View source for Homeschooling

{{Short description|Education of children outside of a school}}
{{Distinguish|Distance education|Independent school|Out-of-school learning|Autodidacticism}}
{{Redirect-multi|2|Homeschool|Home School|the EP|Homeschool (EP)|the novel|Home School (novel)}}
[[File:Representation, Punch Denmark, 1889.jpg|thumb|Educating children at home]]
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'''Homeschooling''' or '''home schooling''' ([[American English]]), also known as '''home education''' or '''elective home education''' ('''EHE''') ([[British English]]),<ref name=":2">{{cite web|title=Elective home education—Guidelines for local authorities|url=https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/288135/guidelines_for_las_on_elective_home_educationsecondrevisev2_0.pdf|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180522112855/https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/288135/guidelines_for_las_on_elective_home_educationsecondrevisev2_0.pdf|archive-date=2018-05-22|access-date=2018-10-11|publisher=gov.uk|at=Section 1.2, page 3}}</ref> is the [[education]] of school-aged children at home or a variety of places other than a [[school]]. Usually conducted by a parent, tutor, or online teacher, many homeschool families use [[Informal education|less formal]], more personalized and individualized methods of learning that are not always found in schools. The actual practice of homeschooling varies considerably. The spectrum ranges from highly structured forms based on traditional school lessons to more open, free forms such as [[unschooling]], which is a lesson- and [[curriculum]]-free implementation of homeschooling. Some families who initially attended a school go through a [[Deschooling|deschool]] phase to break away from school habits and prepare for homeschooling. While "homeschooling" is the term commonly used in North America, "home education" is primarily used in Europe and many [[Member states of the Commonwealth of Nations|Commonwealth countries]]. Homeschooling should not be confused with [[distance education]], which generally refers to the arrangement where the student is educated by and conforms to the requirements of an [[online school]], rather than being educated independently and unrestrictedly by their parents or by themselves.
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Before the introduction of [[compulsory school attendance]] laws, most childhood education was done by families and local communities. By the early 19th century, attending a school became the most common means of education in the developed world. In the mid to late 20th century, more people began questioning the practice of school learning, which again led to an increase in the number of homeschoolers, especially in the Americas and some European countries. In the 21st century, homeschooling is a relatively widespread form of education and a legal alternative to public and [[private school]]s in many countries, which many people believe is due to the rise of the Internet, which enables people to obtain information very quickly. The regulation and legality of homeschooling [[Homeschooling international status and statistics|varies by jurisdiction]].
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There are many different reasons for homeschooling, ranging from personal interests to [[Criticism of schooling|dissatisfaction with the school system]]. Homeschooling is also an option for families living in remote rural areas, those temporarily abroad, those who travel frequently and therefore face the physical impossibility or difficulty of getting their children into school, and those who want to spend more time with their children. Health reasons and [[Special needs education|special needs]] can also play a role in why children cannot attend a school regularly and are at least partially homeschooled.
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Critics of homeschooling argue that children may lack adequate [[socialization]] and therefore have poorer [[social skills]]. Some are also concerned that parents may be unqualified to guide and advise their children, or that abusive parents may use homeschool to isolate their children. Critics also say that a child might not encounter people of other cultures, worldviews, and socioeconomic groups if they are not enrolled in a school. Therefore, these critics believe that homeschooling cannot guarantee a comprehensive and neutral education if educational standards are not prescribed. Studies on homeschooled students typically rely on [[convenience sampling]], which may disproportionately sample the highest-achieving homeschoolers.<ref name="valiente2022">{{cite journal |last1=Valiente |first1=Carlos |last2=Spinrad |first2=Tracy L. |last3=Ray |first3=Brian D. |last4=Eisenberg |first4=Nancy |last5=Ruof |first5=Ariana |date=March 2022 |title=Homeschooling: What do we know and what do we need to learn? |url=https://srcd.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/abs/10.1111/cdep.12441 |journal=Child Development Perspectives |language=en |volume=16 |issue=1 |pages=48–53 |doi=10.1111/cdep.12441 |issn=1750-8592 |access-date=22 June 2024}}</ref>{{rp|51}} Researchers have identified a need for more representative samples in studying homeschooling.<ref name=valiente2022/>{{rp|51}}
== Terminology ==
While "homeschooling" is the term commonly used [[Homeschooling in the United States|in the United States]] and other nations in North America, "home education" is primarily used [[Home education in the United Kingdom|in the United Kingdom]], elsewhere in Europe and many [[Member states of the Commonwealth of Nations|Commonwealth countries]].<ref name=":2" /><ref name=":5">{{cite book |last1=Rothermel |first1=Paula |title=International perspectives on home education : do we still need schools? |date=20 March 2015 |publisher=Palgrave Macmillan UK |isbn=978-1137446848}}</ref><ref name=":6">{{cite book |last1=Bhopal & Myers |first1=Kalwant, Martin |title=Home schooling and home education : race, class and inequality |date=2018-05-02 |publisher=Routledge |isbn=978-1138651340}}</ref>
