The largest-ever study of home-schooled students has just been completed, and the results are encouraging for those considering home schooling. The study of more than 20,000 home-schooled students, conducted by a University of Maryland professor, found the students score well above the national median on standardized tests.
The students either took the Iowa Test of Basic Skills or the Test of Achievement and Proficiency. Their median scores were mostly in the 70th to 80th percentile among students nationwide taking the tests.
The impact of this study will be profound. For years, home-schooling parents have had to defend their practice to educators, school administrators, and even judges and juries. This comprehensive study should begin to lay to rest the argument that untrained parents cannot provide a sound educational environment for their children. They consistently score well on standardized tests and provide an educating and nurturing environment.
The study also found that 97 percent of home-school parents are married. They also found the nearly 80 percent of home-school mothers do not work for pay. Even of those who work, 86 percent do so part time. Therefore, home-schooling represents the traditional family at its best. Contrary to the recent claims by the American Psychological Association that stay-at-home mothers make little difference than working mothers, the growing evidence shows that moms at home do make a difference. Home-school education is just one of many examples of that.
Again the study is welcome news at a time when federal and state governments keep trying to find ways to control and regulate home school education. Perhaps as many as one million students are being home-schooled in this country, and the educational establishment often sees home-schooling as a threat. The latest news from the home classroom is that home-schoolers are doing just fine, thank you.
I'm Kerby Anderson of Probe Ministries, and that's my opinion.