| Parents often ask about home schooling, does it | | | | spent about $550 per student each year. This |
| actually work. They are well aware of the fact | | | | figure for home schooling does not of course |
| that public schools have problems, but really | | | | take into account the time spent by parents on |
| wonder whether they can do any better. One | | | | home schooling for which a public school teacher |
| natural response for some parents is to try a little | | | | would be paid. |
| harder to see if they can afford private schooling | | | | The public school system as we know it today |
| but, even if this were possible, are the private | | | | evolved during the second half of the 19th |
| schools really any better than public schools? | | | | century as one state after another made school |
| There are many, quality studies which show that, | | | | attendance compulsory. Perhaps the most |
| on average, home schooling produces superior | | | | interesting question however, and one which |
| students. To an extent of course this is | | | | rarely seems to be asked, is why, if public |
| understandable as parents clearly have an effect | | | | schooling offered such superior value, it was |
| on education no matter which route they take. A | | | | necessary for the states to make it compulsory |
| parent who is genuinely interested in the education | | | | and to force parents to put their children into the |
| of his or her children will help to motivate them, | | | | public school system. |
| producing better results and individual support is | | | | It could be, and sometimes is, argued that this |
| certainly an added bonus. | | | | was due to the ignorance of rural parents who did |
| But there is certainly more to it than this, in a | | | | not see the value of education. However, it is |
| variety of situations, to take even this into | | | | interesting to note that adult illiteracy rates in |
| account and still come to the conclusion that | | | | 1840 Massachusetts were as low as 2% and |
| home schooling vs public school produces better | | | | that, by 1995, this figure had risen to 19%, in |
| results. | | | | spite of apparently enormous advances in the |
| Even the United States Education Department | | | | intervening years. In 1840 libraries were rare and |
| agrees. In one study which they sponsored | | | | today they are everywhere as books are both |
| themselves home schooled students produced | | | | relatively inexpensive and easy to trade. |
| exceptionally high test scores. The median scores | | | | Today over a million children are home schooled in |
| in every grade were far higher than those of | | | | the United States and thousands of home |
| public schools and even higher than those of | | | | schooled students have attended colleges and |
| private school students. The average home | | | | universities, including many of the most prestigious |
| schooled student in grades one through to vgfour | | | | and difficult to get into. |
| was a grade level above that of public school | | | | Whatever your own thoughts about home |
| peers and, by the time home schooled students | | | | schooling vs public school there is no doubt that |
| reached the equivalent of the 8th grade, they | | | | the results clearly show the advantage of home |
| were as much as four years ahead of students | | | | schooling. provides advice and information on |
| attending public school. | | | | many aspects of homeschooling and public school |
| However , costs were also lower. On average, | | | | and can also be your best home school resource |
| government schools spent $6,500 per student | | | | with information on such things as the advantages |
| each year and private schools spent $3,500. By | | | | and disadvantages of home schooling and much |
| contrast, parents undertaking home schooling | | | | more. |