Primary reasons parents choose homeschooling in the United States

Homeschooling Quality of Education

The Need for and the Purpose of the Project

The Subproblems

Definitions and Abbreviations of Terms

Books

Methodology for investigating problems identified as subproblems

Note on the Anti-Homeschooling Debate

Specific data by subproblem

Conclusion by subproblem

Subproblem one

Subproblem two

Subproblem three

Sources Cited

Growth in Homeschooling, 1978-1999

NCES Reasons for Homeschooling

The Need for and the Purpose of the Project

Homeschooling is providing a child's main educational program at home. (Webster) Homeschooling takes the place of full-time school attendance, whether at public or private schools, and should meet all the state requirements for each grade and for graduation from high school and the interim graduations, such as middle-school and so on.

Homeschooling is not a new idea, but rather one that has returned to the forefront of educational discussion in the past generation.

Until public education became widely available in the United States during the late nineteenth century, most children were educated at home. The children of the wealthy had tutors, who often taught them what they needed to know to attend universities.

The children of those who were a bit less well off might go to a church or private school, but often, formal education for those children ended long before university attendance was a possibility.

The children of the poor often learned little more than basic reading, writing and arithmetic, if that.

Once public education became a function of government, standards accompanied that education, but so did problems. For example, a common standard was that children are not ready for first grade until they have reached the age of six years. But some children are ready a year earlier, some a year later. Those ready a year earlier would do fine and, in fact, would probably excel. Those ready a year later (and often that just meant their sixth birthday came very close to the 'must be six years old by' date, making the child e effectively as much as half a year, or more, younger than the most ready children in the class. Chances are those children would have a harder time with the required material.

Some children do well in crowds; others are loners. Some children excel in mental pursuits, others in physical. And yet, the standards set by the states say each child must attain minimal competence in all required subjects in order to move on to the next grade and graduate.

It was inevitable that some parents would seek to tailor their children's education to the child, and begin to homeschool the child.

The need for this project is to see how prevalent homeschooling has become, and to determine the primary reason for homeschooling today in the United States.

The Statement of the Problem

The problem is to determine what the foremost reason for parents to choose homeschooling is in the United States at present, and to determine whether or not the objections to homeschooling that are often raised have any validity. Among those objections are: lack of academic skills; lack of physical education opportunities, and; lack of socialization.

The Subproblems

The first subproblem is to determine whether or not parents choose homeschooling because of religious reasons. If so, are they choosing homeschooling because of what is being taught (for example, Darwinism in public schools) or what isn't (for example, anything about religion at all, including even a moment of silent meditation)?

The second subproblem is to determine whether or not parent chooses homeschooling because they have a child with a learning disability. The question has been raised: are parents creating what it tantamount to a learning disability by not allowing their child to go to a public or private school and, through interaction with the other children, develop skills that will assist in their development later on?

The third subproblem is to determine whether or not parents are choosing homeschooling because they are concerned about the quality of the education their children are receiving or would receive in a public school.

The Hypotheses

The first hypothesis is that religion is not the main reason parents choose to homeschool their children.

The second hypothesis is that parents choose homeschooling because public schools, in many cases, are not able to provide the sort of education their child's learning style or ability (or disability) might require.

The third hypothesis is that educational quality is the main reason parents decide to homeschool their children.

Definitions and Abbreviations of Terms

The term homeschooling means to provide essentially all of a child's educational experiences at home, or on field trips organized by the homeschooling parent, or through study groups and opportunities made possible through cooperatives of homeschooling families.

The spelling homeschooling was chosen over home schooling or home-schooling because it then appears as a single term on a par with schooling. The other choices might leave open the possibility of contrasting the term with public schooling (or public-schooling) and private schooling (or private-schooling.) Because the thrust of this research is to determine facts about teaching/learning done at home rather than at either sort of institution, it was thought best to make the comparison with schooling in general rather than the two other specific subtypes.

CHAPTER TWO

REVIEW OF RELATED LITERATURE

The following is a list of some books and journals, though by no means all, which help to clarify the reasons for homeschooling in the United States.

Books

Ballman, Ray E. The How and Why of Home Schooling. Rev. Ed. Wheaton, Ill.: Crossway books, 1995. This book provides an overview of the reasons for home schooling and adds information about how to do it. It has a helpful appendix that lists many homeschooling resources.

