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