Education

Study: Home-Schooled Kids Beat Public School Kids in Math, Reading

Study: Home Schooled Kids Beat Public School Kids in Math, Reading

An edge over public school? A new study found structured home-schooled students outperformed their public schooled peers in math and reading. (AP File Photo)

Home-schooled students may have the academic edge over their public schooled peers, according to a new study from the Canadian Journal of Behavioral Science.

The study, which examined the test scores of 74 students ages 5-10, found that kids educated in structured home school environments actually outperformed their public school counterparts in math and reading.

Researchers found that public school kids tested either at or above their grade level, while home-schoolers tested about a half-grade higher in math and 2.2 grades higher in reading.

“Structured home-schooling may offer opportunities for academic performance beyond those typically experienced in public schools,” author Sandra Martin-Chang, a professor at Concordia University, said in a statement about the results.

While public school might help kids develop social skills, the advantages of home-schooling — including smaller class sizes, individualized attention and more time spent on core subjects — can accelerate the learning process, Martin-Chang said.

The test score differences remained even after researchers controlled for income levels, the mother’s education, employment and marital status.

Still, home-schooling didn’t beat public schooling across the board: The study included 12 students educated in unstructured home-school environments — known as “unschooling,” which uses no teachers, textbooks or tests — who scored between one and four grade levels below the public school and structured home school groups.

As the Associated Press reported in August, “there’s no fixed curriculum, course schedule or attempt to mimic traditional classrooms” with unschooling, and parents serve as “facilitators,” with materials and other resources, rather than top-down “teachers.”

Department of Education statistics show an estimated 1.5 million U.S. students – 2.9 percent of the school-age population – were home-schooled in spring 2007, up from 1.1 million four years earlier. According to the AP, the number of home-schooled students in the U.S. could now be up to 2 million.

Comments (159)

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  • CommonSenseChris
    Posted on September 15, 2011 at 6:50pm

    MisterHomebiz said:
    “Thanks, DRBAGE. My chldren were active participants in Scouting, as well as various community sports teams. The key to success in homeschooling is parental involvement. It takes time, effort, and discipline to make it work. Parents who cannot commit to spending time with their children should not attempt homeschooling.”

    People who cannot commit to spending time with thier children… Should not have children!!!!!!! LoL!!
    My wife and I have two daughters in public school. We work with them on homework and help them study for tests, both are A students. The key I think is parents involved. I think homeschooling is great if you can do it. If not then be envolved in their life. But you must pay attention too. My oldest (12yrs) came home with a social studies book, guess what they are studying? Climate change!!!!!
    In the book!!!!! Yeah we gave her the side of that subject she wouldn’t hear in school. Come to find out, her teacher doesn’t believe in it either…. They are out there folks, people with common sense. We just have to keep the faith………….

    Report Post » CommonSenseChris  
    • black9897
      Posted on September 15, 2011 at 7:10pm

      I was home schooled from age of 1 to 8th grade. Then I went to a private Christian school in 9th through 12th. Enjoyed both. Very glad I did not go to a public school. Oh, and I’ve always sucked at math.

      Report Post » black9897  
    • robert
      Posted on September 15, 2011 at 8:35pm

      “The study, which examined the test scores of 74 students ages 5-10, found that kids educated in structured home school environments actually outperformed their public school counterparts in math and reading.”

      They needed a study to know what everybody else knows? Too, they never mentioned it, but the vast majority of these kids are white…and Christian.

      I’ll lay 10 to one odds that the gap between the home schooled kids on the high school level and public school is even greater.

      Besides being better prepared academically and more knowledgeable, home-schooled kids grow up free from intimidation or being made to feel guilty because they’re white, nor do they have to worry about being discriminated against because they’re white

      Report Post »  
    • Libertyluvnmomma
      Posted on September 15, 2011 at 10:38pm

      “While public school might help kids develop social skills, the advantages of home-schooling — including smaller class sizes, individualized attention and more time spent on core subjects — can accelerate the learning process, Martin-Chang said”

      Social skills?? Like swearing and sex. Age segregated socialization is artificial. It exists nowhere else in nature- God’s creation- except for church where ‘sunday school’ modeled after public schools is endorsed. Bringing the world in God’s house- Funny huh?

      Report Post » Libertyluvnmomma  
    • GETLIFE
      Posted on September 16, 2011 at 3:40am

      “The study included 12 students educated in unstructured home-school environments — known as “unschooling,” which uses no teachers, textbooks or tests — who scored between one and four grade levels below the public school and structured home school groups.”