==History==
{{See also|History of education}}{{Globalize section|date=September 2024}}[[File:Fireside Education frontispiece.jpg|thumb|Frontispiece to ''Fireside Education'', [[Samuel Griswold Goodrich|Samuel Griswold (Goodrich)]]]]
=== Early history ===
For most of history, home education was common.<ref name="EoDL">A. Distefano, K.&nbsp;E. Rudestam, R.&nbsp;J. Silverman (2005) [https://books.google.com/books?id=PwNPSlDHFxcC Encyclopedia of Distributed Learning] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160101025239/https://books.google.com/books?id=PwNPSlDHFxcC&printsec=frontcover|date=2016-01-01}} (p221) {{ISBN|0-7619-2451-5}}</ref> In many cultures, home education often consisted of literacy training centered around religious texts, as well as basic math skills needed in everyday life. Reading aloud, reciting, and memorizing passages from [[The bible|the Bible]] and other Christian writing were central to this practice, as well as workplace-based education such as [[Apprenticeship|apprenticeships]]. Enlisting professional tutors was an option available only to the wealthy.<ref name=":11">{{Cite book |last1=Dwyer |first1=James G. |title=Homeschooling: The History and Philosophy of a Controversial Practice |last2=Peters |first2=Shawn F. |publisher=[[University of Chicago Press]] |year=2019 |isbn=978-0226627250 |page=5 |language=en}}</ref>{{Rp|page=|pages=5-6}} Home education declined in the 19th and 20th centuries with the enactment of compulsory school attendance laws. However, it continued to be practised in isolated communities. The practice of what we now call homeschooling began in the 1960s and 1970s with educational reformists dissatisfied with industrialized education.<ref name="EoDL"/>
Home education and apprenticeship continued to remain the main form of education until the 1830s.<ref name="History of Alternative Education">{{cite web|url=http://www.quaqua.org/utah.htm|title=History of Alternative Education in the United States|access-date=19 April 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160304031714/http://www.quaqua.org/utah.htm|archive-date=4 March 2016|url-status=live}}</ref> However, in the 18th century, the majority of people in Europe lacked formal education.<ref>{{Cite EB1911|wstitle= Education |volume= 8 |last= Welton |first= James | pages = 951&ndash;989; see page 959, fourth para, last line |quote= But the total results were not great; the mass of the people in every European country remained without schooling throughout the 18th century. }}</ref> Since the early 19th century, formal classroom schooling became the most common means of schooling throughout the developed countries.<ref>{{Cite journal|last1=Cvrcek|first1=Tomas|last2=Zajicek|first2=Miroslav|date=2019-09-01|title=The rise of public schooling in nineteenth-century Imperial Austria: Who gained and who paid?|journal=Cliometrica|language=en|volume=13|issue=3|pages=367–403|doi=10.1007/s11698-018-0180-6|issn=1863-2513|doi-access=free}}</ref> As laws enforcing public school attendance proliferated, movements to resist such laws began to form.<ref name=":11" />{{Rp|pages=16-17}}
=== United States ===
Resistance to laws mandating school attendance emerged as early as the end of the nineteenth century.<ref name="valiente2022" /><ref name=":11" />{{Rp|page=16}} Catholic groups in particular resisted the enforcement of Protestant ideals in public schools, as seen in the [[Philadelphia nativist riots|1844 Philadelphia nativist riots]]. The Philadelphia Roman Catholic bishop requested that Catholic schoolchildren be permitted to read the Catholic [[Douay bible]] in school rather than the Protestant [[King James Version]], which was granted. This decision fanned anti-Catholic sentiment, sparking a rumor that Catholics were attempting to remove the Bible from schools.<ref name=":11" />{{Rp|page=16}} The [[Toledo, Ohio|Toledo]] Reverend Patrick Francis Quigley was put on trial in 1891 for resisting the requirement to report the names of students at his school, which he was principal of; he argued unsuccessfully that "the state has no right to control the education of the child."<ref name=":11" />{{Rp|page=16}} Resistance to mandatory schooling was sporadic throughout the 19th century as the state undertook more responsibility in protecting the rights of children.
In 1913 the US [[Bureau of Education]] established the Home Education Division, an organization which worked with the National Council of Mothers and Parent-Teacher Associations to provide home curriculum materials, although these were meant to supplement, not substitute, for public schooling. In the early 20th century, the headmaster of [[Baltimore]]'s [[Calvert School]], Virgil Hillyer, recognized that various students at his school were unable to attend due to ill health, and began to send out lesson plans to those students' parents. The [[Calvert method]] became a popular early home curriculum. Its advertising in periodicals such as ''[[McClure's]]'' admonished parents that the curriculum was necessary to provide a proper education.<ref name=":11" />{{Rp|pages=|page=26}} This form of homeschooling was targeted primarily at those who needed to educate their children at home due to ill health, and many of their materials were dispatched to hospitals.<ref name=":11" />{{Rp|page=26}} 1940 brought the advent of remote education by telephone.<ref name=":11" />{{Rp|page=28}}
