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Getting Your Voice Heard |
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 By sharing your opinions and ideas with your representatives and senators in Tallahassee, you help them decide what to do about the issues and pending legislation that affect us all. They value your suggestions and encourage you to express them. |
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Last Updated ( Friday, 30 March 2007 )
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Together We Stand Free |
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 Private schools and home education programs are different options for meeting the compulsory attendance law in Florida, and different statutes define each option. The laws governing home education programs are all neatly packaged into 1002.41 Fl. St. Read more... |
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Last Updated ( Friday, 30 March 2007 )
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Social Security's New Home School Flow Chart |
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For some years, the Social Security Administration has permitted home schoolers to receive benefits in some cases. Yet, the agency used a fuzzy test involving several different factors.
Read more about it at:
http://www.hslda.org/elink.asp?ID=531 |
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Last Updated ( Friday, 30 March 2007 )
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Safeguarding Home Education Freedoms At A Local Level |
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Challenges faced on local levels have been varied, and so have the perspectives and methods used by home educating parents who have addressed them. There are several elements, though, that seem to be common to a successful outcome. Read more... |
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Last Updated ( Friday, 30 March 2007 )
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Stand for Freedom |
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Some veteran home educators seem to take a firm stand on principles that others don't even recognize as issues. Is it that they are just stubborn, rebellious, or cantankerous? Probably not. Read more... |
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Last Updated ( Friday, 30 March 2007 )
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Extra Curricular Activities |
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Home-educated students in Florida have the opportunity to participate in Extracurricular activities. Florida Statutes 232.425, known as the Craig Dickinson Act, guarantees this opportunity. However, this was not always the case. The following is a history of HEF's work toward achieving this goal. Read more |
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Last Updated ( Friday, 30 March 2007 )
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Dual Enrollment |
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Articulated Acceleration is a program that has been available to Florida students in public and private schools for many years. Dual enrollment is one of the ways to accelerate a student’s progress. The Florida Statutes which address these programs are 240.115 and 240.116. In 1996, the Home Education Foundation was successful in lobbying the Legislature to include home educated students in this program. The home education portion is defined in F.S.240.116(7). Read more. |
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Last Updated ( Friday, 30 March 2007 )
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Dual Enrollment Book Policy |
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The question has arisen as to why home education students are required to pay for their own books during dual enrollment. Here is some background |
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Last Updated ( Friday, 30 March 2007 )
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All-County and All-State Music Programs |
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 In 1996 the Legislature passed the "Craig Dickinson Act" Fl.St. 232.425 pertaining to interscholastic extracurricular student activities. As that time, the athletic and music programs were part of the Florida High School Activities Association (FHSAA). In 1997 the Legislature passed a law that would reorganize the FHSAA and made that organization responsible for athletic activities only. During the 1997-98 school year the Florida Music Educators Association (FMEA) took over the responsibility of overseeing public school music activities and created a new organization, similar in structure to FHSAA to do the job. This new organization was incorporated under the name of Florida School Music Association (FSMA). Read more... |
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Last Updated ( Friday, 30 March 2007 )
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K-20 Education Committee Speech |
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One of the most important issues to the private sector is our autonomy, independence and non-governmental status. I say this to you because there is a lot of discussion today about accountability. The Constitution requires the State to provide a free system of public education. However, private education is not the responsibility of the State under the Constitution. Read more.... |
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Last Updated ( Friday, 30 March 2007 )
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The National Merit Scholarship |
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The National Merit Scholarship program is a very home school friendly program. It requires a bit of initiative on the part of the parent in seeing that the child takes the proper test at the proper time, and beyond that everything is handled by the National Merit Corporation.
Read more Learn more about qualifying with this article
What You Need to Know About the National Merit Scholarship |
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Last Updated ( Friday, 30 March 2007 )
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HOPE Scholarship Tax Credit |
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Federal legislation allows eligible postsecondary students or their parents to receive tax credit for 100% of the first $1,000 of tuition and fees and 50% of the second $1000 on their federal income tax - Covers only the first two years of a student's education.
- Covers only tuition and fees, not books, room, board or other expenses.
- Income must not exceed $40,000 (individual) or $80,000 (married filing joint). Tax credit is gradually decreased up to $50,000 ($100,000) modified adjusted gross income. Cannot claim a tax credit above $50,000 ($100,000).
- Student must register for at least 6 hours to be eligible.
- Student must be registered in a program leading to a degree, certificate, or other recognized educational credential.
- Tax is reduced by other types of financial aid, such as the Pell Grant.
- Lifelong Learning Credit may assist with the junior and senior year of college.
More information can be obtained at the following website:
http://www.irs.gov/individuals/article/0,,id=96271,00.html
You may also contact your local community college financial aid department for more information. |
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Last Updated ( Friday, 30 March 2007 )
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