Parents, educators weigh pros, cons of homeschooling
Like many parents across the nation, every morning Teri Miles of Mendon, Utah, makes sure her five children are up and ready for school. What separates the Miles children from the majority of other students is they don’t leave their home to attend public school.
Families like the Miles’ aren’t as rare as they used to be, however. According to Time magazine, August 2001, in a 1999 federal report, at least 850,000 students were being home schooled as compared to only 345,000 in 1994. Some experts believe the numbers have doubled again in the last two years.
With home schooling on the rise, one can’t help but ask the inevitable question: Is this good for America’s children?
Miles and others like her said “yes.”
Miles and her husband, Duane, decided to home school their oldest daughter, who is now 18, in the middle of her seventh grade year. Miles said her daughter was struggling in school and her teachers were uncooperative in getting back in touch with Miles and her husband to find a solution. Within a few weeks of pulling their daughter out of the public school system, not only was Miles’ daughter learning more, but her mood improved greatly as well, Miles said. The next year the Miles’ started home schooling all their children.
“They have never wanted to go back,” Miles said. “They do go back once in a while for shop, LDS seminary, drivers ed., or anything else they might want.”
Miles also hires university students to come into their home on a weekly basis and teach subjects she is not as comfortable with such as science and art.
Nationally, many parents are home schooling their children due to over-crowded classrooms, school violence fears and confidence they can educate their children more adequately than the public school system. Miles said peer pressure to look and dress a certain way at school is another advantage to home schooling.
Families in Cache Valley must, under law, apply annually to receive a certificate of exemption, said Myra Lynch, director of Personnel and Student Services for the Logan School District. Parents must send a letter requesting exemption of their children from the public school system and the school district replies with a letter including Utah’s core curriculum, time required and suggested subjects. From there, parents can join home schooling groups, receive newsletters and attend state conferences to learn more about how to properly home school.
“There are a lot of resources out there,” Miles said. “Just because you home school doesn’t mean that you have to do everything at home or by yourself. You can use other resources and the school system when they fit best. There are so many possibilities once you break out of the routine,” she said.
There are 138 children in Cache County currently being taught at home, said Norma Hibler, secretary for the Cache County School Board of Education. Although the national average of home schoolers has been steadily increasing each year, the numbers in Cache Valley have stayed relatively stable.
“It’s been pretty consistent for the last five years,” Hibler said. “Once we get further into the school year some more will add to it.”
“The large majority of our patrons are happy with the schools and work with the schools,” Lynch said.
According to Time, studies do show that home schooled pupils are overall being educated well; however, criticisms follow not far behind.
“There is expertise in all areas at school. Teachers are trained in specific areas. I doubt you’d get two parents with that amount of expertise,” Lynch said.
As with most disputes, money is also involved. With every student taken out of the public school system, the public schools lose money.
“If those students aren’t in school then we do not receive the WPU (weighted pupil unit) on those students,” Lynch said.
In Maricopa County, Arizona, 7,000 students are home schooled, accounting for less than 1.4 percent of school-age kids. However, 1.4 percent means $35 million less funding for the county in per pupil funding.
Socialization of children is also a concern of public school defendants.
“A lot of [home schooled] children miss that social interaction with other children,” Lynch said. “We also have students from many other countries in our school system and that’s quite a learning experience for students, too. I think it helps them get along with people later in life and I think missing that is a negative thing.”
Miles disagrees.
“They still see their friends and still have a lot of associations outside the home,” Miles said. “They actually, I think, interact with people better outside of their immediate age group. They learn better manners when they’re not so pressured by peers. They’re better able to be social than inhibited by the pressures.”
Time reports that whether never experiencing peer pressure and being a more grown-up child is better or not is a toss-up as is the worry of life after home school.
“I think each child will be different. They might want to go to college, or a trade school or neither,” said Jennifer Willis, a Providence mother who home schools her two school-age children. “I don’t see public school as the only way to get into college.”
According to The Homeschooler’s College Admissions Handbook, around three-quarters of all universities have policies now on dealing with home schooled applicants. Time also reported schools such as Harvard attend home schooling conferences looking for applicants and Kennesaw State University in Georgia aggressively recruits home schoolers.
According to the Utah State University General Catalog, home school applicants must submit an application and applications fee just as other students do. Home school applicants must also take the ACT and submit their ACT results. Students having completed their GED must likewise submit a copy of the GED certificate. Home schooled students may need to have an interview before being accepted.
Miles said her oldest daughter recently applied to USU without any problem. Miles’ daughter took the ACT and also got her GED certificate at the advisement of USU admissions. Her GED score was one point below what would be a high school 4.0 GPA, Miles said, so the family is not worried about her admission.
“It really depends on the school and what they want. Anyone going to home school should check what the college might want so when they finish they won’t find themselves short,” Miles said.
Getting scholarships for home schooled students may be more complicated however.
“We currently don’t really have a way to evaluate them regarding scholarships,” said Eric Olsen, director of High School/College Relations.
Home-schooled students may be awarded scholarships on their ACT scores, Olsen said.
Miles said she’s satisfied with homeschooling.
“It’s a lot of work but I enjoy it. I really like my kids and it’s fun to see them learn,” Miles said. “When you have a young child learning to walk it’s exciting to see their first step or hear their first words. It’s really no different when they’re older and catch on to math concepts or science and you get to be there and be a part of it.”Home schooling spreads across America and raises questions
By Hilary Ingoldsby
Senior Writer
Like many parents across the nation, every morning Teri Miles of Mendon, Utah, makes sure her five children are up and ready for school. What separates the Miles children from the majority of other students is they don’t leave their home to attend public school.
