Posted on 10/23/2001 8:43:00 AM PDT by concerned about politics
Home-schoolers
outperform peers Home-schooled children in Canada and the United States are more "academically advanced" than their public and private school-educated peers, according to a noted policy research group.
The Washington, D.C.-based National Center for Policy Analysis, citing a Canadian research group's findings last week, said North American home-schoolers' average test scores were higher "at every grade level."
In the U.S., "home-schooled students' average scores were between the 82nd and the 92nd percentile in reading and reached the 85th percentile in math – with home-schoolers' overall test scores placing them between the 75th and 85th percentiles," the NCPA report said.
By contrast, "public school students scored at the 50th percentile, while private school students' scores ranged from the 65th to the 75th percentile," said the center.
In Canada, the results were similar, said the report, quoting Canada's Frasier Institute, which conducted the study.
"The largest study to date in Canada found that home-schooling students, on average, score at the 80th percentile in reading, at the 76th percentile in language and at the 79th percentile in mathematics," said the center. "The Canadian average for all public and privately educated students is the 50th percentile."
The center said the Canadian experience with home schooling appeared to mirror the success of the United States.
"Home-schooled students also surpass the national averages on both of the major college-entrance tests – the ACT and the SAT," said the Canadian study, as quoted by the center.
Parents who choose to home-school their kids also seem to be, on average, better educated.
"Among American parents who home-school, 81 percent have studied beyond high school compared with 63 percent of parents nationwide. Interestingly, having at least one parent who is a certified teacher has no significant effect on the achievement levels of home-schooled students," the study said.
School choice advocates say the Canadian study's results mirror similar studies in the U.S. that highlight the failure of public schools when compared to home schooling or even a private school alternative, where available.
Also, the NCPA said the cost of educating kids in government schools remains high in comparison to non-government alternatives.
The per-pupil cost of education in a public school is about $7,000 a year, according to Department of Education statistics. That compares with about half that amount for private-school children, and anywhere from $300 to $1,000 a year for a home-schooled student.
gotta admit that got a chuckle out of me
That is because the studies are based on population samples.
That speaks volumes.
Fact is, when folks yank their kids out of the public school system, there is a loss of control somewhere along the line. The school district loses heads, and loses $$ consequently. And God knows what the hell these kids are being taught. We were inundated with "intolerant right-wing conservative propaganda" from an early age, and I still retain that kneejerk conserv reaction to much of our culture...
So you got loose cannons running around. That scares the sh!t outta your typical greasy-faced journalist media type.
Gee, I sure would love to see one of the studies that characterizes parents who homeschool as "redneck highschool dropouts". Am I right to assume that you will not be able to produce one?
Actually, I remember you from a few months ago. You were questioning another study (one in a long list) that showed results consistent with the study referenced above.
The truth hurts but in your case it seems to hurt over and over and over again.
I know it's anecdotal, but it shows that home school works very well despite what the educationalists and other nay-sayers argue.
Except in Lake Woebegone, where every child was above average.
Classroom full of 20 students would net "about" $140,000. Pay the teacher $40,000 and you have $100,000 left over. Put in half (a huge number, actually) for building maintenance, meals, ancillary personnel who work with kids like music teachers, recess monitors, hall monitors, etc and you still have $50,000 per class to account for. Does a typical school have 6 classes, one each for first through sixth grades? If so they have $300,000 to account for. What are they doing with this money?
If they figured this out, they will have gone a long way to understanding why the state (re)education camps are failing.
Shalom.
Wife is relieved, daughter ( Meghan ) loves it, writing in cursive at age 6.
More convinced than ever that sending our kids to the "Gubment Skool" would be tantamount to child abuse.
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