| After years of trying and failing to raise the | | | | educating your children at home. I know a lot of |
| educational performance of our students, our | | | | homeschoolers with a lot of different kids and |
| state has finally decided to develop stricter criteria | | | | styles, and I haven't seen one that wasn't |
| for graduation. | | | | prepared either for college or the work force. |
| They are thinking about increasing the graduation | | | | Second: recognize that our home schools don't |
| requirements to match college admission | | | | have the kind of bureaucracy demonstrated here. |
| requirements, so that more kids can go to college. | | | | We can change our graduation plans in minutes - |
| The high schools are hearing from businesses and | | | | just by making a decision. We don't have to |
| colleges that their students are not prepared for | | | | worry about reducing class size (unless we have a |
| college OR for the work force. | | | | LOT of kids!) None of us operate our household |
| Seems so perfectly logical and obvious that you | | | | on a 5 billion dollar deficit. We get to decide what |
| wonder why they hadn't thought of it before! One | | | | graduation requirements that are right for our |
| small problem: no money. The plan is now going | | | | kids. Usually that's when they are either ready for |
| through the State Board of Education, and then it | | | | college or to live on their own. |
| has to get through the State Legislature for | | | | Finally, we have the flexibility to take feedback |
| funding. With a 5 billion dollar deficit this year, | | | | and change what we do, even in the middle of a |
| funding for this brilliant move is in doubt. | | | | school year. It is amazing how efficient |
| I have a couple of thoughts here: | | | | homeschooling is when compared to a |
| First: don't feel like you can't do a good job of | | | | government bureaucracy! |