The Mineral County Board of Education settled on 50 percent as the proposed in-school, class-load threshold to consider a home-school student a full-time public school student.
Under the proposed policy, any home school students who take more than half of their coursework through the Mineral County school system will be considered full time and subject to all course requirements such as class pre-requisites.
Mary Aronhalt, president of the board, said she suggested the 50 percent mark as a middle-ground compromise between some counties that consider home school students who take any course at all a full time student, and those that allow students to take any number of courses without being subject to public school policies.
“This is a medium,” she said of the policy, which must be formally adopted by the board. “If it’s more than 50 percent, then the student should be considered full time.”
The proposed policy will now be the subject of a two-week public comment period. Only written comments will be accepted. The proposal is scheduled to be considered at the June 24 board meeting, to be held at 5 p.m. At that time the board may adopt the proposal, modify it or schedule the matter for further study.
A dozen home-school parents who attended the meeting were not pleased with the proposal.
“We want what the state has, which is no restrictions,” said Joy Baker of Fountain.
Other parents said home school students who have completed course work accredited by institutions such as Bob Jones University now face the prospect of having to re-take English, math and other courses.
“This seems to be fairly vague and too open to interpretation,” said Bob Fout, a
home-school parent.
Mineral County Schools Superintendent Skip Hackworth presented the policy outline to the board at the outset of the discussion, outlining a document he had prepared in consultation with principals and school counselors.
However, Hackworth’s proposal left out the critical component of where the cutoff should be for a home-school student who takes public school classes to be considered a full-time student. He noted that other counties throughout the state cover the entire spectrum.
“I do not have the percentage in there,” he told the board members. “I left that for you to decide.”
After the superintendent completed his presentation, Aronhalt offered the 50 percent threshold, and it was seconded and approved by the other board members with little discusion.
Aronhalt said the issue is very familiar to the board. “This is something we’ve been dealing with a long time,” she said.
KEYSER, W.Va. —