      Well DUH! Give a structured school test to kids who never take them…. Why did they even go through the motions? Did they have the “schooled” kids perform tasks which might show broad common knowledge spanning several grade levels to see how they would do compared to the “unschooled kids?“ Did they ask the ”unschooling” parents about what kinds of things their children are learning, so they could evaluate the “schooled” kids’ knowledge in those areas?

      We have been homeschooling (not “unschooling”) for several years. I am keenly aware of my children’s education– its content, but more importantly, how they have been taught to LEARN. Sometimes, when a child is struggling with a subject, it suffices to put that subject aside, let the child get ahead in another subject he is enjoying at the moment, thus gaining some confidence. When– for whatever reason– he is ready to get back to the “difficult” subject, he is able to speed through it. It has become “easy.” I have seen this time and time again. Being “behind” school children according to standard school grade levels is not an indication of how a child’s knowledge will compare with his “schooled” peers down the road.

      Report Post » GETLIFE  
    • obfuscatenot
      Posted on September 16, 2011 at 7:07am

      “While public school might help kids develop social skills……..”

      What are the desired social skills? Standing in a line? How many years does it take to teach that? How about sitting quietly listening to a speaker? How many years? Treating others kindly? The social skills mantra is a false one and kids with the propensity for problems become MORE troubled and unruly in large peer situations.
      Love is a better teacher than duty- Einstein.

      Report Post »  
    • JRook
      Posted on September 16, 2011 at 10:12am

      As my father would say statistics don’t lie, liars use statistics. No indication that the subjects in the study were chosen randomly, a sub-population of 12 seems inadequate to drawn differences from. No mention in the report what other areas they did not beat the other students in. Poor study, poor representation.

      Report Post »  
    • Git-R-Done
      Posted on September 16, 2011 at 10:56pm

      Amen to that.

      Report Post »  
  • chipmunk
    Posted on September 15, 2011 at 6:50pm

    I confess, didn’t read any of this YET, but spied while scrolling down a quick mention of more teachers being needed. What? Well, if the public schools can lower the ratio of pupils to teachers within their existing budgets, that would be great. I don’t know if they need to do that or what the best ratio would be, but I know they spend $8-15K per student on average for public school education & that’s enough money to provide a good education.

    What about the private schools that spend less money per student than an average public education, have comparable student/teacher ratios (20-35 kids/class), & also exceed the results of their competing public schools?

    The liberals will now start saying that these stats are not true. Well they are. And should I start naming all the well known & well off liberals who choose to send their own children to a private vs. a public school.

    And I’m not comparing the $9K cost/kid public school vs. the $25K elite private school.

    No, apples to apples. Not that there aren’t many excellent PS districts, but $ for $, the private schools spend their money better & get better results.

    I don’t think any of this is the fault of PS teachers, but the system. And I‘m sorry but I more money won’t fix a broken system. Waiting For Superman, anyone?

    FYI that I am a big proponent of vouchers & the like, & believe EVERY parent should have a voucher to put towards their children’s education at ANY school.

    Report Post »  
    • smithclar3nc3
      Posted on September 16, 2011 at 8:02am

      It actually sounds like more kids need to be home schooled not more teachers being needed. My dad taught me more about math between 3 and 5 than the school did between 6 and 10.
      And as for social skills the kids in schools have none, they seperate in their various cliks and pick on the weak…..That’s social skills?
      So basicly the schools teach kids to only hang out with people that think and act like they do and to attack the weak who are different.

      Report Post »  
  • amanfrafo
    Posted on September 15, 2011 at 6:49pm

    It’s all in the environment. We surrounded our 10 yr old girl with thousands of books of all kinds, after buying the local high school library for $5 at an auction and eliminating BS bobblehead distractions like the internet and TV. She taught herself to read. We teach her to write and she has a column in our local weekly newspaper. We teach her math. I think that sums it up there are only three Rs. She’s on her way to be anything she wants. I should say also that she went to part of 3rd grade at a small 3 to 8 Catholic school. She was the youngest in the school, but won the spelling bee, tested out in everything at 10th grade averages, but got bored on trivial homework and fat on crappy school food. Organized school sucks…too much herding and waiting for others. She socializes plenty at community events and has lots of friends. It’s really all in the reading and parental guidance. She gets her sports playing outside, bike riding, and running in a community cross country club.