Lopez, Diane. Teaching Children: A Curriculum Guide to What Children Need to Know at Each Level Through Grade Six. Westchester, Ill.: Crossway Books, 1988. This has much practical information about how to homeschool, but also tackles, in some depth, how to develop a Christian worldview, which may limit its usefulness to some.

Macaulay, Susan Schaeffer. For the Children's Sake: Foundations of Education for Home and School. Westchester, Ill.: Crossway Books, 1984. Again, very Christian in its outlook, dealing more with questions about the nature of education, but doing so in a decidedly Christian manner.

Moore, Raymond S. And Dorothy N. Better Late than Never: A new Approach to Your Child's Education. New York: Reader's Digest Press, 1975. This was an early exposition of the psychological argument that it is best to teach children at home, at least through their early years.

Ray, Brian D., Ed.

Home Centered Learning: An Annotated Bibliography

4th ed. This compilation of more than 900 entries concerning homeschooling research is available form National Home Education Research Institute, P.O. Box 13939, Salem, OR 97309.

Ray, Brian D. Worldwide Guide to Homeschooling: Fact and Stats on the benefits of Home School, 2002-2003. Salem, Ore.: National Home Education Research Institute, 2003.

This volume has a multitude of uses, from discussions that may help parents decide whether to home school, to profiles of homeschooling communities worldwide.

It may be useful to journalists and researchers as well as homeschooling parents.

Journals

Home School Researcher. It is published by and available from the National Home Education Research Institute, address above. It chronicles recent research on homeschooling.

Education Policy Analysis Archives. This is a peer-reviewed scholarly electronic journal edited by Gene V. Glass, College of Education, Arizona State University.

Summary

By and large, the bulk of homeschooling information is either in support of homeschooling, or in support of homeschooling with the added information needed for parents to begin homeschooling. Much of the printed material, whether in paper or electronic form, assumes a bias on the part of the reader in favor of homeschooling, if the reader is not, in fact, already homeschooling or planning to, and in need of further information.

CHAPTER 3

RESEARCH METHODOLOGY

General Methodology cursory glance at both books in libraries and on bookstore shelves makes it clear that there are very few 'anti-homeschooling' published works to be easily had, with the bulk of publishing regarding homeschooling consisting of pro-homeschooling popular books and homeschooling 'how-to' books. It would not help the advancement of these hypotheses to study those volumes.

However, there is abundant information on websites from those specifically aimed at promoting homeschooling, to those dealing with debate-worthy subjects in many disciplines to government-sponsored sites that have done studies of who homeschools and why. Thus the answers to the hypotheses, absent conducting a nationwide original survey project, was likely to be found on those sites. They have been consulted for both statistical and explanatory material.

Methodology for investigating problems identified as subproblems

Specific Treatment of Subproblem One

Specific Treatment of Subproblem Two

Specific Treatment of Subproblem Three

All three subproblems were treated similarly. Searches were conducted using key words relevant to each subproblem/hypothesis. Often, the same material was returned for one, two or even all three of the ideas, regardless of keyword. That is because, it is assumed, there is no research that found a single reason for homeschooling, although many found clusters of reasons. Within those clusters, all three of the subproblems, or a combination of two of them, was likely to be found.

Note on the Anti-Homeschooling Debate

CNN online article from more than two years ago mentioned a National Education Association (NEA) commentary against homeschooling. It read:

The National Education Association, the nation's largest public-school teachers' union, has an official resolution stating that 'home schooling programs cannot provide the student with a comprehensive education experience.'

The NEA advocates a requirement that only "persons licensed by the appropriate state education licensure agency" be allowed to home school and that the curriculum should be approved by the state department of education.

Correspondent Charles Zewe and The Associated Press contributed to this report, written by Jim Morris.

A search of the NEAWeb site in July, 2003, revealed the link had been broken.

A further search of the NEA Web site revealed no discussions currently regarding homeschooling. A complete list of NEA topics on its NEA on the Issues page, on July 12, 2003, included these, in toto (annotated where appropriate):

Accountability and Testing

Charter Schools

Class Size

ESEA ("No Child Left Behind" Act)

International Issues

Mathematics

National Board Certification

No Child Left Behind" Act

Priority Schools

Privatization

Reading

Rural Education

School Modernization

School Quality

NEA is committed to doing all it can to make public schools great for every child. Learn what makes for a quality school as well as how NEA's KEY's Initiative is helping educators, parents and community members improve their local schools.

