Two state lawmakers want to ensure that home-schooled children meet the same standards and take their tests under the same conditions as those in formal school settings.

Sen. Clarence Kooistra, R-Garretson, and co-sponsor Rep.-elect Elaine Roberts, D-Sioux Falls, say it's an issue of quality control.

Under their proposed law, the state would furnish tests for home-school students, and local districts would monitor the tests and communicate with parents about the results.

''I don't think you can consider valid the scores reported by home school people, since there's no state monitoring,'' Kooistra said. ''There's no accountability.''

Advocates of alternative instruction say it's an unnecessary intrusion into a family's choices in educating their child.

''We do have to turn in scores. We can't make them up,'' said Peggy Schoon, a Brandon mother who has testified on alternative-instruction issues in the past. ''I think what he's suggesting is unnecessary.''

Currently, children educated at home must take the same nationally standardized test as public school students when they reach grades two, four, eight and 11.

The law says the test may be provided by the state, but parents or guardians can also choose another nationally standardized achievement test. It also says the state may monitor the test.

The proposed law would change ''may'' to ''shall'' in both those sections.

Kooistra also wants to require local school boards to notify a parent or guardian when a child is making unsatisfactory progress of its intention to refuse to renew the home-schooling certificate.

Rep. Keri Weems, R-Sioux Falls, said she knows of no problems in the current home-school testing system.

''I feel like, if you make the choice to home-school your children, you're going above and beyond what most parents are willing to do,'' she said.

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