AP and PSAT Exams for Homeschool Students

NCHE is aware that there is a need for homeschoolers to have a place to take the PSAT and AP tests. We have researched many ways to solve this problem and have concluded that the only way is through legislation.

Rational

College Board creates several tests that many high school students need to take: SAT, PSAT, and APs are among them. Homeschoolers have no problem taking the SAT because it is administered by the College Board, and all students sign up for these tests in the same way, with the College Board. However, the PSAT and APs are given by high schools. Homeschools are not able to administer these tests. The only way homeschool students can take these tests is for a high school to open their doors to them. High schools control who takes these tests at their schools. It has always been hard to find a school open to allowing homeschoolers to take these tests at their schools, but in recent years it is almost impossible. Without high schools opening their doors to homeschoolers, homeschoolers are shut out from taking these tests. This is discriminating against a large group of NC students.

Also, some colleges have required homeschool students to take SAT Subject tests in the application process. In January 2021, College Board discontinued these tests and said that the APs would take their place. But if homeschoolers can’t take the APs, that puts homeschoolers in a bad situation for these colleges.

Activity Milestones

February 22, 2023

NCHE Legislative Committee members traveled to Raleigh to connect with all legislators and lobby for a bill that would allow homeschool students to take PSAT and AP tests in public schools.

February 28, 2023

The following proposal was emailed to legislators that agree to help us.

Allow Home School Students to take AP and PSAT Exams in Public Schools
Public schools and public charter schools shall make Advanced Placement (AP) and Preliminary SAT/National Merit Scholarship Qualifying Test (PSAT/NMSQT) examinations that are offered to public school students available to home school students. Home school students shall be charged the same fees for these tests as public school students and meet the same deadlines. Public high schools shall make information about the fees and deadlines available to home schools that inquire.

March 7, 2023

Spencer Mason, NCHE law and policy director, met with legislators who agreed to help with a bill, and the proposed wording was sent to the NC Legislative Drafting Division.

March 17, 2023

NCHE received a draft of a bill that would allow homeschoolers to take these tests with the public schools. We suggested some changes and are waiting on these.

March 27, 2023

NCHE received a new draft of the bill and approved the draft.

March 29, 2023

The bill was filed! Senators Paul Newton, Warren Daniel and Ralph Hise are Primary Sponsors, and Senator’s Ted Alexander, Jim Burgin, Carl Ford, Steve Jarvis, Joyce Krawiec, Michael Lee, Timothy Moffitt, Buck Newton, Brad Overcash, Benton Sawrey and Eddie Settle are Sponsors. Here is a link to the bill.

March 30, 2023

Senate Bill 411 passed its first reading in the Senate session today. It has been passed to the Education/ Higher Education Committee. That committee is chaired by Senator’s Amy Galey and Michael Lee. Senator Lee is a sponsor of the bill.

April 14. 2023

Senate Bill 411 has been noticed for the Senate Education/Higher Education Committee on Tuesday, April 18 at 9:00 am. Please contact the members of this committee to voice your support.

Chairs

Senators Amy S. Galey and Michael V. Lee

Members

Senators Lisa S. Barnes, Jay J. Chaudhuri, Kevin Corbin, David W. Craven, Jr, Michael Garrett, Bobby Hanig, Michael A. Lazzara, Natasha R. Marcus, Tom Mcinnis, Natalie S. Murdock, Buck Newton, Brad Overcash, Gladys A. Robinson, Norman W. Sanderson, Benton G. Sawrey, Kandie D. Smith and Joyce Waddell

April 18, 2023

The Senate Education/ Higher Education Committee considered Senate Bill this morning. The bill was amended as follows.

• The student’s parent may be charged any fees required for administration of the advanced course examination by the local school administrative unit.

We were not able to see the language of the amendment during the committee meeting, so we were not aware of the language change in the amendment until several hours later when we could see the new wording.. The original language was, “The local school administrative unit may charge the student the cost of the test.” We have contacted the sponsors of the bill to get the language changed back to the original language, so the local school administrative unit can only charge for the cost of the test.

• The student’s parent, or other responsible adult designated by the parent, may be required by the local school administrative unit to serve as a proctor in order for the student to take the advanced course examination, if the addition of the student would prevent the local school administrative unit from meeting the required proctor-student ratio for that examination at that school.

We were aware of this change and we agreed to this addition.

After a short discussion the amended bill was adopted unanimously and referred to the Committee on Rules and Operations of the Senate. Here a link to the amended bill, S411v2.pdf (ncleg.gov)

April 19, 2023

With NCHE approval, Senator Paul Newton has committed to amend the bill on the Senate floor as follows.

Current language: “The student’s parent may be charged any fees required for administration of the advanced course examination by the local school administrative unit.”

Substitute language: “The student’s parent shall be charged the cost of the test by the local school administrative unit.”

April 20, 2013

The amendment with the substitute language above was adopted and the the bill unanimously passed the second and third reading on the floor. The bill will now cross over to the House of Representatives for consideration. Here is a link to the bill, S411v3.pdf (ncleg.gov).

April 24, 2023

Senate Bill 411 crossed over to the NC House of Representatives.

April 25, 2023

The bill passed the first reading and was assigned to the Committee on Rules, Calendar, and Operations of the House.

May 24, 2023

Contact members of the Committee on Rules, Calendar, and Operations of the House.and ask them support the passage of this bill.

June 13, 2023

The bill was withdrawn for the Rules Committee and refered to the Committee on Education – K-12.

June 21, 2023

Senate Bill 411 was amended in the House Committee on Education – K-12. Three additional sections were added to the section allowing homeschool students to take the PSAT and AP tests in public high schools. They have no impact on homeschool students. Additional sections created medical action plans and medical emergency plans for public school students, allowed parents of public school students in IEP programs to choose nursing service providers and allowed licensed registered nurses to be employed as school nurses. The amended bill was unanimously approved by the committee. The bill will be considered in the House Rules Committee this afternoon. Here is a link to the amended bill.

June 28, 2013