House Resolution 71

A RESOLUTION RECOGNIZING MISSISSIPPI'S UNWAVERING COMMITMENT TO EDUCATION IN THE DESIGNATION OF THE WEEK OF MAY 16-20, 2011, AS MISSISSIPPI HOME EDUCATION WEEK IN THE STATE OF MISSISSIPPI.

WHEREAS, the State of Mississippi is committed to excellence in education and to public policy that strengthens the family and society; and

WHEREAS, the State of Mississippi recognizes parental choice in pursuit of obtaining and preserving that excellence and the importance of parental involvement in education; and

WHEREAS, in addition to the free public education and privately offered education available in the state, the State of Mississippi recognizes home education as an educational alternative; and

WHEREAS, the practice of home education boasts a long and notable history in our nation, having been the primary mode of

learning when our nation enjoyed its highest level of literacy, and has produced such respected Americans, as George Washington, Patrick Henry, Abraham Lincoln, Booker T. Washington, Thomas Edison, Pearl S. Buck, Franklin D. Roosevelt, Woodrow Wilson and Mark Twain; and

WHEREAS, the 105th Congress of the United States commended home education, recognizing it as a valuable part of our nation's efforts to prepare its youth for the demands of society at the edge of a new century, and passed legislation protecting the rights of home-educated graduates who apply for college funding or enlist in the military; and

WHEREAS, home-based classrooms are more common than most think, and according to a 2007 report from the United States Department of Education, 1.5 million students, or 2.9 percent of all school-age children nationwide were educated at home; and

WHEREAS, home-educated children have performed well academically and socially and have demonstrated a commitment to excellence as citizens, and national studies have shown that a high percentage of home-educated students go on to obtain advanced degrees; and

WHEREAS, research also finds that home education is an excellent setting for healthy socialization and effectively prepares children to successfully contribute to society by providing students with many opportunities for real-life activities within their communities, giving them interaction with persons of many ages and backgrounds and creating a learning environment where values may be incorporated into the curriculum; and

WHEREAS, the House of Representatives deems it appropriately fitting and proper that Mississippi home educators and home-educated children be recognized for their contributions to the diversity and quality of education in this state:

NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE STATE OF MISSISSIPPI, That we do hereby recognize Mississippi's unwavering commitment to education, designate the week of May 16-20, 2011, as Mississippi Home Education Week, and call its observance to the attention of all our citizens.

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, That copies of this resolution be furnished to the State Department of Education and to the members of the Capitol Press Corps.