Families like the Miles’ aren’t as rare as they used to be, however. According to TIME magazine, August 2001, in a 1999 federal report, at least 850,000 students were being home schooled as compared to only 345,000 students in 1994. Some experts believe the numbers have doubled again in the last two years.
With home schooling on the rise, one can’t help but ask the inevitable questi
on: Is this good for America’s children?
Miles and others like her said “yes.”
Miles and her husband Duane decided to home school their oldest daughter, who is now 18, in the middle of her seventh grade year. Miles said her daughter was struggling in school and her teachers were uncooperative in getting back in touch with Miles and her husband to find a solution. Within a few weeks of pulling their daughter out of the public school system, not only was Miles’ daughter learning more, but her mood improved greatly as well, Miles said. The next year the Miles’ started home schooling all their children.
“They have never wanted to go back,” Miles said. “They do go back once in a while for shop, LDS seminary, drivers ed., or anything else they might want.”
Miles also hires university students to come into their home on a weekly basis and teach subjects she is not as comfortable with such as Science and Art.
Nationally, many parents are home schooling their children due to over-crowded classrooms, school violence fears, and confidence they can educate their children more adequately than the public school system. Miles said peer pressure to look and dress a certain way at school is another advantage to home schooling.
Families in Cache Valley must, under law, apply annually to receive a certificate of exemption, said Myra Lynch, director of Personnel and Student Services for the Logan School District. Parents must send a letter requesting exemption of their children from the public school system and the school district replies with a letter including Utah’s core curriculum, time required and suggested subjects. From there, parents can join home schooling groups, receive newsletters and attend state conferences to learn more about how to properly home school.
“There are a lot of resources out there,” Miles said. “Just because you home school doesn’t mean that you have to do everything at home or by yourself. You can use other resources and the school system when they fit best. There are so many possibilities once you break out of the routine,” she said. There are 138 children in Cache County currently being taught at home, said Norma Hibler, secretary for the Cache County School Board of Education. Although the national average of home schoolers has been steadily increasing each year, the numbers in Cache Valley have stayed relatively stable.
“It’s been pretty consistent for the last five years,” Copy Ed 10/21/01 WHO???? Is this Hibler or Nibler??? Nibler said. “Once we get further into the school year some more will add to it.”
“The large majority of our patrons are happy with the schools and work with the schools,” Lynch said.
According to TIME, studies do show that home schooled pupils are overall being educated well; however, criticisms follow not far behind.
“There is expertise in all areas at school. Teachers are trained in specific areas. I doubt you’d get two parents with that amount of expertise,” Lynch said.
As with most disputes, money is also involved. With every student taken out of the public school system, the public schools lose money.
“If those students aren’t in school then we do not receive the WPU (weighted pupil unit) on those students,” Lynch said.
In Maricopa County, Ariz., 7,000 students are home schooled, accounting for less than 1.4 percent of school-age kids. However, 1.4 percent means $35 million less funding for the county in per pupil funding.
Socialization of children is also a concern of public school defendants.
“A lot of [home schooled] children miss that social interaction with other children,” Lynch said. “We also have students from many other countries in our school system and that’s quite a learning experience for students, too. I think it helps them get along with people later in life and I think missing that is a negative thing.”
Miles disagrees.
“They still see their friends and still have a lot of associations outside the home,” Miles said. “They actually, I think, interact with people better outside of their immediate age group. They learn better manners when they’re not so pressured by peers. They’re better able to be social than inhibited by the pressures.”
Whether never experiencing peer pressure and being a more grown-up child is better or not is a toss-up as is the worry of life after home school.Copy Ed 10/21/01 Attribute?
“I think each child will be different. They might want to go to college, or a trade school or neither,” said Jennifer Willis, a Providence mother who home schools her two school-age children. “I don’t see public school as the only way to get into college.”
According to The Homeschooler’s College Admissions Handbook, around three-quarters of all universities have policies now on dealing with home schooled applicants. TIME also reported schools such as Harvard attend home schooling conferences looking for applicants and Kennesaw State University in Georgia aggressively recruits home schoolers.
According to the Utah State University General Catalog, home school applicants must submit an application and applications fee just as other students do. Home school applicants must also take the ACT and submit their ACT results. Students having completed their GED must likewise submit a copy of the GED certificate. Home schooled students may need to have an interview before being accepted.
Miles said her oldest daughter recently applied to USU without any problem. Miles’ daughter took the ACT and also got her GED certificate at the advisement of USU admissions. Her GED score was one point below what would be a high school 4.0 GPA, Miles said, so the family is not worried about her admission.
“It really depends on the school and what they want. Anyone going to home school should check what the college might want so when they finish they won’t find themselves short,” Miles said.
Getting scholarships for home schooled students may be more complicated however.
“We currently don’t really have a way to evaluate them regarding scholarships,” said Eric Olsen, Copy Ed 10/21/01 Title? of the Recruitment Office, said.
Home-schooled students may be awarded scholarships on their ACT scores, Olsen said.
Perhaps the biggest trial for many involved in home schooling that cannot be argued is just getting used to it and finding ways to do it well.
“I think it’s gotten progressively better,” Willis said. “I think the biggest challenge is me mentally organizing my family.”
“It’s a lot of work but I enjoy it. I really like my kids and it’s fun to see them learn,” Miles said. “When you have a young child learning to walk it’s exciting to see their first step or hear their first words. It’s really no different when they’re older and catch on to math concepts or science and you get to be there and be a part of it.”