HLS 21RS-2609 ORIGINAL 2021 Regular Session HOUSE RESOLUTION NO. 82 BY REPRESENTATIVE AMEDEE SPECIAL DAY/WEEK/MONTH: Recognizes May 13, 2021, as Homeschool Day at the state capitol 1 A RESOLUTION 2To designate Thursday, May 13, 2021, as Homeschool Day at the state capitol. 3 WHEREAS, it is the fundamental, unalienable right of parents to direct the 4upbringing, care, and education of their children; and 5 WHEREAS, every individual and each family has the unalienable right to act and 6order their life according to their conscience; and 7 WHEREAS, the United States recognizes it is a legal and philosophical right of 8parents to home educate their children; and 9 WHEREAS, in essence, homeschooling is private, parent-led, home-based education, 10and is an age-old educational practice that a decade ago appeared to be cutting-edge and 11alternative but is now bordering on mainstream in the United States; and 12 WHEREAS, there are about 2.4 million home-educated students in the United States, 13and the homeschool population continues to grow; according to a recent census survey, prior 14to COVID, the homeschool population had grown at an estimated two to eight percent per 15annum and after COVID, families who chose to homeschool nearly doubled; and 16 WHEREAS, according to the Louisiana Department of Education, there are almost 1740,000 K-12 homeschool students in Louisiana in the spring of 2021; and 18 WHEREAS, most parents and youth decide to homeschool for more than one reason; 19and 20 WHEREAS, the most common reasons given for choosing home-based education 21include the desire to customize or individualize the curriculum and learning environment for Page 1 of 2 HLS 21RS-2609 ORIGINAL HR NO. 82 1each child; to enhance family relationships between children and parents and among 2siblings; to teach and impart a particular set of values, beliefs, and worldviews to children 3and youth, among other reasons; and 4 WHEREAS, a 2019 data analysis revealed that Louisiana private homeschool 5students are scoring at the 80th to 86th percentile across the subjects of reading, language, 6math, science, and social studies on standardized academic achievement tests, which is thirty 7to thirty-six percentile points above the U.S. public school average; and 8 WHEREAS, according to studies, homeschool students are doing well, typically 9above average, on measures of social, emotional, and psychological development and are 10regularly engaged in multiple social and educational activities outside their homes and with 11people other than their nuclear-family members; and 12 WHEREAS, the research base of adults who were homeschooled is growing, and 13thus far research shows homeschool graduates are quite successful in adulthood and go on 14to succeed at college at an equal or higher rate than the general population, participate in 15local community service more frequently than the general population, and vote and attend 16public meetings more frequently than the general population, among other indices. 17 THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED that the House of Representatives of the 18Legislature of Louisiana does hereby designate Thursday, May 13, 2021, as Homeschool 19Day at the state capitol; does hereby extend sincere gratitude to the parents who choose to 20homeschool for their pedagogical efforts on behalf of their children; and does hereby salute 21the homeschooled children whose academic and personal excellence are of immense benefit 22to the great state of Louisiana. DIGEST The digest printed below was prepared by House Legislative Services. It constitutes no part of the legislative instrument. The keyword, one-liner, abstract, and digest do not constitute part of the law or proof or indicia of legislative intent. [R.S. 1:13(B) and 24:177(E)] HR 82 Original 2021 Regular Session Amedee Recognizes May 13, 2021, as Homeschool Day at the state capitol. Page 2 of 2