School Safety

Special Ed/IDEA

Social Security

Teacher Quality

The National Education Association works with researchers, educators and policymakers to assure a qualified, competent, caring educator in every American classroom. NEA's commitment to teacher quality extends to each critical component of the teacher development continuum, including the quality of teacher education programs, the quality of beginning teachers and the continuing quality of experienced teachers.

Teacher Shortage

Technology in Schools

Title IX

Vouchers

CHAPTER 4

THE PRESENTATION OF THE DATA

Background

As of 2001, about 1.5 to 1.9 million U.S. children were being homeschooled, a number equal to about two percent of all U.S. school-aged children.

Growth in Homeschooling, 1978-1999

National Center for Education Statistics)

Just because parents choose academic issues as a reason for homeschooling is not, however, sufficient reason by itself to assume that successful academic achievement, or any other educational factor, is the result.

However, the same researchers, by and large, have concluded that it is both the reason chosen by parents for homeschooling, and it results in superior academic, and allied, achievement.

List of Homeschooling Academic Achievements

From NHERI Home Education Fact Sheet)

Nor is this the only group that has done research indicating there is no problem with the academic achievement of homeschooled students. The Education Policy Analysis Archives published "Scholastic Achievement and Demographic Characteristics of Home School Students in 1998" by Lawrence M. Rudner. In it, Rudner said the results of the largest survey and testing program for homeschooled students (20,760 K-12 home school students in 11,930 families) to that date (Spring, 1998) revealed:

the achievement test scores of this group of home school students are exceptionally high -- the median scores were typically in the 70th to 80th percentile; 25% of home school students are enrolled one or more grades above their age-level public and private school peers; this group of home school parents has more formal education than parents in the general population; the median income for home school families is significantly higher than that of all families with children in the United States; and almost all home school students are in married couple families. Because this was not a controlled experiment, the study does not demonstrate that home schooling is superior to public or private schools and the results must be interpreted with caution. The report clearly suggests, however, that home school students do quite well in that educational environment. (Abstract)

It appears that there is abundant evidence to support the contention that homeschooled children do attain excellent academic achievement, not matter what the underlying reason their parents chose to homeschool them.

Other data developed by NHERI reveal that when 16,311 students nationwide were tested with the nationally normed Iowa Test of Basic Skills, the nationwide average for the homeschooled students was the 77th percentile overall. In reading, they were at the 79th percentile on average, and the 73rd in math. The national average for traditionally educated students is the 50th percentile overall.

Of course, this study cannot correct for any skewing that may be caused by the intellectual caliber of homeschooled students vs. The general public school student population. It cannot evaluate whether the homeschooled students enjoy a family with a greater than average capacity for academic success, nor whether that predisposes parents toward homeschooling. No studies were found to deal with that issue.

The same NHERI article revealed that a Canadian study revealed similar findings regarding academic success of the homeschooled. Dr. Brian Ray found students scoring, on average, at the 80th percentile in language, the 79th in math.

The really instructive portion of those findings, however, was that the students whose parents were certified teachers did no better than those whose parents were not certified teachers.

CHAPTER 5

DISCUSSION

Conclusion by subproblem

Subproblem one

This subproblem was concerned with determining whether religion was the, or one of the, main reasons parents chose homeschooling.

The research revealed that is was often a very important reason, but perhaps not so primary as early research by NHERI had suggested.

Later research by NCES placed it in the number two spot.

Subproblem two

This subproblem was concerned with the possibility that a primary reason, or the primary reason, parents chose homeschooling was to cope with learning disabilities.

There is very little to support this claim in NHERI or NCES research, or in a number of anecdotal reports in the popular press.

Subproblem three

This subproblem was concerned with investigating the possibility that parents were choosing to homeschool their children because they didn't feel the children would or could attain the desired level of academic achievement in, particularly, the public schools.

Even a brief survey of the literature and the studies by NHERI and NCES indicate that this may be the primary reason for the rise in homeschooling.