    Report Post »  
  • cranberry
    Posted on September 15, 2011 at 6:28pm

    Please tell me we taxpayers did not pay for this so-called study…it’s very simple. Home schooled
    kids get more individual attention from mom and dad and they are in a comfortable home environment where they can absorb what they hear. No bullying, distractions, non-caring teachers, chaos.

    Report Post » cranberry  
    • sister1_rm
      Posted on September 15, 2011 at 9:30pm

      No dumbed down socialist agenda either.

      Report Post » sister1_rm  
    • Le Sellers
      Posted on September 16, 2011 at 9:21am

      Not sure who paid for it, but the study was done by Canadians, not USmericans.

      From the linked we site:

      The impact of schooling on academic achievement: Evidence from homeschooled and traditionally schooled students.
      Martin-Chang, Sandra; Gould, Odette N.; Meuse, Reanne E.
      Canadian Journal of Behavioural Science/Revue canadienne des sciences du comportement, Vol 43(3), Jul 2011, 195-202. doi: 10.1037/a0022697

      Abstract
      Although homeschooling is growing in prevalence, its educational outcomes remain unclear. The present study compared the academic achievements of homeschooled children with children attending traditional public school. When the homeschooled group was divided into those who were taught from organized lesson plans (structured homeschoolers) and those who were not (unstructured homeschoolers), the data showed that structured homeschooled children achieved higher standardized scores compared with children attending public school. Exploratory analyses also suggest that the unstructured homeschoolers are achieving the lowest standardized scores across the 3 groups. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2011 APA, all rights reserved)

      The “remains unclear” clause is pure poppycock. Many studies done in USmerica have shown the educational outcome is manifestly better for those family-centered educated children.

      Please don’t start the “socialization” mantra, either! Pure garbage.

      Report Post » Le Sellers  
    • 1POV
      Posted on September 17, 2011 at 2:36am

      One thing the study (or article) neglected to state, was that even though home schooled children excel their public school counterparts, the U.S. still ranks 14th in education around the world.

      Report Post »  
  • LetThereBeLight
    Posted on September 15, 2011 at 6:18pm

    Shocked?… NO…

    Report Post » LetThereBeLight  
  • noline
    Posted on September 15, 2011 at 6:18pm

    Well thank you Capt Obvious

    Report Post »  
  • homekeeper
    Posted on September 15, 2011 at 6:15pm

    I’ve been homeschooling for 3 years now and my child is over 2 grade levels ahead in reading, so these results are no surprise!

    Report Post »  
  • olddog
    Posted on September 15, 2011 at 6:10pm

    How many of you old guys remember the paddle and Sister Mary Elephant. They gave the phrase, Beat Some Sence Into You, new meaning. No harm done, I can sit down Now..

    Report Post » olddog  
  • TomFerrari
    Posted on September 15, 2011 at 6:04pm

    Who would like to work with me to develop an entirely new home-school curriculum, based on interactive software, internet, and video?

    Seriously!!!

    Report Post » TomFerrari  
    • chipmunk
      Posted on September 15, 2011 at 6:51pm

      Do you homeschool already Tom?

      Report Post »  
    • Azreal
      Posted on September 15, 2011 at 7:41pm

      Im interested.

      Report Post » Azreal  
    • Hekatonkhires
      Posted on September 15, 2011 at 8:34pm

      I am interested.. see Khan academy.. awesome..

      Report Post »  
    • sister1_rm
      Posted on September 15, 2011 at 9:46pm

      I’m working on structured pre-school agenda now with my three-year-old (he’s my oldest and there-for the guinea pig), but I’m also keeping an eye out for Kindergarten and up ideas.

      My favorite free math resource so far is Kahn Academy
      http://www.khanacademy.org/

      Anybody have some good free resources. I’m not buying anything until I know what exactly he needs academically and what his favored learning style is.

      Report Post » sister1_rm  
    • TomFerrari
      Posted on September 16, 2011 at 10:15am

      What I want to know is,
      Since we have recessions every so many years, naturally, even without all the
      manipulated markets we have today with housing bubbles, and dotcom bubbles, etc.,
      …
      What are we going to do when we have borrowed from the future SO MUCH, that our children are taxed to their absolute limits, then, the next bubble comes along? This “pump priming” by borrowing from the future, and by PRINTING FUNNY MONEY, WILL prohibit their ability to recover… EVER !

