This primer for state legislators discusses reasons for the current increase in home schooling and describes legislative actions regulating home schooling. In regards to guidelines for making workable laws regarding home schooling, attention is given to: (1) requiring communication between parent and school; (2) establishing minimum standards for…

Education is a fundamental value of the people of Florida, whose state constitution even calls for a "high-quality system of free public schools." But rather than live up to this commitment, the state--led by Governor Jeb Bush and a Republican legislature--has embarked on a series of programs that undermine public education. This report examines…

This document provides an overview of home schooling in the United States that sets the context for a discussion of state regulation of home-schooling parents. The focus is on the nature and variety of statutes and regulations regarding home-schooling. The use of parents as teachers is discussed. Several generalizations concerning major…

This publication is the first in a series of reports that examine policy issues in education. It looks at the four major forms of school choice--charter schools, open enrollment, home schooling, and vouchers--and how they are changing the landscape of public education. School choice is one of the fastest-growing innovations in public education,…

Choosing to homeschool or to educate a child traditionally is often a difficult and confusing decision for parents and guardians. To help them make the best possible choice, this brochure answers basic questions about homeschooling and suggests other useful sources of information. The questions include the following: (1) Do families have a right…

School board members are often faced with situations in which their positions of power and influence present opportunities for inappropriate gain. Sometimes the goals of the district conflict with personal agendas. The feature article of this publication describes how to recognize the situations that have the potential to jeopardize board members'…

Explores aspects of schooling children at home, including legal ramifications, resources available to home schoolers, and outcomes compared to students schooled conventionally. Examines the controversy posed by home schooling for public educators and policymakers. (HTH)

The right of parents to home educate is sometimes described as a "human right." Underlying this "rights claim" is the perception that attempts to restrict home education are both unnecessary and dangerous. "Unnecessary," because home education does not harm children or deprive them of the right to education and…

This paper deals with the way the vision of including children with special educational needs into their home school, constituted for instance in UNESCO's "The Salamanca Statement and Framework on Special Needs Education", has merged with other contemporary discourses (ideas and practices) in Icelandic education. In particular, the paper…

This report, based on a survey of State Directors of Special Education, describes current state policies on home schooling with particular attention to state requirements on home schooling for students with disabilities. Background information notes that home schooling is an exemption from compulsory school attendance and does not include home or…

In this report, the extent and nature of education freedom is estimated for each state, using a new Education Freedom Index (EFI). This analysis shows the remarkable differences in education freedom among the states and attempts to make educational freedom a concept that becomes the subject of policy debate. The EFI is composed of measures of five…

The recent establishment of charter schools in Alberta (Canada) has prompted allegations of a radical change towards privatization by the Progressive Conservative (PC) government. However, policy decisions since the 1970s demonstrate that the PC government has consistently supported private alternatives to public education; charter schools extend…

This paper examines the American tradition of educational freedom, following its ebb and flow at various points in history. America's ethos of educational freedom has always been strong, tied to its values of pluralism, tolerance, and free inquiry. However, its legacy of freedom has suffered repeated assaults by individuals and groups who wish to…

This paper reports on a study that examines legal and policy issues surrounding access to public-school extracurricular activities for home-school students. Chapter 1, "The Problem and Its Background," reviews such relevant issues as the history of choice in America and Illinois, legal foundations, regulatory disparities, research…

This paper studies homeschooling as an alternative form of educational provision in South Africa and USA to determine what knowledge and experiences from research on homeschooling in the USA may be relevant to the South Africa situation. Homeschooling in the USA has a sound legal foundation and has become an acceptable educational alternative.…