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