Home School VS. Public School
Feb 22nd 2007
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by Brandon McVey
"Each day, more than 1,200 young men and women give up on their high school education, and, in many cases, on themselves" - so says the AdCouncil. Each day, 1,200 young men and women are becoming a burden to society. In a report done in March of 2006 for the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, it was found that one third of all Public High School students failed to graduate with less then 2 years to go. Nearly one half of those were blacks, Hispanics, and Native Americans. Many students gave personal reasons for leaving school. A third (32 percent) said they had to get a job and make money; 26 percent said they became a parent; and 22 percent said they had to care for a family member. At the end of this article I will show you where to get the rest of this disturbing report.
I am not a fan of the public school system. Not with numbers like... the nationwide grand mean in reading for home schoolers was at the 79th percentile, and the 73rd percentile for language and math. This ranking means home school students performed better than approximately 77% of the sample population on whom the test was normed. Nearly 80% of home schooled children achieve individual scores above the national average and 54.7% of the 16,000 home schoolers achieved individual scores in the top quarter of the population, more than double the number of conventional school students who score in the top quarter.
Facts are facts, but commons sense dictates that the public schools just do not work. They keep throughing money at the problem, working on self esteem and incentives while passing out condoms. They took out morals and replaced it with acceptance. They took out accountability and replaced it with food stamps. That's what the government gives in return for your tax dollars. Not to mention the NEA. They are a force in Washington that would rival the IRS. Just mention the word 'school vouchers' and red flags go up while the race cards come down.
Point being that this great country does allow us a means to avoid the peer pressure filled, barb wire lined, police patrolling institutions we call public education. The number of home schools is rising every year, and with that are SAT test scores. The fact that nearly all home schools are Christian based is reason enough to go this route. But even if you took that out of the equation you would be left with flexible schedules, like going year round and taking a week off anytime you like. One on one training and tutoring, a nurturing environment as apposed to one that requires self defense as part of the curriculum.
It is easy to realize that the home school beats public school, and even private schools for that matter. One must consider the time it would take to pursue such a task though, along with the cost. I have found places that get the process rolling for a $75 Registration fee, $25 processing fee, and then $500 - $750 per child, depending on the number of children. These organizations will provide proper paperwork, curriculums, planners, schedules and support to keep it in line with all the various state laws that apply.
For those interested in many more statistics and getting further details on home schools, a good starting piont would be at http://www.wulliebull2.com/homeschool . Included is a fun read call "The Teachers Interview", which will need no explanation.
Brandon McVey
About the Author
A product of public, private and home school. With 2 kids of my own now, this is a genuine consern of mine.
Brandon McVey
Rating: 1.33
Comments
I deeply appriciate this article. As a homeschool student myself from a Christian home, I think all you have covered in this article has accurate. I hope that many others will be impacted by this as well. Thank you for the time you put into this.
I have always supported home schooling, but as a public school teacher at the high school level, I want to assure Mr. McVey that not all schools are 'barb wire lined' or require 'self-defense as part of the curriculum.' The school I work at is over sixty percent African American, somewhat rural, and NOT a morally vacuous environment. I have many fine students, some of whom are voal supporters of their Christian beliefs and values. While I beleive home schooling is best for some students, I have also seen cases where homeschool equals 'I just don't feel like gettin up in the morning in time to get the kids dressed for school, so let's all just sleep until ten.' I've also seen kids whose social behavior desperately needed intervention from a counselor available in public school, but instead the child was 'home schooled' more or less to keep people from 'finding out about Johnny's problem' (i.e. that he's exhibiting behavior similar to that of Jeffrey Dahmer,etc.) Home schooling is wonderful when appropriate,but it's not ALWAYS the answer, and not ALL public schools are horrible. It's encumbent on parents to evaluate what's really happening in their local schools.
I agree with the Nov. 7th teacher on many points but his school is one of very few that meets the criteria of curriculums needed to get our children back on track to strengthen this country. My children are homeschooled because I looked at the numbers for the schools in several counties in my area. My wife and I where ready to move it meant that my children would have a solid education but the grades were horrible for those schools. I also have a problem with some of the literature and issues my children were going to be taught at their age level. Who is to say that my children are ready to understand homosexuality? Why is it that these things need to be taught by the schools and not the parents? The moral issues in our schools are growing up now and they are adults that have torn the morale fiber of this country. This is not an urban issue, its spreading throughout all facets of our country. Though the person wrote of how well their school is doing, I pray it will continue to do so and survive in a society that no longer values educating our children. They prefer to give you the neccessary grade so that "no child is left behind." The irony is that the child's body graduates but their mind is still "left behind."
i hear that the average test scores for home schooling was around 50% higher than the average for public schools i'm only 17 but the idea of a better form of learning than the public school i attend would be great thats why i went to AAST. i heard that AAST was the only school in Horry county South Carolina were the test scores went up in 2007 thats why i went ony to find that the reason the test scores are so hight is the fact that the teachers love their job and the freedom of the school i closer to college than high school giving the student a reason to want to com to school i love it here.
I am personally in home school and i couldn't agree more.
homeschooling sucks. dont make your kid antisocial. ..dont make them a dragon ball Z kid.
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