The social context within which home schooling takes place is described, and the ideological frameworks and contexts within which parents (most of them fundamentalist Christians) make schooling decisions are examined. Research involved participant observation and interviews with 16 home schooling families (13 families self-labeled…

This paper, the third in a series, explores some of the implications of compulsory education for public schools, private schools, and home instruction. Based on prior studies and on interviews with 120 education leaders in 15 states, the paper reviews compulsory education policies throughout the nation. It concludes with a recommendation that…

Maintains that the past two decades have seen a remarkable growth in alternative education options, particularly home schooling. Asserts that the parents' religious and moral beliefs are primary reasons for the home schooling movement. Reviews research on home schooling and calls for more relevant lines of inquiry. (CFR)