| More parents are deciding to homeschool their | | | | testing services. The homeschooled children |
| children each year. As early as the late | | | | placed in the 62nd to the 91st percentile of |
| 1960's homeschooling increased from 10,000 to | | | | national norms, depending on grade level and |
| 15,000 children. In 1999 the number of | | | | subject area.At least one intriguing study |
| homeschooled children had risen to 850,000, | | | | suggests that student achievement for |
| and by 2003 the number jumped to 1.1 million | | | | homeschoolers is not related to the |
| children which represents a 29 percent | | | | educational attainment of the parent. This |
| relative increase over the 4-year | | | | is consistent with tutoring studies that |
| period.Students are considered to be | | | | suggest the education level of a tutor has |
| homeschooled if their parents reported them | | | | little to do with achievement of a tutored |
| as being schooled at home instead of at a | | | | child.College admission also may suggest |
| public or private school for at least part of | | | | success. Homeschoolers have reported |
| their education and if their part-time | | | | admission to over 1,000 different U.S. |
| enrollment in public or private schools did | | | | colleges and universities.People disagree |
| not exceed 25 hours a week. Students who were | | | | about whether homeschooling helps or hinders |
| schooled at home only because of a temporary | | | | a child's social development. Homeschooling |
| illness were not included as | | | | children spend less time with peers and more |
| homeschoolers.Most Important Reasons for | | | | time with people of different ages. Most |
| HomeschoolingThirty-one percent of | | | | participate in scouting, church groups, and |
| homeschoolers had parents who said the most | | | | other associations. Many volunteer in their |
| important reason for homeschooling was | | | | communities. Some operate a business. There |
| concern about the environment of other | | | | is no conclusive research suggesting that |
| schools.Thirty percent said the most | | | | additional time with same-aged peers is |
| important reason was to provide religious or | | | | preferable to more time with individuals of |
| moral instruction.Sixteen percent of | | | | varying ages.What Is the Legal Status of |
| homeschooled students had parents who said | | | | Homeschooling?Today homeschooling is legal in |
| dissatisfaction with the academic instruction | | | | all states. State law generally requires |
| available at other schools was their most | | | | homeschooling parents to file basic |
| important reason for homeschooling.Families | | | | information with either the state or local |
| that elect to educate their children at home | | | | education agency. Over half the states |
| come from all major ethnic, cultural, and | | | | require some kind of evaluation under some or |
| religious backgrounds, and all income levels. | | | | all of the homeschooling options available |
| However, homeschoolers are more likely to be | | | | under state law. Usually, this evaluation |
| religious, conservative, white, better | | | | involves testing of students, but some states |
| educated, and part of a two-parent family, | | | | accept portfolio evaluations or a teacher |
| compared with the average American family. | | | | evaluation. Much less frequently, states have |
| Homeschooling families tend to have more | | | | education or testing requirements for |
| children and be middle-class.Parents who | | | | parents. Some states require submission of a |
| homeschool their children are more likely to | | | | curricular plan. Parents do not need teaching |
| vote, contribute money to political causes, | | | | certificates.Public programs are growing. |
| contact elected officials about their views, | | | | Alaska sponsors the Alyeska Central School, |
| attend public meetings or rallies, or join | | | | where teachers in Juneau work with students |
| community and volunteer associations. This | | | | all over the state via mail, the Internet, |
| holds true even when researchers compare only | | | | telephone, and occasional home visits. In |
| families with similar characteristics, | | | | California, children can enroll in a public |
| including education, income, age, race, | | | | school's independent-study program. |
| family structure, geographic region, and | | | | Washington and Iowa laws require public |
| number of hours worked per week.What | | | | schools to admit students part-time. Some |
| Resources Do Homeschooling Families | | | | public schools offer specialized |
| Use?Parents are, of course, the primary | | | | homeschooling centers where families may |
| resource. Typically, the mother takes the | | | | obtain resources and instructional support, |
| lead, though fathers usually pitch in. | | | | or where children may take classes. An |
| Perhaps as many as one out of ten fathers | | | | estimated 18 percent of children who are |
| takes the primary responsibility.How Well Do | | | | homeschooled enroll in school part-time; 5 |
| Homeschoolers Perform Academically and | | | | percent enroll for 9 or more hours per |
| Socially?Researchers cannot tell whether the | | | | weekLocal and state support groups offer |
| same children would perform better or worse | | | | advice and assistance. Sometimes, several |
| academically in a classroom or at home. State | | | | families will share instructional duties. |
| testing data does not necessarily reflect all | | | | Local support groups form readily if there |
| homeschoolers because not all comply with the | | | | are a sufficient number of homeschooling |
| testing requirement. Other testing efforts | | | | families in an area. There is at least one |
| rely on volunteers.Keeping that caveat in | | | | state-level homeschooling association in |
| mind, where testing data is available, | | | | every state, and in some states there are a |
| homeschoolers do well. For example, in | | | | dozen or more regional associations. Often, |
| Alaska, the state's Alyeska Central School | | | | parents may examine instructional materials |
| has tested its homeschooling children for | | | | at a book fair or association meeting.Other |
| several decades. As a group they usually | | | | popular resources include libraries, museums, |
| score above average in any subject area and | | | | colleges, parks departments, churches, local |
| at all grade levels. The largest study to | | | | businesses, and schools. Many large and small |
| date, commissioned by the Home School Legal | | | | publishers offer curricular packages, books, |
| Defense Association, involved 12,000 students | | | | periodicals, and other materials for use in |
| tested through the Bob Jones University | | | | home instruction. |