      @chipmunk – no, I don’t have any school-aged children.
      @azreal – I need to find out how we can contact each other offline without giving out our contact info online.
      @hekatonkhires – I need to find out how we can contact each other offline without giving out our contact info online. I’ll look at Khan today.
      @Sister1_rm – sounds like you agree! I’ll look at Khan today.

      To all others – Let’s find a way to contact offline without giving our our info to all.

      Report Post » TomFerrari  
    • TomFerrari
      Posted on September 16, 2011 at 11:12am

      oops – first half of last reply was not meant to be posted – i edited in notepad, then copy pasted – these were other notes I had been working on.

      Report Post » TomFerrari  
    • TomFerrari
      Posted on September 16, 2011 at 12:03pm

      Perhaps twitter would work for communicating?
      I use my real name everywhere. Whether theblaze.com, or on twitter.
      As Katharine Hepburn’s character said, in ‘Rooster Cogburn,’
      “I wear God’s armor. I do not fear what man can do to me.”

      Report Post » TomFerrari  
    • safirah
      Posted on December 30, 2011 at 12:04am

      I would!!!! I’m working on my masters in educational technology leadership.

      -safirahibenana1@gmail.com

      Report Post »  
  • RA0725
    Posted on September 15, 2011 at 5:54pm

    The people responsible for “educating” these kids must have gotten together and changed test scores to make the district look better………….oh wait, that was the public schools that did that.

    Report Post »  
    • Bluebonnet
      Posted on September 15, 2011 at 6:51pm

      Quite sure many districts all over the country pull this corruption, so they can get more money. For years our country has thrown money at school districts “for the Children’s sake” and kids keep getting dumbed down as each year passes with UNION teachers who are more interested in the money and getting out to protest every little thing, & teach our kids liberal crap. They don’t teach REAL history anymore. It’s been watered down, all the things we should never forget.\

      It’s understandable why home schooled & private school and charter schools have it all over any
      government run school. Administration is overloaded and overpaid, teachers can’t be fired no matter how bad they are, DUH? Then we wonder why they can‘t or won’t learn anything.

      Our Prez thinks it’s because of old schools,, pleeze! Most of the sharpest people are the ones who grew up going to one room school. So, this theory holds NO water. Sure, new schools are nice but I haven’t seen it make kids smarter. Right in my town I can attest to that. The more taxes we spend for new schools and upgrading schools makes absolutely no difference in their education. WE NEED
      GOOD TEACHERS AND LESS ADMINISTRATION. GEEZE, it’s a no brainer. Money doesn’t help!

      Report Post »  
  • nelsongk01
    Posted on September 15, 2011 at 5:48pm

    Its true that in this very small sample (N=74), that the structured home schooled children performed better than traditional school, but its also important to note that the unstructured environment performed much worse (again small sample size). My experience is that parents have a difficult time sticking to a curriculum let alone actually preparing a curriculum. I am in favor of traditional education with a set curriculum and actually parenting when your kids get home from school, making sure they are doing well in their studies. There are plenty of good schools and good teachers, if you do your research prior to enrolling your children.

    Report Post »  
    • TomFerrari
      Posted on September 15, 2011 at 6:00pm

      The home schooling parents whom I know, use a curriculum they purchased, or joined an organization that provided one. Please don’t make such generalizations without facts.

      Report Post » TomFerrari  
    • faithkills
      Posted on September 15, 2011 at 6:09pm

      I’m in favor of letting parents decide. Put another way, who cares what you favor?

      It’s hardly surprising that children of parents who care enough to take them out of indoctrination camps fare better than the ones left in.

      Report Post » faithkills  
    • bikerr
      Posted on September 15, 2011 at 6:17pm

      @nelsongk01—– I did my “research”(well actually I read the article). …..You posted…I am in favor of traditional education with a set curriculum and actually parenting when your kids get home from school, making sure they are doing well in their studies…..I say Parenting is a 24/7 job.To make the assumption that the parents should release that duty while their children are at school is exactly why Home schoolers home school. Teachers should be teaching and not filling the kids heads full of anti family values,it’s people who home school who are actually walking their talk.I’ve home schooled three wonderful kids who now are a contributing part of this world. You can’t be serious in saying that structured study is the best.Well maybe you are but,I really love the bumper sticker that says“my home schooler can whip your public taught in any area”