In the 1960s, [[Rousas John Rushdoony]] began to advocate homeschooling, which he saw as a way to combat the increasingly [[secular]] nature of the [[Public school (government-funded)|public school]] system in the United States. He vigorously attacked [[progressivism|progressive]] [[school reform]]ers such as [[Horace Mann]] and [[John Dewey]], and argued for the dismantling of the state's influence in education in three works: ''Intellectual Schizophrenia'', ''The Messianic Character of American Education'', and ''The Philosophy of the Christian Curriculum''. Rushdoony was frequently called as an expert witness by the [[Home School Legal Defense Association]] (HSLDA) in court cases. He frequently advocated the use of private schools.<ref>{{cite web|last=Edgar |first=William |title=The Passing of R. J. Rushdoony |work=[[First Things]]|access-date=2014-04-23 |date=January 2007|url=http://www.firstthings.com/article/2007/01/the-passing-of-r-j-rushdoony |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140404033004/http://www.firstthings.com/article/2007/01/the-passing-of-r-j-rushdoony |archive-date=April 4, 2014 }}</ref> The HSLDA, founded in 1983, was highly successful in influencing the legal status of homeschooling in the United States.<ref>{{cite journal |last1=Patterson |first1=Jean |last2=Gibson |first2=Ian |last3=Koenigs |first3=Andrew |last4=Maurer |first4=Michael |last5=Whitterhouse |first5=Gladys |last6=Stockton |first6=Charles |last7=Taylor |first7=Mary Jo |title=Resisting Bureaucracy: A Case Study of Home Schooling |journal=Journal of Thought |date=2007 |volume=42 |issue=3 |page=73 |jstor=jthought.42.3-4.71 |url=https://www.jstor.org/stable/jthought.42.3-4.71 |access-date=25 June 2024}}</ref> In the 1980s, homeschooling was illegal throughout much of the United States for parents who were not themselves trained educators. Today, the United States enjoys some of the most lax laws around homeschool in the world, with most states requiring little to no oversight for homeschooling and no educational requirements for parents.<ref>{{Cite news |last1=Jamison |first1=Peter |last2=Meckler |first2=Laura |date=2023-12-28 |title=Home-schoolers dismantled state oversight. Now they fear pushback. |url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/education/2023/12/28/homeschooling-regulation-esa-school-choice/ |access-date=2024-10-08 |newspaper=Washington Post |language=en}}</ref>
Conservative [[Evangelicalism|Evangelical]] Christian parents were increasingly dissatisfied with the public school system and were the main demographic that organized to promote home education in the United States.<ref>{{cite magazine |last1=Talbot |first1=Margaret |title=The New Counterculture |url=https://www.theatlantic.com/magazine/archive/2001/11/the-new-counterculture/302341/ |website=The Atlantic |date=November 2001 |access-date=25 June 2024}}</ref> Prominent Evangelical pastor and activist [[Jerry Falwell]] expressed horror that [[sex education]] and lessons on [[evolution]] had replaced [[Engel v. Vitale|prayer and Bible study in schools]].<ref name=":11" />{{Rp|page=35}} This movement embraced research conducted by other religious parents that advocated for homeschooling such as Raymond and Dorothy Moore.<ref>{{cite journal |last1=Riley |first1=Gina |title=Differences in Competence, Autonomy, and Relatedness between Home Educated and Traditionally Educated Young Adults |journal=International Social Science Review |date=2015 |volume=90 |issue=2 |page=11 |url=https://www.jstor.org/stable/intesociscierevi.90.2.02 |access-date=25 June 2024}}</ref> Another influential figure associated with the rise of the homeschooling movement was [[John Holt (educator)|John Holt]]. Holt believed that informal education was better than compulsory education and expressed these views in his books ''How Children Fail'' and ''How Children Learn''.<ref>{{cite web |last1=Gaither |first1=Milton |title=John Holt |url=https://www.britannica.com/biography/John-Holt |website=Encyclopaedia Britannica |date=8 May 2024 |access-date=1 July 2024}}</ref> Holt advocated for [[unschooling]], where children learn without any formalized curriculum or expectations.<ref>{{cite magazine |last1=Hanes |first1=Stephanie |title=Free-range education: Why the unschooling movement is growing |url=https://www.csmonitor.com/USA/Education/2016/0214/Free-range-education-Why-the-unschooling-movement-is-growing |website=The Christian Science Monitor |access-date=1 July 2024}}</ref> As homeschooling caught on in the Evangelical movement, the number of children being homeschooled increased massively, with some estimates suggesting the number went from under twenty thousand in the 1970s, to nearly 500,000 by the end of the 1980s.<ref name=":11" />{{Rp|page=74}}
=== Germany ===
Homeschooling is heavily restricted in Germany. The history of public schooling dates back to the time of [[Martin Luther]], who called on the government to provide schooling to both boys and girls in ''To the Councilmen of all Cities in Germany'' (''An die Ratsherren aller Städte deutschen Landes''), so that they might read the Bible for themselves. Today, compulsory education at school is strictly enforced in Germany, and is only permitted in rare cases, such as that of serious illness. However, parents interested in alternative schooling may choose to send their children to a private, independent school.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Stock |first=Wolfgang |date=2023-04-11 |title=Column from Germany: Why homeschooling is unnecessary in Germany |url=https://cne.news/article/3843-column-from-germany-why-homeschooling-is-unnecessary-in-germany |access-date=2024-10-08 |website=Christian Network Europe |language=en}}</ref>
=== France ===
Homeschooling in France is permitted only in specific circumstances: for the health of the child, for intensive artistic or sports training, for itinerant families, and for those who live too far from a school. To be granted the right to homeschool, parents must have a [[baccalauréat]] or equivalent to prove they are qualified to teach. These restrictions were introduced in September 2022, known as ''loi contre le séparatisme'': a law designed to reduce "[[Islamism|Islamist]] [[separatism]]" and enforce [[Secularism in France|secularism]].<ref>{{Cite web |last=Hanks |first=Jane |date=2022-03-23 |title=How does private education and home-schooling work in France? |url=https://www.connexionfrance.com/practical/how-does-private-education-and-home-schooling-work-in-france/167766 |access-date=2024-10-08 |website=www.connexionfrance.com |language=en-GB}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last= |first= |date=2023-09-18 |title=France restricts rights of homeschooling children |url=https://cne.news/article/3627-france-restricts-rights-of-homeschooling-children |access-date=2024-10-08 |website=Christian Network Europe |language=en}}</ref>
