The Basics Of Home Schooling: State By State

The Basics Of Home Schooling: State By State by Wade Robins

The rising number of parents choosing home schooling for their children over the past two decades is a reflection of a rising number of reasons causing their dissatisfaction with public schools. Many parents fear for their children’s safety, are concerned that overcrowded classrooms may mean that their children are not getting the individual instruction they need from overworked teachers, and would prefer to instill their own moral or religious convictions in their children as a part of an educational curriculum. So they have turned to home schooling.

The basics of home schooling, however, are something that any parent should understand before deciding to take on the job. While home schooling allows a certain freedom of curriculum, and there are some states, including Missouri, Texas, and Illinois which keep a strictly hands-off policy toward home schooling, many other states require that parents submit a curriculum of the subjects they intend to teach to their school districts.

They may test parents to determine if they qualify as home teachers; and they may send state inspectors to determine if the proper setting for home schooling. Many states also require that parents periodically submit their children’s attendance records, examination scores, and progress reports. They may also stipulate the minimum amount of time you are expected to spend studying each subject.

The basics of home schooling regarding testing and graduation also vary from state to state. There are states which demand that home schooled children either undergo standardized testing or get tested by accredited teachers. The State of California is now encouraging all home schooled children to take the same term-end standard tests that public school children must take.

Homed Schooling Graduation
Some states regard home schools as the equivalent of private schools, and that they have similar graduation requirements. But other states have established no graduation requirements and have left the determination of which students should graduate up to the individual school districts. This policy carries over to home schooled children as well.

There are even states which do not recognize home schooled children who have completed the equivalent of a high school education in any way, but those children can still continue on to college if they perform well in their college entrance exams and have sufficient extra-curricular interests.

The basics of home schooling vary so widely from state to state, in fact, that the first thing you should do if you are considering it for your children is find some home schooling parents in your area and talk to them about their experiences in educating their children within your state’s guidelines.

Home schooling can be the most rewarding activity you and your children ever share, but you should not enter into it without having a very clear idea of the basic home schooling requirements in your state. Once you have accounted for them in your curriculum and lesson plans, you and your kids can tailor your home schooling experience any way you like!

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