeschoolers for the cuts in the ALE programs because ALE is state funded and has nothing to do with homeschooling,” said DiAnna Brannan, spokesman for Christian Homeschool Network (CHN).

Students enrolled in ALE programs are funded by the state while students who are homeschooled do not receive any state funds. It is important that taxpayers and policy makers understand the difference: homeschoolers do not receive any funds from the state in any form.

Originally, due to budgetary constraints, state lawmakers considered removing the funding for ALE K-6 programs.

When the state began marketing its public-school-at-home programs to homeschoolers, that was of concern to the homeschool community. Consequently, in 2009, with the support of CHN and other homeschool groups, including Christian Heritage Home Educators, Home School Legal Defense Association (HSLDA), and Washington Homeschool Organization (WHO), the Washington State Legislature unanimously passed H.B. 1110. This bill prohibited school districts from advertising and marketing ALE programs to homeschoolers.

H.B.1110 also alerted many legislators to the fact that these programs are profit makers for the school districts, and that some of these programs use questionable operating practices like offering stipends to those who enroll. Many ALE programs offer parents $400-1600 in stipends for curriculum, music lessons, ballet lessons, YMCA memberships, etc., in order to encourage joining these programs.

CHN was told that House budget writers removed the funding for ALE K-6 programs because they did not want the state to subsidize homeschooling. “We agree,” says Brannan, “because we too do not support the state subsidizing homeschooling.”

Parents who enroll in an ALE program, according to state law and rule, are to sign a full disclosure form noting the difference between an ALE program and homeschooling. “It is unfortunate that many people calling the Capitol to support funding the ALE programs identified themselves as homeschoolers. They are not homeschoolers. They are public school parents,” said Brannan.

CHN is a statewide grassroots lobbying organization representing homeschoolers in Washington State. CHN is legislative liaison to Christian Heritage Home Educators and a state liaison to Home School Legal Defense Association.

CHN gives permission to submit the above article to your local paper(s). Please advise us to whom you have submitted the article and if/when it is printed. E-mail us at CHNow@msn.com

In the last issue we explained some of the functions of a lobbyist. In this issue we want to discuss some of the other activities we participate in. Building relationships with legislators and staff is very crucial. This is why CHN makes several contacts with key legislators and staff during the session. For instance, this session DiAnna has made personal contact with all 147 of the legislators at least 3-4 times.

DiAnna has had many one-on-one meetings with legislators about homeschooling, bills before the legislature, or legislation we would support. She also makes many informal contacts. A lobbyist’s reputation is critical. Legislators and staff learn very quickly which lobbyist they can trust and which they cannot. By gaining this trust, CHN is in a much better position to avoid disaster for homeschoolers. This is our number one goal.

While many legislators appreciate the work of CHN, they also desire to hear from their constituents. We encourage homeschooling families to make contact with their legislators. Meet with them in district, or come to Home Educators’ Day at the Capitol event and meet with them in Olympia during the legislative session, attend a town hall or other meeting, work on their campaign, or write, call, and e-mail. (See CHN’s Tips for Meeting with your Legislator and also read CHN’s legislative platform.)

You can contact CHN prior to your meeting to get an update on current homeschool issues. Also, you can contact us after your meeting to follow up with any issues or concerns brought up. Please make sure your legislator knows about CHN and our lobbying work as liaison to the legislature.

Be prepared to share what home education means to your family and ask them to defend your freedom to educate your children without government interference.

Surprisingly, many legislators and staff do not know the difference between independent homeschool education and government school-at-home programs. Most assume that homeschooling is done through a public school program. Many do not realize that we can homeschool independently of the public school. Make sure it is clear to them that you are an independent homeschooler.

The Washington State legislature is made up of one state senator and two state representatives per district. The legislative web site has legislator and contact information.

© 2010 CHN all rights reserved. Permission to copy and distribute if copied in its entirety, or contact CHNow@msn.com. If you support the work of the Christian Homeschool Network, please join us at http://www.chnow.org/page44.aspx

Legislative Update from the Christian Homeschool Network (March 1, 2010)

Legislative Update