To homeschool or not? That is the question parents should now begin to consider, in light of the increasing number of home-schooled kids and the demand for quality education in the United States.
In a 2012 statistical abstract released by the U.S. Census Bureau, the number of home-schooled children reached an estimated number of 1.5 million. This is equivalent to 3% of the entire American student population. What's more surprising is that according to this study, most of these home-schooled children are scoring higher than the average students who are enrolled in public or private schools.
While the results remain arguable, the numbers are undeniably high enough to warrant attention, and it may imply a lot of underlying problems in the American educational system.
Is it prudent to put your kids in a home school system? Here are a few things you must know about homeschooling to give you a better picture of this alternative educational system.
1. How many Americans are home-schooled?
Source: www.home-school.com
At present, home-schooled kids ages 5-17 across different states amount to over 2 million in population. This number still excludes those beyond or younger than the stated age range. It's also important to note that while there's a continuous increase in home school rates (around 4.5 % last 2012), public school enrollment, on the other hand, is showing a decline in number.
So what does this data tell us? And why does it matter especially for parents?
The increasing trend is showing us that more parents are resorting to homeschooling rather than enrolling their kids in formal educational institutions. With the variety of external factors affecting our way of living such as religion, time, and financial resources, parents are given the opportunity to look into a different avenue of educating their children -- homeschooling.
2. Is homeschooling expensive?
[embed]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OhZ8fq3VRas[/embed]
The cost of homeschooling could go as high as $2,500 a year or as low as $200 per student. It all actually depends on the parents' budget. On average, the cost of homeschooling - which covers the books and other learning materials to be used by the student - is lower compared to the amount of money you pay for a public school education which could range from $1,000-$6,000 dollars a year.
However, while the financial cost of homeschooling could be lower, it requires an investment of time from parents who are expected to take part in their children's learning process.
Check this link for a sample breakdown of homeschool expenses.
3. Do homeschoolers perform better in academics?
There is no definite and final answer to this question just yet, but research results published at nheri.org shows that, on average, home-schooled children score 15 - 30 percentile points higher than those from public schools. Moreover, home-schooled children also score above average on the SAT and ACT exams which colleges need for admission.
This result could have been the reason why colleges and universities in the US had been admitting home-schooled students. Approximately 75% of colleges and universities have official policies about home-school admissions and about 95% of these colleges and universities receive admission requests from home-schooled students.
Source: www.home-school.com
It is however important to note that these study results have their scope and limitations. While results for a certain group of samples provided a favorable result on the part of home-schoolers, it may not be true for a different group of people on a different sample area.
4. Do home-schoolers have higher employment rate?
Source: www.home-school.com
As with number 3, there is no sure way to determine whether or not home-schoolers have higher chances of getting employed than those enrolled in traditional education. But looking at the infographic above, with home-schoolers getting higher graduate percentage, we could say that more of them are landing jobs that require a college education as compared to their traditionally schooled peers.
While home-schoolers could have higher academic achievements, they may not be socially adaptive since a huge time of their educational journey had been spent at home.
But then again, these are all assumptions and theories.
All students, home-schooled or not, have to graduate. And the real battle begins from there.
5. Who are some of the successful homeschoolers?
To prove that success doesn't only come from a formal educational system held within the four walls of the classroom, here are four of the many home-schooled persons who made a name for themselves and are still climbing their ladder to success:
Julian Assange - founder of Wikileaks
An Australian journalist, editor, activist, and publisher. Assange was a hacker as a teenager, then a computer programmer, before becoming known for his work with WikiLeaks, initially started in 2006 and making public appearances around the world speaking about freedom of the press, censorship, and investigative journalism. (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Julian_Assange)
Theodore Roosevelt - president of the United States
The 26th President of the United States (1901–1909), he is noted for his exuberant personality, range of interests and achievements, and his leadership of the Progressive Movement, as well as his "cowboy" persona and robust masculinity.
(http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Theodore_Roosevelt)
Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart - composer
He was a prolific and influential composer of the Classical era. Mozart showed prodigious ability from his earliest childhood. Already competent on keyboard and violin, he composed from the age of five and performed before European royalty. At 17, he was engaged as a court musician in Salzburg, but grew restless and traveled in search of a better position, always composing abundantly.
(http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wolfgang_Amadeus_Mozart)
The Jonas Brothers - musicians, actors
The Jonas Brothers were an American pop rock band. Formed in 2005, they gained popularity from the Disney channel children's television network and consists of three brothers from Wyckoff, New Jersey.
(http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jonas_Brothers)
More of them can be found here.
Home-school or not, the most important thing is our kids learn. Avenues may differ but learning still happens. Next time you decide on educating your kids, think about what you'll both be comfortable with.
Given the information I shared with you above, you may have some initial decision about this dilemma already. So, which is which? I'd love to hear your thoughts about this.