Home Schooling in the United States: Trends and Characteristics

Education Policy Analysis Archives ^ | May 16, 2002 | Kurt J. Bauman

[Domestic Church]

Maybe if you waved this to the FSLA official(especially #3& 5) it would help:

U.S. Code as of: 01/23/00 Section 3401. Congressional findings

The Congress finds that - (1) education is fundamental to the development of individual citizens and the progress of the Nation;

(2) there is a continuing need to ensure equal access for all Americans to educational opportunities of a high quality, and such educational opportunities should not be denied because of race, creed, color, national origin, or sex;

(3) parents have the primary responsibility for the education of their children, and States, localities, and private institutions have the primary responsibility for supporting that parental role;

(4) in our Federal system, the primary public responsibility for education is reserved respectively to the States and the local school systems and other instrumentalities of the States;

(5) the American people benefit from a diversity of educational settings, including public and private schools, libraries, museums and other institutions, the workplace, the community, and the home;

(6) the importance of education is increasing as new technologies and alternative approaches to traditional education are considered, as society becomes more complex, and as equal opportunities in education and employment are promoted;

(7) there is a need for improvement in the management and coordination of Federal education programs to support more effectively State, local, and private institutions, students, and parents in carrying out their educational responsibilities;

(8) the dispersion of education programs across a large number of Federal agencies has led to fragmented, duplicative, and often inconsistent Federal policies relating to education;

(9) Presidential and public consideration of issues relating to Federal education programs is hindered by the present organizational position of education programs in the executive branch of the Government; and

(10) there is no single, full-time, Federal education official directly accountable to the President, the Congress, and the people.

[Domestic Church]

Here's a better link for PA...by the way, we are shooting for a much better law all together... HB2560 is in the education committee. The link you posted isn't considered a good one as it is a business that is just milking the lousy current law that is the worst in the nation(the other diploma programs are for the new bill.)

For accurate HS info go to http://www.phen.org

And for info on the what is really happening : http://members.truevine.net/pilgrimspage@truevine.net/Home_Ed_Bill.htm

[SuziQ]

In this day of internet communities, it should become easier and easier for people to band together locally and hire their own experts.

Why re-invent the wheel? The CCs are an inexpensive alternative to the first couple of years at an expensive 4 year college where the kids will be taking mostly basic courses anyway. Going to a CC allows your children to receive the high school credit for that course AND freshman level college credits as well! So after having had 4 or 5 courses at a CC in lieu of a high school course (Chem, Calculus, Foreign Language, etc.), they've completed at least a full college semester before finishing high school. Many families use these courses as the homeschool alternative to the AP courses taught in Public and Private high schools. And it looks good that your child has been able to comptete with the college level students in that environment.

[SuziQ]

Well, the public system in Pennsylvania isn't accredited so there are some major loopholes. I would check with HSLDA about this problem with the FSLP.

Hmmm. That DO put a wrinkle in things, don't it? Who knows, maybe the increase in homeschooled kids will begin to put pressure on the 'powers that be' in order to change this requirement. There are many more families opting to continue homeschooling through high school now that they understand that there are places where their kids can get the courses which the parents feel ill-qualified to teach.

[SuziQ]

Here's what I really want to happen: For every child homeschooled, the parents get the dollars that the public school would have gotten for that child.

I frankly don't want their money because with their money comes their OVERSIGHT! If they can't turn out well educated kids now, why should I be subject to their ideas and curriculum. And make no mistake, if they're going to give money, they WILL require their curriculum and loads of testing. NO THANKS!

[Artist]

Homeschooling bump.

[Alabama_Wild_Man]

. . . anything that keeps a nickel out of the Government's hands, that it doesn't deserve, is OKAY in my book !!

Plus, this way my Wife and I know what our children are learning !! !!

[Karson]

..."my Wife and I know what our children are learning"

I commend all parents who care enough to homeschool their children. I had mixed feelings about homeschooling until two public school teachers, that I know personally, resigned their jobs to teach their own children at home! That spoke volumes to me!

[ShadowAce]

I frankly don't want their money because ...

WHOSE money? They got it from YOUR property taxes. The best way to do this would be to decrease property taxes in the amount relative your teaching your children.

[SuziQ]

WHOSE money? They got it from YOUR property taxes.

Hey, I know that, but I wouldn't even TRY to convince the majority of voters in my town that I should be allowed to take money from the public till to pay for the education I've decided to give my children. I never got that money to use when I sent my kids to Catholic School. Until we started h/sing this year, we paid BOTH taxes and tuition for 16 years! But as I said, I'm happy to pay for it on my own as long as no one is dictating what books I should use or even which particular subjects I offer my kids. There are basic requirements for a high school diploma, and colleges have certain entrance requirements and we're working within that framework. Supposedly, you can educate your younger children on less than $500 a year, but I don't know of any family which has gotten off that cheap. Even that suggestion precipitated gales of 'laughter' on one of my homeschool chat boards! Most of us LOVE books and educational stuff and are willing to buy what our kids need; lots of the books and materials are used, so they're much cheaper!

[madfly]

Most of us LOVE books and educational stuff and are willing to buy what our kids need; lots of the books and materials are used, so they're much cheaper!

And the older they are, the more accurate they are in most subjects.

[stands2reason]

Well, we could use some growth in the stay-at-home-parent category. It looks like children are homeschooled in way less than 10% of those families. What are those people doing?

[AppyPappy]

The first home-schoolers I knew were Black Muslims.

[biblewonk]

Community colleges are not the kinds of places some of us HSers want our 13 and 14 year olds.

[Domestic Church]

"Community colleges are not the kinds of places some of us HSers want our 13 and 14 year olds."

Very understandable! It is important to be discerning. We have the option here of some of the Bible Colleges and Christian Colleges as well and our county is very Christian. Much depends upon the staff and environment and the the maturity level of the kid. There are many online courses now but again one has to check them carefully.

[Boxsford]

One million in each state you say?? We barely have that many in our state alone! ha! No, I wouldn't put the estimate that high but I agree with you that the number is increasing all the time and is likely higher than reported. Especially by educrats.

[Boxsford]

moronic zero-tolerance rules that can destroy a kid's life, being constantly watched as if they were potential criminals (prove to us you're not a criminal)

Good points here. I had thought the zero tolerance would make some parents remove their children but didn't take my thinking further down to the point you make about them feeling watched and treated as guilty and criminals first. Can you just imagine what kind of society we will have some years down the road with that kind of indocrination? Again, excellent point!

[Boxsford]

Great info. in your post. Thanks a lot. It's very helpful as my son is about to enter high school level work.

[Slyfox]

The first home-schoolers I knew were Black Muslims.

George Washington was home-schooled. I think he was around before there were Black Muslims.

[Mensch]

My wife is black, and has primary responsibility for the homeschooling of our 3 boys. The black heritage has many often-neglected characteristics that are supportive of homeschooling...

My wife is brown (Hawaiian) and has primary responsibility for the homeschooling of our 3 boys. The brown heritage is irrelevant, and it is her character that is supportive of our homeschooling... Did you read the article?