=== Asia ===
A meta-analysis of studies on homeschooling in [[Asia]] found that the majority of homeschoolers cited religion as their reason for homeschooling.<ref name=":0">{{Citation |last=Seo |first=Deokhee |title=Homeschooling in Asian Countries in Terms of Law, Tradition, and Habitus |date=2022 |work=International Handbook on Education Development in Asia-Pacific |pages=1–20 |editor-last=Lee |editor-first=Wing On |url=https://link.springer.com/referenceworkentry/10.1007/978-981-16-2327-1_4-1 |access-date=2024-10-08 |place=Singapore |publisher=Springer Nature |language=en |doi=10.1007/978-981-16-2327-1_4-1 |isbn=978-981-16-2327-1 |editor2-last=Brown |editor2-first=Phillip |editor3-last=Goodwin |editor3-first=A. Lin |editor4-last=Green |editor4-first=Andy}}</ref>
=== COVID-19 pandemic ===
{{Main article|Homeschooling during the COVID-19 pandemic}}
Because schools were [[Impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on education|widely shut down]] during the early part of the [[COVID-19 pandemic]], many schools implemented [[distance education]] and online learning. This is not considered homeschooling, since students' education was directed by public schools.<ref name="valiente2022" /> However, the onset of the pandemic triggered a massive increase in the prevalence of homeschooling. An investigation by the [[The Washington Post|Washington Post]] estimated that the United States saw an increase of homeschooled children from 1.5 million to between 1.9 and 2.7 million, a number comparable to the number of students in [[charter school]]s or [[Catholic school]]s. This increase was far-reaching across every measured demographic category and region. This increase has led to a rise in critical interest about the impacts of homeschooling, both positive and negative.<ref>{{Cite news |last1=Jamison |first1=Peter |last2=Meckler |first2=Laura |last3=Gordy |first3=Prayag |last4=Morse |first4=Clara Ence |last5=Alcantara |first5=Chris |title=Home schooling's rise from fringe to fastest-growing form of education |url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/education/interactive/2023/homeschooling-growth-data-by-district/ |access-date=2024-10-08 |newspaper=Washington Post |language=en}}</ref>
==Motivations==
{{See also|Motivations for unschooling}}{{Globalize section|date=September 2024|United States}}
[[File:HomeschoolSurvey2023.png|alt=A bar chart showing the most common reasons for homeschooling. The most commonly chosen reasons as important are concern about school environment, to provide moral instruction, and to emphasize family life together. The most commonly chosen reasons as most important are concern about school environment, dissatisfaction with academics at other schools, and to provide religious instruction. |thumb|400x400px|Families have a wide variety of reasons for choosing homeschooling. This bar chart shows the most common motivations for [[homeschooling in the United States]] as of 2023.<ref name="ies2007">[https://nces.ed.gov/pubs2024/2024113.pdf Parent and Family Involvement in Education: 2023] National Household Education Surveys Program, U.S. Department of Education. September 2024</ref>]]
There are many reasons why parents and children choose to homeschool, whether by necessity or by choice.
Homeschool may be a necessity for a variety of reasons. For those who are in isolated rural locations that are too far from a conventional school, living abroad, or travel frequently, homeschool provides more consistency and convenience, eliminating the issues of distance or cultural barriers.<ref>{{Cite news |date=2016-05-31 |title=Why The Homeschool Movement Is Growing |url=https://modernhomeschoolfamily.com/2016/05/31/why-the-homeschool-movement-is-growing/ |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201108110834/https://modernhomeschoolfamily.com/2016/05/31/why-the-homeschool-movement-is-growing/ |archive-date=2020-11-08 |access-date=2020-11-01 |website=Modern Homeschool Family |language=en-US}}</ref> Many young athletes, actors, and musicians are taught at home to accommodate their travel and practice schedules more conveniently. Mental and physical health issues are also a reason parents may homeschool or take [[distance education]].<ref name="Reasons Parents Homeschool">{{Cite web |date=2013-09-11 |title=Reasons Parents Homeschool |url=http://www.responsiblehomeschooling.org/homeschooling-101/reasons-parents-homeschool/ |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160504234438/http://www.responsiblehomeschooling.org/homeschooling-101/reasons-parents-homeschool/ |archive-date=2016-05-04 |access-date=2016-05-15 |website=Coalition for Responsible Home Education |language=en-US}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |date=11 March 2017 |title=No Regrets: Homeschooling for Medical Reasons |url=https://www.setonmagazine.com/latest-articles/no-regrets-homeschooling-for-medical-reasons |access-date=2020-12-15 |language=en-US}}</ref>
Parents commonly cite two main motivations for voluntarily homeschooling their children: dissatisfaction with the local schools and the interest in increased involvement with their children's learning and development. Parental dissatisfaction with available schools typically includes concerns about the school environment, the quality of academic instruction, the curriculum, bullying, the risk of [[school shooting]]s, racism, and lack of faith in the school's ability to cater to their children's [[Special needs education|special needs]].<ref>{{Cite web | url=https://theconversation.com/record-numbers-of-children-are-now-homeschooled-but-whos-keeping-an-eye-on-the-parents-88449 | title=Record numbers of children are now homeschooled, but who's keeping an eye on the parents? | date=12 December 2017 | access-date=2018-09-28 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181016032834/http://theconversation.com/record-numbers-of-children-are-now-homeschooled-but-whos-keeping-an-eye-on-the-parents-88449 | archive-date=2018-10-16 |url-status=live }}</ref> Some parents homeschool in order to have greater control over what and how their children are taught, to cater more adequately to an individual child's aptitudes and abilities, to provide instruction from a specific [[religious]] or and [[moral]] position, and to take advantage of the efficiency of one-to-one instruction and thus allow the child to spend more time on childhood activities, socializing, and non-academic learning.<ref name=":9">{{Cite web |date=2016-09-10 |title=10 good reasons to home school your child |url=http://www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/2016/sep/10/10-good-reasons-to-home-school-your-child |access-date=2020-12-15 |website=The Guardian |language=en}}</ref>
