SB57

Silencing voices that don't agree with the school voucher program by ending this committee is the wrong response. What heppened to open and transparent govenrment?

I really value and appreciate HEAC. I know in recent months, only a few members of the HEAC and public comments have deviated from the purpose of HEAC, defined in the rules 315.09 (a) "The council shall work with home educators and representatives of private and public education to encourage an understanding of home education." HEAC was important to me personally, as when I first changed my residency to NH and submitted my notification letter, the school district sent an approval letter with a date on it ("we have approved your home education program for the 2018-2019 school year.") A technical advisory came out from the Dept. of Ed. on 9/25/2020 as a result of the issue being brought to HEAC that the school district is not allowed to put dates on the approval letter, and gave me some documentation to bring to the school district, resulting in them issuing a new, corrected approval letter. This is a great example of effectively solving problems and issues related to home education under RSA 193-a. The council is entirely "advisory" (no actual authority that might conflict with your goals), but it is one where at least I have, through membership in the groups that have seats on the council, a voice directly with the correct departments, school districts, and administration that can discuss and come up with solutions to the problems or questions that may arise. Please don't allow controversy caused by a few in recent months to undermine years of fruitful advisory work and discussion that has taken place in the HEAC.

Pretty shady dealings to toss a non-germane amendment onto this bill, giving home educators only a holiday weekend to respond, just because you don't like what they have to say about the mess you've made of home education policy. Afyer working with you on the HEAC, I thought you were a friend to home educators, Mr. Cordelli, but taking away their ability to use non-judicial methods to come to consensus with other education stakeholders over policy matters which affect not only their day-to-day lives but also the longterm success of their children just proves you are only interested in forcing an extreme agenda down our throats. You should be ashamed of yourself.

I am opposed to eliminating the Home Education Advisory Council because of its crucial role.

Please keep this advisory panel so NH families can continue to have a voice for home educating their children without government funding.

I think the HEAC is important because it allows those with experience and expertise in home education to have a voice. Please vote to save the HEAC.

Ladies and gentlemen of the Senate, As a homeschool educator of 3 children I oppose the amendment to dissipate the HEAC. This amendment would make any problems regarding home education impossible to solve. We have needed the committee on numerous education issues here in the granite State and calling last minute to try and close the committee is not only egregious it is downright uncalled for. I again oppose this amendment. Thank you.

I Oppose the elimination of the HEAC. Losing the HEAC would mean it will be far more difficult to resolve issues as they arise. Granite state home educators deserve representation and an advocate in our statehouse at all times. I think the HEAC important because without it the rights of home educators would be ignored in out statehouse. We deserve proper representation and the vital role HEAC serves in creating, protecting, and upholding laws around homeschooling and resolving issues which would otherwise go entirely ignored. We must keep HEAC.

I am a home educator in NH and I am against this bill. Home educated students that do not accept government funds are an integral part of society and those families deserve voices to defend and uphold reputable homeschooling. If you look at statistics you can see homeschoolers far surpass their peers in every subject and test scores. Colleges prefer homeschooling students. To fight against families raising up smart, capable, functioning members of society is detrimental to our nation as a whole. Please reconsider this bill and allow our voices to be heard.

I am writing to let you know that I oppose dissolving HEAC. HEAC has long been an important liason between 193A homeschoolers and our state legislators as well as the Department of Education. As a homeschool mother of two children under RSA 193, I value and take comfort knowing that there are people who volunteer their time to represent us in Concord and to help those in power understand the rights and the needs of 193A Home Educators as well as how education bills affect the homeschool community. Homeschool life on the seacoast of New Hampshire is vibrant and thriving! The homeschool community that we belong to is a cooperative learning group where the parents purchase curriculum together, rotate teaching classes, we organize field trips, we are holding a science fair next week, we put on talent shows, our kids they're having a very rich educational experience and it is something to be noted. I think it is something to be noted by all legislators in concord. We are using our own money to educate our children. Our children are often grade levels ahead of their age because of what we can accomplish with them at home and in small groups. They are exceptional, they are notable, they are happy, and they are thriving. Please do not dissolve HEAC. The existence of HEAC provides this channel for those in Concord to understand what we are doing in our everyday lives, among other important functions. And it is anything but t ordinary.

The Home Education Advisory Council should not be included in this bill, and it should not be dissolved. Thank you.

**Honorable Chair Rick Ladd, Honorable Glenn Cordelli, and Members of the House Education Committee,** As a parent, future home educator, and concerned citizen of New Hampshire—a state that proudly upholds the principle of *“Live Free or Die”*—I urge you to **oppose SB 57**, a bill that would dismantle the Home Education Advisory Committee (HEAC). This committee provides critical support to families who choose home education, a right that must remain accessible to *all*—not just those who can afford private alternatives. Home education is not a privilege; it is a lifeline. For many children—especially those with special needs who cannot thrive in traditional schools—it is their only path to success. Eliminating the HEAC would strip families of essential guidance, resources, and advocacy, leaving our most vulnerable students behind. New Hampshire values independence, but true freedom does not mean isolating families who choose to educate their children at home. It means preserving the support systems that make educational liberty possible. I implore you: **Protect this freedom.** Vote *against* SB 57 and stand with the families who rely on the HEAC. **Respectfully submitted,** **Maryam Perkins** Manchester, NH *A parent who dreams of providing her children with a home education—please don’t take that opportunity away from us.*

The HEAC is vital to the homeschool community. Please do NOT DISSOLVE.

