Public education focuses on the lowest common denominator; cannot meet individual student needs; teaches competition; teaches children to learn for praise, not for the sake of learning; and has a 40 percent failure rate. These factors lead many to choose home schooling, but approaches to home schooling are so varied that a common definition of…

Common elements among unschooled families include an environment conducive to exploration and experimentation, adult models and facilitators of learning, and underlying trust that children will learn. Public education limits its expectations of children to narrow standards of behavior and academic achievement, whereas unschooling allows children…

A mother and daughter describe their family's educational experiences with a K-12 noncoercive free school, Upattinas School and Resource Center (Pennsylvania), and with home schooling and public school. They have learned that people learn best when placed in a supportive environment. Forced learning, as in public school, tends to turn off the…

The education of students is fundamental to shaping a preferred provincial, national and global future. It is also essential in maintaining Alberta's standard of living and ensuring its global competitiveness. The education system must simultaneously prepare the citizens of tomorrow while equipping the students with the knowledge and skills they…

This paper presents findings of a study that examined the relationship between structural conditions and parent proclivity to educate their children at home. The term "structural costs" was used to refer to conditions within the district that could be changed by the district. Data were obtained from a survey sent to the departments of education in…

To provide information about legal decisions on home-based private education programs, court cases decided since 1980 and the courts' analyses of constitutional issues raised during litigation are summarized. The memorandum discusses cases that involved challenges to the constitutionality of state home schooling regulations and are based on: (1)…

This paper describes an ethnographic study of how fundamentalist Christian parents new to home schooling are socialized to norms, beliefs, and values of the Christian home schooling organizations with which they are affiliated. Research involved participant observation and interviews with "home schoolers" and educators over an 18-month…

Dissatisfied with the performance of government-run schools, more and more American families have begun teaching their children at home. Estimates of the number of homeschooled children vary widely; the best estimate is 500,000 to 750,000, but some estimates range up to 1.23 million. All observers agree that the number has grown rapidly over the…

These five issues provide news and support to parents who home school their children. Each issue contains news items and a substantial resource section which provides book evaluations, directory additions, resource lists, resource persons in the fields of law, psychology, and school districts, pen-pals, and advertisements. The February/March 1996…

Uses the home-education policy arena as a lens through which to view changing beliefs and practices about student assessment. The home-education policies of 10 states illustrate issues relating to accountability in public and private schools and the use of standardized tests. (SLD)

Discusses the rise in circulation in the Douglas Public Library District (Colorado) due to expanding educational options. Highlights include the Charter Schools Act, library skills instruction, home-schoolers' use of the library, materials availability, year-round reading programs, Internet benefits, and staffing increases and changes. (AEF)

A description of a day in a 10-student community home school in British Columbia gives insights into the author/teacher's educational philosophy, his views on the role and function of public schools, the role of community and family in education, teacher-student relationships, and how knowledge and information are secondary to instilling an…

Examines the shortcomings of traditional schooling and the promise of learning in nontraditional environments in addressing student needs, teacher's role, and curriculum issues. Notes that the articles in this special issue indicate that a variety of situations and conditions lend themselves to nontraditional educational approaches or methods. (SD)

Grace Llewellyn, author of "The Teenage Liberation Handbook: How To Quit School and Get a Real Life and Education," discusses how her educational experiences as both student and teacher influenced her support of teens liberating themselves from school and "rising out." Llewellyn also discusses innovative learning practices, a camp for teenage…

A mother (Linda) and daughter (Katie) tried a cooperative "unschool," public school, home schooling, private school, and returned to unschooling. Linda feels that public school compromises creativity and freedom too much, but she had trouble letting go of the structure. Katie says unschooling let her enjoy her relationship with her mother, focus…