Posted on 05/18/2002 12:28:22 PM PDT by Mensch
Home schooling is a subject of great fascination, but little solid knowledge. Despite its importance, it has received less research attention than some other recent changes in the educational system, such as the growth of charter schools. It could be argued that home schooling may have a much larger impact on educational system, both in the short and long run.
This report uses the 1994 October CPS, and the National Household Education Survey of 1996 and 1999 to examine popular characterizations of the home school population. The article assembles evidence from several sources to confirm that home schooling is growing. It finds home-schooled children more likely to be middle income, white, from larger families, and from two-parent families with one parent not working.
While some authors have described a division between religiously-motivated and academically-motivated home schoolers, this research finds more support for a divide based on attitude towards regular schools.
Article long. Complete article here
I read an article from Home School Legal Defense Assoc. newsletter on blacks homeschooling. Really interesting, but sad. I don't know how many of you are aware but blacks take a great deal of flack from their own race if they choose to homeschool their children. They feel that they went through a great deal of suffering to be allowed to educate their children along white folks and that blacks who choose to teach at home are letting all the black people down that fought so hard for those rights.
They're delusional! Homeschool families have already figured this out and are doing nicely indeed without the public schools assistance. They just don't get it at all. Parents pull their kids out because public schooling can't teach the basics and they think we will need them to teach them advanced courses! har!
Another gem! Let's hope that large impact will be the end of government schools.
Seems like a good solution, assuming the community colleges (higher level government schools) are prevented from accepting "underage" students. Let's hope this doesn't happen.
Seems like a good solution, assuming the community colleges (higher level government schools) are NOT prevented from accepting "underage" students. Let's hope this doesn't happen.
That's what I meant to say.
'A group that is especially likely to be home schooled consists of two-adult families with one not working (as will be shown below). In this group, 60 percent of non-enrolled children are home schooled. The regression of non-enrollment on years shows an equally large and significant coefficient for this group as it does for all school-aged children.
For those of you who were taught fuzzy math, let me figure it for ya.
That's at least 1 million home-schooled kids in each state in the union.
Why would they be needed?? A wife of a friend is involved as a tutor in the "home schooling network", and the way the "advanced topics" are covered is with assistance (either one-on-one or small groups) by specialized tutors. The parent oversees the daily lessons and drill, and the tutor covers advanced topics and "explains as needed" for the things the student appears to be having trouble with (typically one or two hours a week). In most instances, the tutors are FAR BETTER QUALIFIED in their particular area of expertise than the "education majors" teaching in public schools.
Who is better qualified to teach chemistry?? A retired chemist, or an "education major" who had two or three courses in chemistry??
Some rights.....if any group ought to ditch the system and take charge of their kids' education, it's the black people. The current school system keeps them in the four D's: Dumb, Depressed, Dependent, and Democrat.**
** Credited to the that lady who spoke at the Rally for America in D.C. several years ago; cannot remember her name...Joyce something?
ConclusionThe data examined here show that it has established itself as an alternative to regular school for a small set of families, and is poised to continue its growth. In 1999 around 790,000 children between the ages of 6 and 17—around of 1.7 percent of the population that age—were being schooled at home, and in the late 1990s the number was apparently growing.
Home schoolers and their families were different from regular school attenders and their families, but the differences weren't that large. Some of the distinctive characteristics of home schoolers seemed to be decreasing. Home schoolers were likely to be non-Hispanic White, but there was some evidence of fading racial differences over time. Some distinctive characteristics of home schoolers seemed not to be changing very rapidly, but the characteristics needn't be thought of as limitations to future growth. Households with home-schooled children had moderate to high education and income and were located in the rural or suburban West. Home-schoolers were likely to live with two adults, with one not in the labor force or working part time.
We have just begun to see the emergence of home schooling as an important national phenomenon. Unless the needs of parents are met in different ways, it is likely that home schooling will have a large impact on the school as an institution in coming decades.
Absolutely, which is why we must have vouchers to reach out to them. For once, young black students will get a decent education that they have deserved for so long!
Isn't it annoying that RICH LIBERALS such as the Kennedys, Gores, and Chelsea Clinton were all educated in private schools?
Concidence? I think not.
The man who runs the High School through which my daughter will be provided a 'record, transcript and diploma told me that the Community Colleges CANNOT deny access to their programs by younger students IF those students meet any pre-requisites for the college and the course. Most colleges will have some sort of 'Entrance Exam' If the student passes it, and if the course has no other pre-requisites then the student should be able to take the course regardless of age. We'll probably wait until our daughter is 16 simply because she doesn't feel comfortable with the idea of being in a college classroom yet. If she wants to go earlier, we'll be happy to get her set up for that. We're going to use our local CC for Chemisty (w/lab), Physics, Spanish, and maybe Psychology.
I called the Admissions office of UMass-Amherst a few weeks ago to discuss the 'diploma' requirements. I wanted to know what THEY required in the way of a diploma from an 'accredited' school. The school under which my daughter will get her diploma is NOT accredited; frankly, having been throught the accreditation process with a school my kids attended, I can tell you for certain it has NOTHING to do with the quality of education!
As it turns out, the lack of a diploma is NOT a problem for admission; they will look over any portfolio you present. The problem is with the Fed. Student Loan Program. It is VERY restrictive regarding 'mommy diplomas'; it requires a diploma from a supposedly 'accredited' high school. Sir SuziQ wonders how the crappy inner city public high schools can be accredited and the students not have a problem using THOSE diplomas, while the Feds give our kids a hard time! ANY education our kids receive at home will be head and shoulders above those crappy high schools!
Ever wonder why the federal government even has a student loan program? Nothing in the Constitution gives the federal government any right to influence education. Student loans give the government influence over curriculums and other parts of educational institutions. The government also gains power over who can and can't attend college.