A 2023 survey of homeschooling parents in the United States found concerns about school environment, moral instruction, dissatisfaction with academics, concern about [[school shooting]]s, and bullying to be the most common reasons for homeschooling.<ref name=":1">{{Cite news |last1=Meckler |first1=Laura |last2=Jamison |first2=Peter |last3=Guskin |first3=Emily |last4=Clement |first4=Scott |date=2023-09-26 |title=Home schooling today is less religious and more diverse, poll finds |url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/education/2023/09/26/home-schooling-vs-public-school-poll/ |archive-url=https://archive.today/20230929164533/https://www.washingtonpost.com/education/2023/09/26/home-schooling-vs-public-school-poll/ |archive-date=2023-09-29 |access-date=2024-10-08 |newspaper=Washington Post |language=en}}</ref> The need for [[Distance education|distance learning]] during the COVID-19 pandemic caused many parents to consider homeschooling where they might not have before.<ref>{{Cite news |date=27 February 2021 |title=Covid-19 has persuaded some parents that home-schooling is better |url=https://www.economist.com/international/2021/02/22/covid-19-has-persuaded-some-parents-that-home-schooling-is-better |access-date=2021-08-20 |newspaper=the Economist |language=en-UK}}</ref>
Concerns about school environment - the most commonly cited reason for homeschooling - may comprise a number of issues with conventional schooling, such as protection against [[School bullying|bullying]], social exclusion, drugs, stress, sexualization, social pressures, excessive performance thoughts,{{Clarify|date=October 2024}} social groups or role models with negative influences, and degrading treatment{{What|date=October 2024}} in school.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Homeschooling & Co. als Alternative? |url=https://www.trendyone.de/news/homeschooling-co-als-alternative |access-date=2020-08-07 |website=www.trendyone.de |language=de}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news |last=Krummenacher |first=Jörg |date=2019-09-16 |title=Aus Misstrauen gegenüber dem Staat: Immer mehr Eltern unterrichten ihre Kinder privat |url=https://www.nzz.ch/schweiz/immer-mehr-eltern-unterrichten-ihre-kinder-privat-ld.1508446 |newspaper=Neue Zürcher Zeitung |language=de}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news |last=WELT |date=2016-11-13 |title=Unschooling: Lernen ohne Schule, ohne Noten, ohne Lehrer |url=https://www.welt.de/wirtschaft/karriere/article160311421/Lernen-ohne-Schule-ohne-Noten-ohne-Lehrer.html |access-date=2020-08-07 |work=DIE WELT |language=de}}</ref><ref name=":7">{{Cite web |last=Weller |first=Chris |date=2018-01-21 |title=Homeschooling could be the smartest way to teach kids in the 21st century — here are 5 reasons why |url=https://www.businessinsider.com/reasons-homeschooling-is-the-smartest-way-to-teach-kids-today-2018-1 |access-date=2020-09-05 |website=Business Insider}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |date=2016-08-09 |title=Top 5 Reasons Why Parents Homeschool Their Kids |url=https://www.calverteducation.com/should-i-homeschool/top-5-reasons-parents-homeschool-kids |access-date=2020-09-05 |website=Calvert Education}}</ref><ref name="Reasons Parents Homeschool" /> Children may also learn more efficiently at home because they are not distracted by other students or typical school scheduling.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2012-06-01 |title=Why Homeschooled Teens Are Ahead of the Game for College |url=https://www.huffpost.com/entry/homeschooled-students-wel_n_1562425 |access-date=2020-12-15 |website=HuffPost |language=en |agency=[[U.S. News & World Report]]}}</ref> Some parents are of the opinion that certain temperaments are promoted in school, while others are inhibited which may also be a reason to homeschool their children.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2020-02-11 |title=Where Did This Kid Come From? Homeschooling by the Temperaments - Seton Magazine |url=https://www.setonmagazine.com/latest-articles/where-did-this-kid-come-from-homeschooling-by-the-temperaments |access-date=2020-09-05 |language=en-US}}</ref> Many parents also homeschool their children and return their child into the school system later on, for example because they think that their child is too young or not yet ready to start school.<ref name=":9" />
=== Religion ===
Some parents have objections to the secular nature of public schools and homeschool in order to give their children a religious education. Use of a religious curriculum such as [[Abeka]] is common among these families. In the United States, conservative Christians drove the movement to homeschool and made up the vast majority of homeschoolers until recent years. However, the percent of people who cited religion as the primary reason for homeschooling has declined drastically. In 2012, almost 2 of 3 homeschool parents did, while by 2023, the proportion dropped to just over 1 in 3.<ref name=":1" /> In a survey of adults homeschooled in Christian households, over half of respondents characterized their family as fundamentalist, and over 80% reported being taught [[Young Earth creationism]] as part of their science education.<ref>{{Cite web |title=HARO Survey, Installment 5 |url=https://responsiblehomeschooling.org/haro-survey-installment-5/ |access-date=2024-11-04 |website=Coalition for Responsible Home Education |language=en-US}}</ref> Homeschooling parents tend, in general, to lean more [[Conservatism|conservative]] than the general population.<ref name=":1" />
