| When you look at academic achievements only, | | | | White students scored at the 57th percentile in |
| homeschooled children seem to advance quicker | | | | reading and Hispanic students at only the 28th |
| than their counterparts in public schools. A report | | | | percentile. |
| published by the ERIC (Educational Resources | | | | Dr. Ray, in his book, Strengths of Their Own, |
| Information Center) shows that homeschool test | | | | came to another interesting conclusion. The |
| scores were exceptionally high and well above | | | | amount of money spend on tuition had no effect |
| that of public and private schools. They found that | | | | on the achievement of the child. In fact, the |
| homeschool students in the 8th grade are four | | | | cheaper homeschooling option had better results |
| years ahead of their peers in public or private | | | | than the far more expensive public schooling. In |
| schools. | | | | his research, based on statistics from 1998, he |
| In a study conducted by Dr. Lawrence Rudner, he | | | | found that a homeschooled child cost parents on |
| discovered that learners who were being | | | | average $546 compared to the $5 325 for a |
| homeschooled their entire school career, achieved | | | | public school learner. The average score for the |
| the highest out of all the children. | | | | homeschooled child was at the 85th percentile, |
| Interesting information that came from this | | | | where the score for the public school learner was |
| research was the difference that homeschooling | | | | averaged at the 50th percentile. |
| made to the achievements of different race | | | | These research studies were done in a number of |
| groups. There was very little difference found | | | | the states and in all the results the findings were |
| between the scores of white, black and Hispanic | | | | the same. The homeschooled child scored on |
| children in homeschooling. On the other hand, | | | | average 20-25 percentile points higher than their |
| there was a significant difference between the | | | | counterparts in public schools. |
| achievements of different race groups attending | | | | The research also found that the qualifications of |
| public schools. Eight grade public school learners | | | | the parent responsible for the schooling had no |
| scored on average at the 58th percentile in math, | | | | real affect on the achievement of the student. |
| where black children scored at the 24th percentile. | | | | |