Summary

It is apparent that of the three subproblems, two were found to contain significant veracity in fact, and one was almost entirely absent from the reasons given for homeschooling. If one is to take the results of homeschooling, then, hands down, the investigation into subproblem three reveals that academic achievement is the overwhelming reason parents choose to homeschool. Further, it is necessary to note that this bonus is likely to appeal to parents investigating homeschooling for other reasons if they are aware of it. The fact that a significant study by a respected organization concluded that the homeschooling parent need not be a certified teacher to attain excellent results will probably encourage more parents to homeschool. It would be reasonable to believe that some who would have liked to homeschool, for whatever reasons, have failed to do so because they mistrusted their own credentials/abilities.

Recommendations

There are two sets of recommendations that arise from this project.

The first set applies to those who would like to investigate homeschooling for their own children.

Any parent who wishes to homeschool his or her children will find that, with the growth of the activity, more and more sources are available, both for advice and, later, for instructional materials. Some of the latter are collected in the Appendices to this report. If a parent has a strong desire to homeschool, and a willingness to make the lifestyle changes required according to experts, then there is likely no reason not to do so.

The second set of recommendations applies to those concerned about public education. It is significant that the NEA has chosen to remove all references to homeschooling from its Web site. A few years ago, commentary was regularly forthcoming from the NEA concerning the evils of homeschooling. However, it is likely that the NEA, too, has seen the abundant evidence in favor of the results of homeschooling, both academically and in the other areas of a student's life that are regularly studied and evaluated by institutions of higher learning and so on. In short, even the argument that homeschooling creates socially and physically inept individuals does not hold up, at least as far as the research procured for this report. It would be wise for mainstream educators, if they are concerned as well about the future of and respect for public education, to do two things. First, they would be advised to study homeschooling and see if there are any techniques that will translate well to classroom situations. Second, they might begin to close the divide by offering various services and points of contact between homeschooled and public schooled students and parents.

APPENDICES

Appendix A Here is a set of questions, developed by NHERI, to which parents considering homeschooling might want to develop answers before beginning to homeschool.

Why do people homeschool?

What are current trends in homeschooling, and what is its history?

How are homeschooled students doing academically?

What about socialization?

Are homeschooled students getting into college?

I am I capable, as a parent, of teaching my own children?

What about teaching advanced subjects like algebra?

What about special-needs children?

What about gifted children?

How do homeschooled children fare in the "real world"?

What about teenagers who want to homeschool?

Is homeschooling right for us and our family?

How do we get started homeschooling?

Appendix B

Following are brief descriptions of organizations useful to homeschooling parents and respected for their research in education.

National Homeschooling Education Research Institute:

The mission of NHERI is three-fold:

Produce high-quality research on home-based education.

Serve as a clearinghouse of research for homeschoolers, researchers, and policy makers.

Educate the public concerning the findings of all research on home education.

Whether called homeschooling, home schooling, home-based education, home education, unschooling, deschooling, or a form of alternative education, the movement is growing and the National Home Education Research Institute is tracking and analyzing it, internationally. NHERI's forte is in the realm of research, statistics, technical reports, data, facts, demographics, the academic world, consulting, academic achievement tests, and expert witness while serving people ranging from researchers and policy makers to professional educators, teachers, homeschoolers (home schoolers), and parents in general to the media, marketing consultants, and the general public.

NHERI was founded by its president http://www.nheri.org/

National Home Education Research Institute, Brian D. Ray, Ph.D., President; P.O. Box 13939; Salem, OR 97309; Ph: 503 / 364-1490; Fax: 503 / 364-2827.

Christian Home Educators Association, P.O. Box 2009 Norwalk, CA 90651-2009, 310/864-2432. This organization provides training and resources to home schooling parents, support group and seminars, a monthly magazine, curriculum manual, and updated information on legislative and legal issues through a monthly newsletter.

Home School Legal Defense Association, P.O. Box 3000, Purcellville, VA 20134,. HSLDA provides low-cost legal advice for families that home-school. Parents pay $100 per year for membership and are defended free of charge should the necessity arise. Materials available include: One-page summary of each state's home-schooling laws and regulations; "Home School Court Report," bi-monthly newsletter; Nationwide Survey of Home Education; and various other resources for home schooling.

National Center for Home Education, P.O. Box 159, Paeonian Springs, 20129; ph. 540/338-7600. A free monthly mailing is available to state home school leaders, which provides information on state and federal legislation, noting proposed bills, which would impact the home schooling community. The organization also facilitates a network for cooperation and communication between state-wide organizations.

