Not a deal-breaker for larger reform

Gazette Editorial Board

--

Education reform is one of a few final priorities that have lawmakers racking up the overtime.

Two weeks after the legislative session initially was to conclude, legislators reconvened this week in the hopes of reaching an agreement on a few key issues.

There seem to be just a few main sticking points holding up the education conference committee charged with reaching compromise on school reform issues.

On at least one - the question of home schooling policy, a subject of deep divide between Republican and Democrat parties - they'd do well to come back to center.

We strongly support home schooling options for Iowa kids and allowing reasonable flexibility for home schooling families. But some of the proposed changes for home schooling in the education reform proposal look too loose for kids' own good.

The Des Moines Register reports that there are three main points of contention in proposed changes to Iowa's home-school law.

We think the first - a provision that would allow driver education to become part of the home-school curriculum - has some merit.

We see no reason parents shouldn't take charge of their children's driver's training, so long as the standards are clearly outlined and the student is able to demonstrate competence behind the wheel.

But we believe, and think most Iowans would agree, the other two proposals go too far.

One, a change that would allow home-school teachers to instruct up to four unrelated pupils, would essentially be a license for any Iowan to operate their own micro schools. It doesn't fit in with the intent of what home schooling is supposed to be.

The second would greatly reduce accountability by striking current rules requiring home-school families to file paperwork with their local school district home-schooled students to pass independently administered tests of course material.

These departures from current practice should not be a deal-breaker for broader reforms.

Even if some tweaks to Iowa's home schooling law are warranted, they should not hold hostage the larger reform package that is far from perfect but could benefit all of Iowa's K-12 students.

n Comments: editorial@thegazette.com or (319) 398-8262