      Report Post »  
    • godlovinmom
      Posted on September 15, 2011 at 6:32pm

      Nelson, you are right there are alot of good teachers…but you are wrong about parents following a curriculum…I use the K12 public/homeschool curriculum, not only is it a good program, it is excepted by our school, and a parent can EASILY teach their child as long as they can devote 3 to 4 hours a day, five days a week. I am by no-means a rocket scientist, and I’m doing it. Another thing I like about K-12 is that the state provides all your materials, because lets be honest, another factor why some parents don’t homeschool, is the cost. We pay taxes to educate our children, so if we decide to homeschool, we should have the materials to do so, or just give me my taxes back. That way when you come acorss their biased opinions, you can tell your child what you believe about that. I love that part! Having said that, when my older children did attend public school, I never had a problem with any teacher, but that was a few years ago.

      Report Post » godlovinmom  
    • Uncurable wound
      Posted on September 15, 2011 at 6:37pm

      Are you a teacher,related to one?
      This country has had enough brainwash education,weve created enough fools…
      The worst part is our tax dollars pay for the RE-education
      DOE should DIE!

      Report Post »  
    • trolltrainer
      Posted on September 15, 2011 at 7:46pm

      “My experience is that parents have a difficult time sticking to a curriculum let alone actually preparing a curriculum.”

      What experience? We belong to a homeschooling association in our county and trade books and such back and forth. It is MY experience that 90% of homeschoolers do use a curriculum of some kind. Admittedly many are pieced together from different programs; Saxon math, Sunshine reading, Abeka English…But this is the beauty of the thing you tailor the curriculum to what you and your child needs. In our case we use straight BJU right out of the box. We do the DVDs and the parent’s role is more of an administrator than a teacher. We also supplement with a morning Bible study and the lesson from J. Vernon mcGee. We then watch a history/science type DVD. We just finished the Moody Science series and while they are dated they are still relevant and very awesome. We are now working through a Hist. Channel Civil War set.

      My 6 and 1/2 year old daughter is doing 2nd grade work with 4th grade math! That’s right, 4th grade math at 6 years old. My 10 year old is half way through 6th grade with 7th grade math and placed at 9th grade 3rd month on his last Iowa Standardized Test. His reading level is college.

      These kids are not special, they are not geniuses. They have simply been allowed to work at their natural level and not a dumbed down public school pace. They are normal kids.

      Report Post »  
    • urbanmonk
      Posted on September 15, 2011 at 8:53pm

      My Wife and I home schooled our three kids from start to finish. They all graduated a year earlier than their peers in public school, tested remarkably well on their final SAT’s and have gone on to collage and university.
      Homeschooling is superior to a one size fits all public system in many ways.

      Report Post » urbanmonk  
    • urbanmonk
      Posted on September 15, 2011 at 9:03pm

      One more thing…. people who say home schooled kids lack social skills have obviously not met home schooled kids. On average they are well adjusted, confident people who can interact with ease with children of all ages as well as adults

      Report Post » urbanmonk  
    • chipmunk
      Posted on September 21, 2011 at 2:47am

      I’m just noticing how many of the parents of traditionally educated kids have their ‘panties in a bunch’ so to speak over this topic. Of course not all parents are available nor up to the task of home schooling. Everyone does the best they can do, & that’s the best they can do. It is what it is.

      There are plenty of wonderful PS districts. Hey our tax dollars are paying for them already! Of course there are fantastic top notch private schools. And parents make all the difference. Parental follow up & guidance to a public or private education helps children excel so much further. Lastly, there have to be some home schooling parents that are just doing an awful job.

      But all that said, the home schooled kids I know (& they are NOT my children) could whip all your a$$es combined. They put both their public & private school peers to shame.

      I’m just calling it like I see it.

      Report Post »  
  • Rickfromillinois
    Posted on September 15, 2011 at 5:45pm

    So according to the teacher’s unions the advantage of sending your kids to public schools is their socialization? That’s it? So they aren’t teachers, they are social directors. Sorry, but I think that given the choice between having kids that are educated, or having kids who are socialized according to the teacher’s unions, I will go with educated. No wonder the public school system is such a failure.

    Report Post » Rickfromillinois  
  • bigbadwolf
    Posted on September 15, 2011 at 5:33pm

    Define socialized. Both my boys were home schooled-they were NOT raised in a cage. My older boy is in college, has a black belt, and 2 silver certificates from the White House for his volunteer work. My younger son will graduate a year and a half early with over a 1000 (yes thousand) hours of volunteer work.