Why don't we rely solely on private institutions for grants and scholarships?
You don't need public schools to have organized sports:
Homeschooling sports in Pennsylvania are set to take a big leap forward this year by coming under the umbrella of one of the oldest amateur athletic organizations in America, the AAU (Amateur Athletic Union) which from 1888-1978 represented the United States in international athletic competitions, including the Olympics and since then has been providing sanctioning and insurance coverage for sports programs at the grass roots level.There are similar organizations in just about every state.Once we join AAU, organized homeschool sports in PA will be insured for liability and medical injuries and should expand rapidly as more and more support groups take the plunge to field teams and organize tournaments.
This leap brings closer the day when homeschoolers will have almost as many opportunities to play sports as school students. AAU membership will be required this year for participants in the PA Homeschoolers co-ed volleyball tournament. We expect that within the next couple years there will be AAU sanctioned homeschool tournaments for boys basketball, girls basketball, soccer, and cross country. In addition many homeschoolers will participate in some of the already-available AAU tournaments.
HSPN is committed to help neighboring states "get noticed" and participate in events that are held in Virginia. In fact, teams from Maryland and North Carolina have participated in some of the HSPN tournaments.
In fact HSPN's team locator lists some contacts for sports programs in other states. As we begin our new sports magazine project, this list is expected to grow quickly.
Virgina Home School Sports Network link
Homeschoolers could pool their resources and hire professionals, instead of settling for the quality you find in public schools. Imagine: (1) advertise a class on a local homeschool page, (2) gather enough interested students, (3) advertise for a teacher. The homeschool moms could even attend the class. It would be the free market society in action.
Vouchers will still leave the government in charge of schools. The only thing it will eliminate is substandard teachers. The state will set rules on who you can take vouchers to. There will be an "approved" list. To get on the approved list a school will be forced to accept the benevolent guidance of the state.
The best answer is to completely abandon public schools AND public funding of schools. Vouchers will only prolong the agony.
I'm glad to know the interpretation you have been given. Perhaps this is already being done (or has been) but it would make sense for home school parents to get legislation passed that requires what you have been told per "CC's cannot deny access to younger students IF . . ."
Congratulations on doing a fine job with your obviously bright youngster.
For example, if my local public school gets $3000 per kid and I am homeschooling my two children, I get $6000. That would help pay for the homeschooling stuff and the kids would get a better education to boot. This benefits society by having better educated kids entering college and the workforce. Also, this $6000 wouldn't be wasted supporting a defunct educational system.
Thousands Protest Clinton at Free Republic March for Justice31 October, 1998
By Ben Anderson
CNS Staff Writer(CNS) – Returning to the White House today, President Bill Clinton passed a crowd of protestors calling for his impeachment at the "March for Justice" sponsored by internet bulletin board FreeRepublic.com.
The March for Justice featured a line-up of conservative figures from Presidential hopeful Alan Keys and Representative Bob Barr (R-GA) to author and former FBI agent Gary Aldrich and literary agent Lucianne Goldberg.
Many among the protesters, estimated to be as many as 5,000, are known as "Freepers" – those who often post their views on Free Republic's web site. The rally evolved from what began as a one-man impeachment march in front of the White House by the Freeper known to fellow posters as "Confetti Man". While protesting against Clinton in Philadelphia in September, he was allegedly assaulted by union members gathered in support of the President.
In the aftermath of the attack, "Confetti Man" decided to conduct a solo protest at the White House. In the following weeks, he was joined by 25 other Freepers. When word spread that Free Republic owner Jim Robinson would join the protest, others began to express interest in protesting, too. Interest in the protest snow-balled into today's rally, drawing people from throughout the country.
Joyce Smith of Hope Ministries came to the March for Justice from Houston Texas. She originally came as a protestor, but ended up addressing the rally after one of the scheduled speakers met her in a hotel lobby and took note of her zeal and charismatic personality. In an impromptu speech to the protesters, Smith said the black community has been misguided by what she calls the "Four-D syndrome – Dumb, Dependent, Depressed and Democrat."
Smith told CNS the black community is not "monolithic" as a race. "We have some common sense blacks," Smith said. "We think for ourselves and we are not going to stand by and let the Sheila Jackson-Lees and the Al Sharptons speak for us." She said she came to the March for Justice to break down the viewpoint that all blacks must stand behind Clinton.
Conservative News Service link
(CNS) – The Conservative News Service Saturday erroneously reported that a Free Republic user with the on-line name of 'Confetti Man' was allegedly assaulted by union members during a Bill Clinton demonstration in Philadelphia in early October.
The man who was hospitalized as a result of the Philadelphia incident was Don Adams, who does not use the name Confetti Man on Free Republic. The inadvertent misidentification was the result of a mistaken identity from an interviewed source, and CNS regrets the error.
Same thing was happening 10 to 15 years ago to whites that began homeschooling. My own mother thought that I was being subversive to society by pulling my kids out of school. It is a product of being new to that community. The more that people in that community that homeschool the more normal it will seem to that community.
Considering that 10% of the school-age population is enrolled in private schools, the fact that 2% of the school-age population is homeschooled is a significant number.
The greatest limiting factor to the growth of homeschooling will be the rise in the number of single-parent families. I hope that the movement hasn't peaked. As more people homeschool, and as other parents observe homeschooled children, the faster the movement will grow. Here's hoping.
What is your view on the "buffet?" Is this a good idea for homeschoolers? I know some homeschoolers view it as a trap. Is it the trend of the future - allowing homeschoolers to use the school system they help pay for in a way that benefits them? Or, will the school system see this as a way to punish homeschoolers - - "come to our schools fulltime or no baseball."
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...
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.
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.
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!
Plus, this way 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!
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.
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!
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