The four issues of "Skole" published in 1995 include articles examining alternatives to public education and the value of free schools. Free schools offer an unstructured curriculum in which comparisons between students are eliminated and students are empowered to be responsible for their learning. Proponents of this approach to…

This manual provides documentation and guidance for users of the public release data file for the School Readiness (SR) component of the 1993 National Household Education Survey (NHES:93). The NHES:93 was a random digit dial telephone survey of households developed by the National Center for Education Statistics and conducted by Westat Inc. For…

This report presents the results of the largest survey and testing program for students in home schools to date. In Spring 1998, 20,760 K-12 home school students in 11,930 families were administered either the Iowa Tests of Basic Skills (ITBS) or the Tests of Achievement and Proficiency (TAP), depending on their current grade. The parents…

To assist parents, educators, and law-makers, this guide presents each state's Compulsory Education Law for Home Schooling situations. Compilation of facts and laws derives from materials collected from the chief state school officer or designated authority. Because many states are updating laws and requirements, the manual is intended as a…

The Capital Area School Development Association, New York, sponsored a school law conference to fulfill a need in the region for school board members and administrators who desire to maintain and improve their knowledge in the area of school law. This document contains the text or outline of the following four presentations: (1) "Preserving…

The eight issues for volume 6 of the "CEC Today," a newsletter exclusively for members of the Council for Exceptional Children, include the following featured articles: (1) "How To Set up a Classroom on a Tight Budget"; (2) "Survival Tips for First-Year Teachers"; (3) Get the Training You Need To Stay Ahead of the…

This resource for parents draws upon research findings and the experience of home schooling parents to answer common questions about home schooling in the United States and Canada. Included is information on home schooling instructional approaches and curricula, record keeping, organizational tools, and practical tips. Chapter 1, "Initial…

This anthology compiles over 90 articles, short pieces, and book reviews originally published in Skole: The Journal of Alternative Education. The entries are arranged in 10 sections: schools and school people, teaching and learning, teaching and learning at home, history of innovative education, student writings, social change and comment, battle…

Discusses the need for public education reform; alternative learning environments that allow for experiential, self-paced learning; home schooling; community change, including microcommunities; and a new role for library media specialists as learning resource generalists, to help children and adults meet information needs. (LRW)

The remarkable spread of home education needs to be considered in light of the arguments driving its growth. While acknowledging that there are many good reasons for individuals to choose home education, this analysis examines some of the most prominent assumptions and claims that advance the practice as a mass movement. Specifically, arguments…

This book provides a comprehensive guide for parents who want to help their children develop an important skill, writing, in a fun and creative way. The book shares with parents successful classroom and workshop teaching methods. It also provides guideline for home schooling parents. The book helps children become less intimidated by the English…

Acknowledging the growing trend to educate school-aged children at home, this book provides a detailed account of home schooling, providing a vision of home education that reflects its multidimensional nature. The book consists of seven chapters: (1) "Learning about Home Schools" describes the research study from which this book is drawn…

A set of concerns related to home education that is infrequently studied, namely, the content and direction of research in education, is examined. Issues surrounding home education have not been given adequate attention. A sample of home education researchers was gathered by compiling a list of authors who had published in the "Home School…

The sharp increase in the number of cases that involve school antidrug policies continued in 1987. Courts continued to support school policies that contain an automatic suspension or expulsion penalty for school drug possession. First Amendment religious cases also continued to increase in number. A new grouping of cases under the heading…

After explaining why more choice among schools is a good idea, this paper provides details and evaluations of state plans for increasing choice in schools, delineates the characteristics of a desirable school choice plan, and advises parents on choosing schools. Current school choice policies in the following states are briefly summarized: Alaska,…