    Report Post »  
    • MisterHomebiz
      Posted on September 15, 2011 at 5:46pm

      That is exactly my point, Wolfman. I get so sick of hearing the “socialization” argument. As parents we can find and facilitate participation in the social events we want our children to be exposed to.

      Report Post » MisterHomebiz  
    • Bluebonnet
      Posted on September 15, 2011 at 7:59pm

      I agree with you. Being socialized at a school might not always be the best for all kids. I’ve seen
      so many kids picking on kids and no one does anything about it. I can remember all the popular kids cut everyone else out of their socialization. Course, that was at a rich kids school and they cared more about what your wore, wanting to see the labels, than they cared about you as a person. That didn’t bother me, because I was kinda outgoing, but my sister always craved making friends with some of these snooty gals who only had time for their own peer group.
      You can socialize better being in Boy Scouts, dance school, church etc, than go to public school.

      Report Post »  
    • Brooke Lorren
      Posted on September 16, 2011 at 7:50pm

      I agree. My daughter is a level 3 gymnast and averages about 5 1/2 hours a week at the gym, while my 4 1/2 year old son spends 3 1/2 hours a week at the gym. They go to my gym a couple hours a week and spend time there at the Kids’ Club; then there’s church three times a week, time with our homeschool groups, and time spent with friends.

      My kids are only 50% white, my husband is a student, and my annual income is in the four figures; so we blow the stereotype of homeschooling being the domain of rich white kids out of the water. We may be rich someday, but my kids will still not be lily white.

      Report Post »  
  • Lone Ranger
    Posted on September 15, 2011 at 5:27pm

    When a mom can educate her kids around the kitchen table better than a public school teacher can, you know our school system is broken. As for the “unschoolers,” when are those hippies just going to shrivel up and blow away?

    Report Post » Lone Ranger  
    • unschooling
      Posted on September 27, 2011 at 1:17pm

      We will not be “blowing away” any time soon. There are more of us every year. My 12-year-old unschooling son sits at the kitchen table only for family meals, but he often uses his own desk to make his way through his current math book–high school algebra–or to draw. He doesn’t have to take tests (which really only teach you how to take tests) so he is free to learn beyond a curriculum. His current self-chosen interests are WWII and computer science. Currently, he is taking classes in fencing, art history, studio art, and theater. He belongs to an anime club, sits on a library advisory board, enjoys a writing club, is active with another library’s teen activities, and plays Dagorhir.

      I’d say that my husband and I are more nerd than hippy. We both have master’s degrees and combined undergrad degrees in math, environmental science, and English. We could easily buy into the curriculum scene and force our son to “school” at home, but have seen that he has become the smart, kind, funny, curious kid that he is through our “letting him” unschool. That isn’t to say that unschooling is for every child or that one needs to unschool every aspect of an education. I know eclectic homeschoolers who use a curriculum for one or two things or create their own studies and then unschool the rest.

      Too bad that “studies” like this are pitting the may varieties of homeschool experience against each other and creating a “hippy” image of unschooling.

      Report Post » unschooling  
  • TRONINTHEMORNING
    Posted on September 15, 2011 at 5:20pm

    I don’t understand your point, SPARKY101? I admit I went to public school. {:

    Report Post »  
    • Sparky101
      Posted on September 15, 2011 at 5:26pm

      What point, the post seems to have been deleted.

      Report Post »  
  • godlovinmom
    Posted on September 15, 2011 at 5:19pm

    I KNOW this is true…I homeschool….when my daughter has her friends stay over, that are a grade ahead of her in public school, she definetly knows math better! She is socially more apt than they are also. Alot of homeschooling critics say that homeschooled kids don’t get the social skills. From my observation, homeschooled kids are more respectful, less likely to try drugs and don’t dress like tramps and or gang members.

    Report Post » godlovinmom  
    • Sparky101
      Posted on September 15, 2011 at 5:31pm

      I think you’ve also noticed that after school lets out, a bunch of public school students come over to your house to “hang out” til dinner time. They seem to be attacted to the comfortable environment; to sort of relax after spending over 6 hours being chastized and demoralized.

      Report Post »  
    • godlovinmom
      Posted on September 15, 2011 at 5:41pm

      Are you spying on my house, cuz that’s exactly what happens!

      Report Post » godlovinmom  
  • Coyote6
    Posted on September 15, 2011 at 5:13pm

    What?!! Homeschoolers are smarter than public school students? Who knew?! Oh my!