In Asia, the majority of homeschoolers cited religion - [[Christianity]], [[Confucianism]], or [[Islam]] - as their primary reason for homeschooling.<ref name=":0" />
=== Racism ===
Some African-American families choose to homeschool as a way of increasing their children's understanding of African-American history – such as the [[Jim Crow laws]] that resulted in African Americans being prevented from reading and writing – and to limit the harm caused by the unintentional and sometimes subtle [[systemic racism]] that affects most American schools.<ref name="Anderson">{{Cite news |last=Anderson |first=Melinda D. |date=2018-05-17 |title=The Radical Self-Reliance of Black Homeschooling |url=https://www.theatlantic.com/education/archive/2018/05/black-homeschooling/560636/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180702064414/https://www.theatlantic.com/education/archive/2018/05/black-homeschooling/560636/ |archive-date=2018-07-02 |access-date=2018-07-02 |work=The Atlantic |language=en-US}}</ref> The increase of homeschooling post-COVID-19 pandemic saw the greatest increases among Black, Latino, and Asian American households. Many families cited concerns that their children, particularly boys, were perceived as threatening or violent at school due to racism, as well as the issue of school quality and funding.<ref>{{Cite news |last1=Balingit |first1=Moriah |last2=Rabinowitz |first2=Kate |date=2021-08-05 |title=Home schooling exploded among Black, Asian and Latino students. But it wasn't just the pandemic. |url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/education/2021/07/27/pandemic-homeschool-black-asian-hispanic-families/ |access-date=2024-10-08 |newspaper=Washington Post |language=en-US |issn=0190-8286}}</ref>
On the other hand, some groups promote homeschooling to enforce [[White supremacy|white supremacist]] ideals. An exposé of a [[Nazism|Nazi]] homeschooling network in [[Ohio]] with over two thousand members led to no consequences or restrictions on the group due to lax regulatory requirements in the state.<ref>{{Cite news |last=Meckler |first=Laura |date=2023-02-04 |title=Ohio officials are investigating pro-Nazi home-schoolers |url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/education/2023/02/02/ohio-officials-are-investigating-pro-nazi-home-schoolers/ |access-date=2024-10-08 |newspaper=Washington Post |language=en-US |issn=0190-8286}}</ref>
==Teaching methods, forms and philosophies==
{{See also|Pedagogy}}
Homeschooling is usually conducted by a parent, tutor, or an online teacher,<ref>"Homeschool." Dictionary.com. Dictionary.com, 2015. Web. 3 June 2015. [http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/homeschool Dictionary.reference.com] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160302144400/http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/homeschool|date=2016-03-02}}</ref> but the concrete practice can vary widely. The spectrum ranges from highly structured forms based on traditional school lessons to more open, free forms like [[unschooling]],<ref>{{Cite web |last=Miller |first=Tyler |date=2014-10-15 |title=How Is Unschooling Different From Homeschooling? |url=https://www.noodle.com/articles/how-is-unschooling-different-from-homeschooling |access-date=2020-10-10 |website=www.noodle.com |language=en}}</ref> which is a [[curriculum]]-free implementation of homeschooling that involves teaching children based on their interests.<ref>{{Cite web|title=What Is Unschooling? A Parents Guide to Child-Led Home Education|url=https://www.parents.com/kids/education/home-schooling/what-is-unschooling-all-about-child-led-home-education/|access-date=2020-12-15|website=Parents|language=EN}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|title=Unschooling - letting children grow up without school or teachers|url=https://www.dpa-international.com/topic/unschooling-letting-children-grow-without-school-teachers-urn%3Anewsml%3Adpa.com%3A20090101%3A161024-99-923474|access-date=2020-12-15|website=dpa International|language=en|archive-date=2022-01-29|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220129061217/https://www.dpa-international.com/topic/unschooling-letting-children-grow-without-school-teachers-urn%3Anewsml%3Adpa.com%3A20090101%3A161024-99-923474|url-status=dead}}</ref><ref name=":10">{{Cite web|url=https://www.educationcorner.com/what-is-unschooling.html|title=What is Unschooling?|website=www.educationcorner.com|access-date=2019-03-18|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191224021627/https://www.educationcorner.com/what-is-unschooling.html|archive-date=2019-12-24|url-status=dead}}</ref>
Homeschool families can utilize a wide variety of educational methods and materials with a wide range of educational paradigms.<ref>{{cite web|date=2013-05-08|title=Informal learning, home education and homeschooling (home schooling)|url=https://infed.org/informal-learning-home-education-and-homeschooling-home-schooling/|access-date=2020-12-21|publisher=YMCA George Williams College}}</ref> Some of the concepts homeschoolers can incorporate include [[Classical education movement|classical education]] (including [[trivium (education)|Trivium]], [[Quadrivium]]), [[Charlotte Mason]] education, [[Montessori method|Montessori]], [[theory of multiple intelligences]], unschooling, [[Waldorf education|Waldorf]], school-at-home (curriculum choices from both secular and religious publishers), and [[A Thomas Jefferson Education]]. Homeschool educations may incorporate pre-made curriculum made up from private or small publishers, apprenticeship, hands-on-learning, distance learning (both online and correspondence), dual enrollment in local schools or colleges, and curriculum provided by local schools and many others.
