Decades of positive results from
homeschool families still haven't stopped their critics from repeating
outdated, debunked myths. Education Secretary John King recently told an audience he worries that most homeschool
students aren't "getting the range of options that are good for all
kids." He went on to state that he is concerned that homeschool
students are not getting the "rapid instructional experience they would
get in school" unless parents are "very intentional about it."
King must not have seen the recent report
by the National Home Education Research Institute showing that homeschool
students outperform their peers by an average of 40 percent on the SAT.
If he had, he probably wouldn't have joined the countless politicians,
bureaucrats, teacher unions, and lobbyists who insist that the government knows
how to educate children better than their own parents. Despite
government's best efforts to drive it out of existence, homeschooling is more
popular than ever as generations of success stories prove the benefits of
tailoring education to a child's needs.
My parents made the bold decision to
homeschool in the early 1990s. Back then, scrutiny from well-meaning but
misinformed officials was the norm. It wasn't uncommon for parents to be
investigated for criminal truancy or even abuse. For years my mother kept
the phone number of a homeschool legal advocacy group taped by the front door in
case a social worker appeared on our doorstep.
But as times changed, homeschooling
exploded in popularity, and bureaucrats had to admit that parents like mine
might actually know what they were doing. Between 1999 and 2012, the
number of homeschoolers in the U. S. more than
doubled to 1.8 million. Homeschoolers began winning
spelling bees, starring in hit Disney Channel shows, and taking home Heisman Trophies and BCS championships.
Meanwhile, homeschool students were
quietly proving we were getting a quality "instructional experience"
even without the traditional classroom. A 2009
study by the Home School Legal Defense Association found that
homeschool students scored around 30 percentile points higher than average on
standardized achievement tests. Seventy-five percent of homeschoolers attend college,
and those who do earn higher grade point averages and graduate at a higher rate than
their peers.
This is really no surprise: homeschool
parents spend extensive one-on-one time teaching their children and can
purchase or adapt curricula to meet their children's specific learning styles.
When my high-energy sister struggled to read, my mom was able to identify
the problem and adjust her approach. Letting my sister pace the room
while tackling Dr. Seuss may not have been feasible in a classroom of 30
students, but the flexibility of homeschooling helped her succeed. This
year, she is completing a master's degree in education.
Despite the stereotype of the socially
awkward misfit, multiple studies have found that homeschool students
are as active and socially adjusted as their peers. In high school, I
played on a volleyball team, sang in a choir, joined a community theater group,
took piano and guitar lessons, interned at a local newspaper, volunteered at
church, worked a part-time job, and took classes with other homeschool
families. If that's not a "full range of options," I don't know
what is.
Homeschooling is not the right option for
every child, but it is the best option for many. Families should be free
to choose the education that will help their child succeed – be it home,
private, public, or charter school – not forced into a one-size-fits-all
system. Instead of casting doubts on their efforts, Secretary King should
champion the hardworking parents who sacrifice daily to ensure that their
children receive the best education possible.
Cody Holt is a homeschool graduate and
works as a field director at Americans for Prosperity Foundation. He and
his wife live in Northern Virginia.
Read more: http://www.americanthinker.com/blog/2016/12/ed_secretary_john_king_homeschooling_deprives_kids.html#ixzz4SApT1yrX