I oppose the out-of-the-blue amendment repealing the Home Education Advisory Council (HEAC). I am testifying as an individual, but I have been a member of the HEAC since 2021, representing the NH Homeschooling Coalition. The concept of repealing the HEAC has not been discussed at our meetings. The HEAC is a critical and effective forum for resolving issues between home educators, the Board of Education, NHED, the Legislature, public school administrators and other stakeholders. HEAC also drafts language for Ed315 Administrative Rules for Home Education, for approval by the BoE, an important function. I urge you to vote no to the amendment.

I am writing to oppose the non-germane amendment that would eliminate the Home Education Advisory Council (HEAC). My husband and I live in Dover where we homeschool our children. As defined in 193A we are unfunded home educators, and families such as ours need a voice representing us at the state level. I know of several families whose issues were resolved after being brought to the attention of HEAC, and this means of communication must remain open. Thank you. Lisa Neslusan

Dear Chair Cordelli and Honorable Members of the Committee, As a New Hampshire homeschool parent and a member of CUHE (Catholics United for Home Education), I urge you to oppose Amendment #2025-2234h to SB57, which would repeal RSA 193-A:10 and eliminate the Home Education Advisory Council (HEAC). HEAC is the only public body representing home educators in New Hampshire. The council meets regularly with representatives from the House and Senate, as well as the NH Education Department (NHED) to discuss current issues, laws, and rulemaking in order to safeguard home education rights.  HEAC helps interpret and clarify homeschooling law for families and school districts, not only protecting our rights but also promoting better understanding and cooperation across all sectors of education in New Hampshire. Families like mine depend on the representation that HEAC offers. Repealing it removes a critical communication channel and leaves home educators without an organized voice. I respectfully ask you to strike the repeal of RSA 193-A:10 from Amendment #2025-2234h and maintain HEAC as a vital part of New Hampshire’s home education landscape. Sincerely,? Katherine Oslin? Merrimack, NH? Homeschool Parent & CUHE Member

Good afternoon, I am a NH home educating parent and I strongly OPPOSE SB57. The Home Education Advisory Council is very important to NH's RSA-193a home educating families. Please vote to SAVE the HEAC. Thank you for your time!

The HEAC is an important body, which advocates on behalf of the many homeschoolers in the state of NH. Their relevancy should not be at issue, and the Republicans who have proposed this bill need to understand that they do not represent our best interests. I strongly oppose bill SB 57.

I am opposed to the amendment to repeal HEAC. This is an ill thought out and non germane amendment slipped in at the last minute before a holiday weekend. HEAC is responsible for advising the Commissioner of Education on home education issues and rule-making. Edelblut has deemed efforts of home education RSA 193a families to distance themselves from EFA as a threat to his school choice agenda. This is a punitive move to tell RSA 193a families to sit down and shut up. This isn’t the case. We just want to be left alone. In the very least the new commissioner of education should be involved in this decision. This is a direct attack on home education parents and I ask you to vote no on this ammendment.

For 35ish years, HEAC has been a critical forum for resolving issues that are important to home educators by bringing together representatives from the NH Department of Education, Board of Education, NH House and Senate, public school principals’ and administrators’ associations, superintendents, non-public schools, and other home education organizations. Losing the HEAC will make it more difficult to resolve issues relative to NH home education.

I am against this unrelated amendment being attached. It appears to be retaliatory and unproductive. As a long time homeschooling (25 years) with three graduated adults thriving and contributing there is no need to take this avenue from homeschoolers. Please remove this unrelated amendment and give proper notice for full discourse, if there is a true need. This last minute tack on is insulting and unnecessary.

I oppose the non-germane amendment

As a homeschool family, we vehemently oppose the elimination of the Home Education Advisory Council. This council is crucial to providing a voice and advocacy for the rights of homeschool students. Our public education system is in disarray. Many families, mine included, have been failed by our broken system. Homeschool has proven to be the best option for my student. He is thriving academically and socially in this new educational environment. As citizens of New Hampshire we deserve proper representation on matters that may affect our rights as education providers. I strongly urge you to keep the Home Education Advisory Council intact.

I am writing to oppose the Non-germane amendment that has been added to this bill regarding elimination of the Home Education Advisory Council. As a traditional (RSA 193a) homeschooling parent in New Hampshire, I feel that we have a profound need for the HEAC committee to help support traditional homeschoolers, especially in the face of the many school choice bills that have grown in popularity recently. Losing HEAC would make it more difficult for homeschoolers to resolve issues of importance as they occur and would further limit the resources that traditional homeschoolers can access regarding policy and procedure within the state. Please vote to save the Home Education Advisory Council. Thank You, Vanessa Foley

I'm a homeschool student and am OPPOSED to this bill.  I respectfully request that you oppose it, as well.  HEAC is important and a blessing to the homeschool community and SHOULD NEVER be eliminated.  Thank you.