Rep. Sue Peterson (R-13/Sioux Falls) goes to House Education this morning to push again for a favor for homeschool students. House Bill 1040 would lower the ACT score homeschoolers need to qualify for the Opportunity Scholarship from 28 to 24, if they have completed the same high school curriculum required of regular school applicants. Governor Dennis Daugaard vetoed a similar bill ( 2018 SB 94) last year, saying that such a requirement actually holds homeschoolers to a lower standard than other scholarship applicants:
Today all students, including those who are home-schooled, are eligible to receive the Opportunity Scholarship by receiving a minimum ACT score of 28 or SAT score of 1250.
Another path to receiving the scholarship requires students to complete specific coursework and achieve a lower ACT score of 24. A required class offered by any accredited high school must meet minimum standards and the course materials for these classes may be reviewed at any time.
Under Senate Bill 94, classes completed by home-schooled students would not be subject to the same requirements because there is no accreditation requirement for home-school courses. To receive an Opportunity Scholarship, a student would only need to achieve the lower ACT score and produce a transcript of completed coursework issued by the parent or guardian. No one would have the ability to review course materials for these home-school classes as is the case for accredited schools [Gov. Dennis Daugaard, veto message on 2018 SB 94, 2018.03.23].
HB 1040 appears to include a time-machine clause that attempts to erase Governor Daugaard's veto from our timeline. Section 2 would allow any homeschooler who would have qualified to receive the Opportunity Scholarship under the provisions of the bill Daugaard vetoed to apply for and receive a retroactive Opportunity Scholarship. In other words, HB 1040 spends money not previously appropriated, and Senate President Larry Rhoden should require a two-thirds vote. (In classic sneaky Republican fashion, Rep. Sue Peterson doesn't include funding for her plan in this bill. Like Attorney General Jason Ravnsborg, she wants to pretend that her conservative agenda won't cost anything.)
The facts about lack of accreditation for home school courses haven't changed, only the Governor, who is now a do-nothing Trumpist figurehead more reliant on the fundagelical base to cover up her weakness and thus more willing to overlook facts. Expect HB 1040 to clear House Education this morning at 7:45 a.m. with little difficulty.