    Report Post » Coyote6  
    • AvengerK
      Posted on September 15, 2011 at 5:41pm

      gosh…what a shock!

      Report Post »  
    • CatB
      Posted on September 15, 2011 at 5:43pm

      Not “smarter” .. better educated … thank you public school union teachers … You are doing a heck of a job ..

      Report Post »  
  • MisterHomebiz
    Posted on September 15, 2011 at 5:13pm

    Like every rebuke of homeschooling I have ever heard, this article makes the point to tell us that homeschooled kids do not get socialized. I homeschooled my four children and they have adapted well to interacting with their community and peers. During their formative years I was in complete control of who they associated with, and what values they were exposed to. Besides, what kind of “socialization” are we talking about in the public school environment? Let’s see… liberalism, transgender studies, drugs, gangs…

    Report Post » MisterHomebiz  
    • drbage
      Posted on September 15, 2011 at 5:21pm

      To say nothing of the type of history home schooled children are taught. The whole “socialization” meme that the unions have been emphasizing might be correct if the children were held hostage in the home and never allowed to socialize with other children in the neighborhood; otherwise, it is another little fib which the fawning lapdog media would never fact check.

      Report Post »  
    • MisterHomebiz
      Posted on September 15, 2011 at 5:31pm

      Thanks, DRBAGE. My chldren were active participants in Scouting, as well as various community sports teams. The key to success in homeschooling is parental involvement. It takes time, effort, and discipline to make it work. Parents who cannot commit to spending time with their children should not attempt homeschooling.

      Report Post » MisterHomebiz  
    • godlovinmom
      Posted on September 15, 2011 at 5:35pm

      Dr. Bage, you got that right. I homeschool, but I use the public school curriculum, and it is biased to the hilt. History mostly consists of the big bad white man, when they talk about the indians and slavery. They DO NOT mention how white men and women of America fought for the rights of ALL peoples, with our nation’s founding. As in the 3/5th clause. I had to explain that to my daughter, because of course the history book did not delve into that. Also, literature consist of middle eastern stories, like Alladin, king Abdulla, etc and “really” stresses how good muslims are. As I said, very BIASED!

      Report Post » godlovinmom  
    • trolltrainer
      Posted on September 15, 2011 at 5:39pm

      My homeschooled kids are comfortable associating with complete strangers and will most often take the lead when we go to regional AWANA games and other activities. They are also comfortable (at grade school age) relating with adults. They are much more mature than their ages and often ask us why the other kids act like such dorks.

      There are studies that suggest homeschooled kids are actually better adjusted in social settings. It is just a talking point because there is nothing else to criticize homeschooling about.

      Report Post »  
    • Bluebonnet
      Posted on September 15, 2011 at 6:55pm

      TROLLTRAINER, You hit the nail on the head. Socialist type teachers are not good for our youth. We need the old school of 3 R’s and good history books with the truth of our history. If we don’t understand our history, we will repeat it. I well remember the last 3 years and don’t want to repeat it for sure.

      Report Post »  
  • SolidusRaccoon
    Posted on September 15, 2011 at 5:12pm

    We all knew this. So now the attacks are not on education, but “socialization” Claiming that home school children are lacking social skills that only public schools can provide Making it sound like home schooled kids are locked in the basement all and never exposed to other kids.

    Report Post » SolidusRaccoon  
    • Sparky101
      Posted on September 15, 2011 at 5:25pm

      Think of your school years, and the social skills you learned, like how to hide from bullies, how to shower with 20 other guys, what to do for food after you’d been robbed of your lunch money, how not to look in the direction of the girl exposing her privates in her seat, how to shoot spitwads, how to stick paper matches on the ceilings, how to move a seat on a tile floor to generate a 1 inch spark at the ear of the person in front of you, how to field taunts of other students because your grades were high without causing a fight, how to get a seat on the bus that wasn’t “reserved,” how to communicate with people who couldn’t string 4 words together, let alone complete a sentence. I could go on, but I recall that it was so wonderful to graduate and leave. No social skill I learned in high school has been functional in my adult life, as that was such an artificial time of life.