A student's education may be customized to support his or her learning level, style, and interests.<ref>{{cite web |date=2023-12-11 |title=Top Reasons Parents Switch to Homeschool |url=https://www.powerhomeschool.org/articles/top-reasons-for-homeschooling/ |archive-url= |archive-date= |access-date=2024-09-18 |publisher=powerhomeschool.org}}</ref> It is not uncommon for a student to experience more than one approach as the family discovers what works best for their student. Some companies offer all-in-one homeschooling curricula. Purchased as a grade-level package or separately by subject, the package may contain all of the needed books, materials, tests, answer keys, and extensive teacher guides.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Homeschooling Approaches - School-at-Home |url=https://www.homeschool.com/Approaches/SchoolAtHome.asp |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170707155717/https://www.homeschool.com/Approaches/SchoolAtHome.asp |archive-date=2017-07-07 |access-date=2017-10-24 |website=www.homeschool.com}}</ref> However, many families use an eclectic approach, picking and choosing from various suppliers. For sources of [[curricula]] and books, a study found that 78 percent utilized "a public library"; 77 percent used "a homeschooling catalogue, publisher, or individual specialist"; 68 percent used "retail bookstore or another store"; 60 percent used "an education publisher that was not affiliated with homeschooling." "Approximately half" used curriculum from "a homeschooling organization", 37 percent from a "church, synagogue or other religious institution" and 23 percent from "their local public school or district." In 2003, 41 percent utilized some sort of [[distance learning]], approximately 20 percent by "television, video or radio"; 19 percent via "The Internet, e-mail, or the World Wide Web"; and 15 percent taking a "correspondence course by mail designed specifically for homeschoolers."<ref name="NCES">{{cite web|url=http://nces.ed.gov/pubs2006/homeschool/index.asp|title=Homeschooling in the United States: 2003 - Executive Summary|access-date=19 April 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160303200100/http://nces.ed.gov/pubs2006/homeschool/index.asp|archive-date=3 March 2016|url-status=live}}</ref>{{Clarify|reason=difficult to read list of statistics|date=August 2017}}
Individual governmental units, e.g. states and local districts, vary in official curriculum and attendance requirements.<ref name="HSLDA">{{cite web|url=http://www.hslda.org/hs/state/default.asp|title=HSLDA - Home Schooling-State|access-date=19 April 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160422230903/http://www.hslda.org/hs/state/default.asp|archive-date=22 April 2016|url-status=dead}}</ref>
=== Structured versus unstructured ===
Approaches to homeschooling fall under two categories: structured and unstructured. Structured homeschooling includes any method or style of home education that follows a basic curriculum with articulated goals and outcomes. This style attempts to imitate the structure of a traditional school setting while personalizing the curriculum. Unstructured homeschooling, also known as unschooling, is any form of home education where parents do not construct a curriculum at all. This method attempts to teach through the child's daily experiences and focuses more on self-directed learning by the child, free of textbooks, teachers, and any formal assessment of success or failure.<ref>{{cite journal |last1=Martin-Chang |first1=S. |last2=Gould |first2=O. N. |last3=& Meuse |first3=R. E. |year=2011 |title=The impact of schooling on academic achievement: Evidence from homeschooled and traditionally schooled students |journal=[[Canadian Journal of Behavioural Science]] |volume=43 |issue=3 |pages=195–202 |doi=10.1037/a0022697 |id={{ProQuest|878227015}}}}</ref>
===Unschooling and natural learning===
{{Main|Unschooling}}
The term '''unschooling''', coined by [[John Holt (educator)|John Holt]], describes an approach in which parents do not authoritatively direct the child's education, but interact with the child following the child's interests, leaving them free to explore and learn.<ref name="kwmzdt">{{cite web |title=A Conversation with John Holt - The Natural Child Project |url=http://www.naturalchild.org/guest/marlene_bumgarner.html |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170920222451/http://www.naturalchild.org/guest/marlene_bumgarner.html |archive-date=20 September 2017 |access-date=19 April 2016}}</ref><ref name="NCES" /> '''Natural learning''' refers to a type of learning-on-demand where children pursue knowledge based on their interests and parents take an active part in facilitating activities and experiences conducive to learning but do not rely heavily on textbooks or spend much time "teaching", looking instead for "learning moments" throughout their daily activities. Parents see their role as that of affirming through positive feedback and modeling the necessary skills, and the child's role as being responsible for asking and learning.<ref>{{cite encyclopedia |url=http://education.oxfordre.com/view/10.1093/acrefore/9780190264093.001.0001/acrefore-9780190264093-e-80|title=Self-Directed Education—Unschooling and Democratic Schooling|encyclopedia=Oxford Research Encyclopedia of Education |publisher=Oxford University Press |first=Peter|last=Gray|date=April 15, 2017|access-date=September 18, 2018|doi=10.1093/acrefore/9780190264093.013.80|isbn=9780190264093|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180919061756/http://education.oxfordre.com/view/10.1093/acrefore/9780190264093.001.0001/acrefore-9780190264093-e-80|archive-date=September 19, 2018|url-status=dead}}</ref>
Another prominent proponent of unschooling is [[John Taylor Gatto]], author of ''[[Dumbing Us Down]]'', ''The Exhausted School'', ''A Different Kind of Teacher'', and ''[[Weapons of Mass Instruction]]''. Gatto argues that public education is the primary tool of "state-controlled consciousness" and serves as a prime illustration of the [[total institution]] — a social system which impels obedience to the state and quells free-thinking or dissent.<ref>John Taylor Gatto, ''Weapons of Mass Instruction'' (Odysseus Group, 2008).</ref>
==== Informal learning ====
{{Main|Informal learning}}