The Institute publishes the Home School Researcher, a journal devoted to research on home school related issues. It also has a number of scholarly resources available on the subject, including an Annotated Bibliography

http://www.family.org/cforum/research/papers/a0000975.html

National Center for Education Statistics

Institute of Education Sciences, U.S. Dept. Of Education, 1990 K. Street, NW, Washington, DC 20006, USA, Phone:. Primary entity for collecting and analyzing data relevant to education in the United States and globally.

Appendix C

Here is information about the National Education Association, take from its Web site:

What is the National Education Association?

NEA has a long, proud history as the nation's leading organization committed to advancing the cause of public education. With its headquarters in Washington, D.C., NEA has 2.7 million members who work at every level of education, from pre-school to university graduate programs. NEA has affiliates in every state, as well as in more than 13,000 local communities across the United States.

Founded in 1857 "to elevate the character and advance the interests of the profession of teaching and to promote the cause of popular education in the United States," the NEA has remained constant in its commitment to its original mission as evidenced by the current mission statement:

To fulfill the promise of a democratic society, the National Education Association shall promote the cause of quality public education and advance the profession of education; expand the rights and further the interest of educational employees; and advocate human, civil, and economic rights for all.

In pursuing its mission, the NEA has determined that it will focus the energy and resources of its 2.7 million members toward the "restoration of public confidence in public education."

Who's eligible to become a member of the National Education Association?

Anyone who works for a public school district, a college or university, or any other public institution devoted primarily to education is eligible to join NEA. NEA also has special membership categories for retired educators and college students studying to become teachers.

In 1929, NEA members initially adopted The Code of Ethics of the Education Profession. The Code "indicates the aspiration of all educators and provides standards by which to judge conduct." http://www.nea.org/aboutnea.html

Appendix D

Following is an article published by the Junto Society regarding one parent's reason for homeschooling. In addition, information about the Junto Society is given after the article.

Five Selfish Reasons for Home Schooling

Lots of home schooling columns you read feature delightful tales of large families who work together in a family business and who do their lessons with enthusiasm. Families where the children do their chores with good cheer and willingly volunteer for extra work. Where everyone eats only whole grains and the family sings songs together in the evening. Do those families exist? Sure they do, I know some of them. But this family is not one of them.

My two children (Adam, 15, and Emily, 12) have never been to school. We chose home schooling early on and for a variety of reasons, most of them high-sounding and altruistic. As I think of why I have continued the sometimes difficult and time-consuming job of home schooling, I realize that I have continued for some selfish reasons.

First, my children are delightful and enjoyable people, and I like having them around. My son has a sharp wit and a dry sense of humor and tends to see the world in the same slightly skewed way that I do. He loves baseball, a game close to my heart. He reads extensively and loves to discuss books and movies. He is still not totally embarrassed to be seen with his mother. My daughter loves the world of books and creativity. We sometimes enjoy reading a book together. She is, at 12, a great talker about the world of ideas and our conversations are always grand.

Second, I love to read and learn, and home schooling has given me an excuse to do that. If we are studying the Middle Ages, I can read up on that period in history. If they ask a question that I don't know the answer to, we can make a trip to the library, or do some research on the Internet. I also teach at a home school co-op we attend, which allows me to do what I am passionate about.

That brings me to my third point, which is that home schooling frees me from having to know it all. My kids know that I am a learner, too, and that we can find things out together. If I can give them the skills and the desire to learn things on their own, I've given them wings.

Next, home schooling frees up our time as a family for vacations and activities that traditionally schooled children may not be able to participate in. A few years ago when the original "Star Wars" movies were re-released, we went to the first showing, which was at midnight on a weeknight. We struck up a conversation with the college age young men who stood in front of us in line. They asked Adam if he would be tired at school the next day. He told them he was home schooled and would just start the day a little later. Assuming, as many folks do, that home schooled kids are ignorant of popular culture, they decided to take him on in "Star Wars" trivia. Big mistake. He ground them into the dust.

Finally, spending this time with Adam and Emily lets me influence them. That may seem a radical statement today. What, a parent have influence? I want them to be well-informed citizens, well read in the texts that form the basis for our society, good people who will make their society better.