      Report Post »  
    • republapig
      Posted on September 15, 2011 at 6:05pm

      @sparky
      I guess we went to the same schools.
      Wait, you mean ALL public schools are like that?
      Good job NEA

      Report Post » republapig  
  • vastrightwinger
    Posted on September 15, 2011 at 5:12pm

    Many of those public school honor roll students are going to be my HOME SCHOOLED child’s employees some day

    Report Post » vastrightwinger  
  • ROB RAGE
    Posted on September 15, 2011 at 5:04pm

    No surprise here….There are Too many Public schools and ran by Leftists who’s priority is Indoctrination not Objective education..Obama and Michelle said they want to make revisionist History a mandate that suites their Sal Alinsky..Rules for Radicals ..agenda…which is more like Cuba…than America….Here on the Left coast…the California Teachers Union..headed by Marxists…tried to pass a Bill that would allow open Communists to teach in our Public schools….Arnold veteod it…!

    Report Post » ROB RAGE  
    • encinom
      Posted on September 15, 2011 at 5:14pm

      the study is evidnece for more public school teachers not less. It is clear from the results that students perform better is smaller class sizes. Of course the GOP hatch has attempted to cut school budgets and fire teachers has only lead to an increase in class sizes. The article also doesn’t say how many of the home schooled children recieve lessons from trained professional vs. strictly parents.

      Report Post »  
    • Mr-T
      Posted on September 15, 2011 at 5:14pm

      And the best part is Homeschoolers cost the government nothing. :D

      Report Post »  
    • MODEL82A1
      Posted on September 15, 2011 at 6:05pm

      ENCIDIOT, no surprise that you would draw the Bass Ackward conclusion from something so obvious. It’s the defining characteristic of the Left.

      Report Post » MODEL82A1  
    • encinom
      Posted on September 15, 2011 at 6:12pm

      Mr-T
      Posted on September 15, 2011 at 5:14pm
      And the best part is Homeschoolers cost the government nothing. :D
      ________________________________________________
      You have summed up the problem with the Tea Party, everything for you is about dollars. You are nothing more than a collection of greedy, angery, bigots, brain washed to protect the wallets of your rich masters.

      Report Post »  
  • TRONINTHEMORNING
    Posted on September 15, 2011 at 5:00pm

    My kids are in public school and are both in AP classes. We, as parents; do our part teaching them as well. Indeed, there are some crappy public schools out there, but not the one in which we are involved.

    Report Post »  
    • broker0101
      Posted on September 15, 2011 at 5:01pm

      I have no doubt that is all true. Prepare to be challenged and insulted here, though. I got your back.

      Report Post » broker0101  
    • Chuck Stein
      Posted on September 15, 2011 at 5:12pm

      Same here, but the local school district is bat-scat crazy. Almost literally — a couple of years ago, the district’s website had a link to an article by a guy in California (“Meyer” as I recall) asserting that our Savior was “one of the few historical vampires.” Parents who noticed it put the word out and the district defended (would not name) the employee who made the link. In case you think the school district is in Massachusetts or New York, think again — try Utah!

      The school district says it is all for “transparency” — but it is more like “trans” “parents” “see” (beyond the view of parents).

      Report Post »  
    • Sparky101
      Posted on September 15, 2011 at 5:17pm

      Broker always has people’s back side in view.

      Report Post »  
    • trolltrainer
      Posted on September 15, 2011 at 5:33pm

      The advantage homeschooled kids have is the individual attention and the ability to work at their own speed. They do not have 30 other kids either slowing them down or pushing them too fast.

      Report Post »  
  • Libby Tarian
    Posted on September 15, 2011 at 4:59pm

    Who did not know this?

    Report Post » Libby Tarian  
  • Chuck Stein
    Posted on September 15, 2011 at 4:59pm

    You get what you pay for! errm . . . never mind

    Report Post »  
  • broker0101
    Posted on September 15, 2011 at 4:57pm

    And to think that most of their parents do not possess government-approved, up to date “Teaching Certificates”. Never has such a lowly occupation (public school teacher) demanded so much unearned respect and compensation. Thanks a lot NEA.

    Report Post » broker0101  
    • randy
      Posted on September 15, 2011 at 5:05pm

      AMEN Broker!

      Report Post » randy  
    • ALibertarianCitizen
      Posted on September 15, 2011 at 6:35pm

      It’s actually quite sad the difference of the two. When I was in public school and had teachers teach me it took 180 days to do my work. I’m homeschooled now and finished my entire American history in less than a week. I actually decided to do my Junior and Senior studies in one year and concluded I would have them done before Christmas. The public school system is a joke and I’m glad to have left it.

      Report Post » ALibertarianCitizen  
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