Information on Homeschooling For Today’s Family

There are many reasons why conscientious parents consider information on homeschooling to decide if this method of education might be right for their children. According to the National Center for Education Statistics’ (NCES) website, U.S. fourth graders trailed students in 10 countries in the 2006 Progress in International Reading Literacy Study (PIRLS). The study ranked children in 40 countries using a written test of reading comprehension and a series of questionnaires on literacy factors.

The 2007 Trends in International Mathematics and Science Study (TIMSS) revealed that American fourth graders lagged behind students in eight countries, Chinese Taipei, England, Hong Kong, Japan, Latvia, Kazakhstan, Russian Federation and Singapore. TIMSS also measured science skills, and children in Chinese Taipei, Hong Kong, Japan and Singapore outscored U.S. fourth graders.

Depending on where a family lives, local public schools may or may not provide excellent education. The recession has adversely affected public schools with resultant budget shortfalls and teacher layoffs. Children who fall outside of average norms may not thrive in public schools, equipped to educate average children without the ability to alter the curriculum for individual needs. An extremely bright child may chafe at the slow pace of learning, while a child with special needs may require more focused attention from the teacher than can be provided in a public school setting. Many homeschooling families have strong spiritual and moral beliefs they wish to instill in their children.

NCES statistics show that the number of home schooled students grew steadily from an estimated 850,000 in 1999 to 1.5 million in 2007. Usually one parent must stay at home full time to provide home schooling, so economics plays a role in whether a family chooses this option. However, homeschooling may actually save money otherwise spent on unnecessary supplies, clothing, after-school care, transportation, restaurant meals, and other expenses incurred by dual working parents.