Arkansas law requires that each student aged 7 through 16 years in a home school program be tested annually using a nationally recognized standardized test chosen by the students' parents from a list of tests approved by the state. Achievement for home schooled and public schooled students in Arkansas was compared for grades 4, 7, and 10 using 6…

There are parents and students who are to be won or lost depending on which sector--public or private--answers their calls for programs to match their learning styles and desire for rigor, vitality, and variety. This report examines where choice has evolved from, what it offers parents and students, and how its disappearance could affect this…

The purpose of this policy report is to bring coherence to discussions about school reform and to encourage policymakers to use a consistent metric when judging whether reform proposals are serving the needs of children and the nation. The current confusion and policy debates over what is a public school--brought about by recent educational…

In these times of reforming public education, considerable debate is being given to alternative schooling options. Many policymakers view school choice as a means of increasing parental influence of educational services and of reducing the control of government, professional administrators, and educators. These alternative schooling options have…

This article presents an overview of online learning, particularly for elementary- and secondary-school students. Online learning has much to offer certain students under the right circumstances. However, questions remain about policies regarding online learning and the suitability of the approach for younger students. (Contains 6 online…

Results of a longitudinal ethnographic study of Utah home schools reveals that past school experiences figure largely in present home school rationales and practices. Public school administrators need to acknowledge the effects of the past experiences of home schoolers, dispel their fears, and treat them as partners in the education process. (BJV)

Recognizing that parents have a great range of options in choosing and creating an education for their child, this book is designed to help parents make an informed, conscious choice about their child's schooling. Chapters in the first part of the guide provide an overview of American education, the mainstream public sector and alternative…

These six bimonthly issues focus on home schooling, providing parents in the United States and other nations with ideas, activities, research, and resources to teach their children at home. Each issue contains short news items and reports on home schooling, letters from parents, letter on the challenges and concerns of home schooling, a focus…

During the 1980s and 1990s, state legislatures became significantly involved in developing policy that determined how and where students should be offered their K-12 education. These legislative acts have occurred most notably in the passage of revision of policy dealing with public school finance, charter schools, home schools, choice enrollment,…

Home school families in Washington were surveyed, and achievement test scores were analyzed to determine the following: (1) characteristics of home school families; (2) previous schooling and reasons for home schooling; and (3) effects of selected variables on student outcomes. (BJV)

Public libraries have a responsibility toward all of their patrons, including home schoolers. "Home schooling" describes the situation where parents or guardians choose not to send their children to public or private schools, but instead educate their children themselves. Libraries are very important to home schoolers because, in most…

The Higher Order Techno Thinking (HOTT) Program was developed by a group of graduate students, who were experienced teachers, at the University of New Mexico. The objective was to develop an environment in which independent research, curriculum integration, multicultural awareness, and technology application could be integrated into a general or…

These six periodical issues are designed to assist adults in home schooling children and adolescents. Issue 103 focuses on friendships between homeschoolers and school students, writing clubs, separating school and state, folk dancing groups, home schooling with foster and adopted children, and science activities. Issue 104 concentrates on how…

This document is comprised of the six bimonthly issues published during 1998 of a newsletter-like periodical focusing on home schooling and providing parents in the United States and other nations with ideas, activities, research summaries, and resources to teach their children at home. Each issue contains short news items and reports on home…

This document, comprised of six bimonthly issues of a newsletter, focuses on home schooling and providing parents in the United States and other nations with ideas, activities, research summaries, and resources to teach their children at home. Each issue contains short news items and reports on home schooling, letters from parents, information on…