'''Informal learning''' refers to the component of homeschooling which happens outside of the classroom. Informal learning is an everyday form of learning through participation and creation, in contrast with the traditional view of teacher-centered learning. The term is usually used synonymously with "non-formal learning" and "self-directed learning." Informal learning differs from traditional learning as there are no expected objectives or outcomes. From the learner's standpoint, the knowledge that they receive is not intentional. Activities such as planting a garden, baking a cake or even talking to a technician at work about the installation of new software can be considered informal learning: the individual is completing a task with different intentions but ends up learning skills in the process.<ref>{{Cite journal |last1=Livingstone |first1=D. W. |year=2006 |title=Informal Learning: Conceptual Distinctions and Preliminary Findings |journal=Counterpoints |language=en |volume=249 |pages=203–227 |jstor=42979596}}</ref> Children watching their tomato plants grow will not generate questions about photosynthesis but they will learn that their plants are growing with water and sunlight. This leads them to have a base understanding of complex scientific concepts without any background studying.<ref>{{Cite journal |last1=Crawford |first1=Elizabeth Outlaw |last2=Heaton |first2=Emily T. |last3=Heslop |first3=Karen |last4=Kixmiller |first4=Kassandra |year=2009 |title=Science Learning at Home Involving Families |journal=YC Young Children |language=en |volume=64 |issue=6 |pages=39–41 |jstor=42731048}}</ref>
Depending on the part of the world, informal learning can take on many different identities and has differing cultural importances. Many ways of organizing homeschooling draw on the model of apprenticeships and [[Learning through play|play-based learning]]. In some [[Homeschooling international status and statistics|South American indigenous cultures]], such as the [[Chillihuani]] community in Peru, children learn irrigation and farming technique through play, advancing them not only in their own village and society but also in their knowledge of realistic techniques that they will need to survive.<ref>{{Cite journal |last=Bolin |first=Inge |date=November 2006 |title=Growing up in a Culture of Respect: Child Rearing in Highland Peru |journal=Journal of Latin American Anthropology |volume=11 |issue=2 |pages=430–432 |doi=10.1525/jlca.2006.11.2.430 |issn=1085-7052}}</ref> In Western culture, children use informal learning in two main ways: through hands-on experience with new material, and by asking questions to someone who has more experience (i.e. parents, elders). The concept of informal learning depends on the inquisitiveness and interests of the child.<ref>{{Cite journal |last1=Legare |first1=Cristine H. |last2=Sobel |first2=David M. |last3=Callanan |first3=Maureen |date=October 2017 |title=Causal learning is collaborative: Examining explanation and exploration in social contexts |journal=Psychonomic Bulletin & Review |volume=24 |issue=5 |pages=1548–1554 |doi=10.3758/s13423-017-1351-3 |issn=1531-5320 |pmc=10409598 |pmid=28744768 |doi-access=free}}</ref>
==== Unit studies ====
In a '''unit study''' approach, multiple subjects such as math, science, history, art, and geography, are studied in relation to a single topic. Unit studies are useful for teaching multiple grades simultaneously as the difficulty level can be adjusted for each student. An extended form of unit studies, Integrated Thematic Instruction utilizes one central theme integrated throughout the curriculum so that students finish a school year with a deep understanding of a certain broad subject or idea.<ref>{{cite journal |last1=Randle |first1=Inga |date=1997 |title=The measure of success: Integrated Thematic Instruction |journal=The Clearing House |volume=71 |issue=2 |page=85 |doi=10.1080/00098659709599331}}</ref>
==== Autonomous learning ====
'''Autonomous learning''' is a school of [[education]] which sees learners as individuals who can and should be [[Wiktionary: autonomy|autonomous]]; i.e., be responsible for their own learning climate.
Autonomous education helps students develop their self-consciousness, vision, practicality, and freedom of discussion. These attributes serve to aid the student in his/her independent learning. However, a student must not start their autonomous learning completely on their own. It is said that first having interaction with someone who has more knowledge in a subject will speed up the student's learning and allow them to learn more independently.<ref>{{Cite journal|last=L. W. Chiu|first=Hazel|year=2012|title=Supporting the development of autonomous learning skills in reading and writing in an independent language learning centre.|url=https://sisaljournal.org/archives/sep12/chiu/?like=1&source=post_flair&_wpnonce=f5309b4960|journal=Studies in Self-Access Learning Journal|volume=3|pages=271–272|access-date=2016-11-28|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161129144127/https://sisaljournal.org/archives/sep12/chiu/?like=1&source=post_flair&_wpnonce=f5309b4960|archive-date=2016-11-29|url-status=dead}}</ref>
Some degree of autonomous learning is popular with those who home educate their children. In true autonomous learning, the child usually gets to decide what projects they wish to tackle or what interests to pursue. In-home education, this can be instead of or in addition to regular subjects like doing math or English.
=== Hybrid homeschooling ===
'''Hybrid homeschooling''' or '''flex-school'''<ref name=":9"/> is a form of homeschooling in which children split their time between homeschool and a more traditional schooling environment like a [[school]].<ref>{{Cite web|date=2019-12-10|title=Can Hybrid Home Schooling "Cross the Chasm?"|url=https://www.edchoice.org/engage/can-hybrid-home-schooling-cross-the-chasm/|access-date=2020-12-15|website=EdChoice|language=en-US}}</ref> The number of students who participated in hybrid homeschooling increased during the [[COVID-19 pandemic]].<ref>{{cite journal |last1=Musaddiq |first1=Tareena |last2=Strange |first2=Kevin |last3=Bacher-Hicks |first3=Andrew |last4=Goodman |first4=Joshua |title=The Pandemic's Effect on Demand for Public Schools, Homeschooling, and Private Schools |journal=The Journal of Public Economics |date=2022 |volume=212 |page=104710 |doi=10.1016/j.jpubeco.2022.104710|hdl=10419/245479 |hdl-access=free }}</ref>
A commonly cited reason for choosing this model is that parents are not sure whether they can provide their children a comprehensive and neutral education at home or cannot devote themselves to homeschooling full-time due to time constraints or excessive stress.<ref name=":12">{{Cite news|last=Lenz|first=Lyz|date=2020-08-18|title=A Family Looks Back on Their Hybrid Home-School Experience|language=en-US|work=The New York Times|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2020/08/18/parenting/homeschool-siblings.html|access-date=2020-12-15|issn=0362-4331}}</ref> Some families also want their children to socialize with other children and find that schools are better suited for this purpose because social exchange does not only take place occasionally, but is an everyday experience there.<ref name=":12"/>
==Homeschool cooperatives==
A homeschool cooperative is a [[cooperative]] of families who homeschool their children. It provides an opportunity for children to learn from other parents who are more specialized in certain areas or subjects. Co-ops also provide social interaction. They may take lessons together or go on field trips. Some co-ops also offer events such as [[prom]] and [[graduation]] for homeschoolers.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://californiahomeschool.net/howTo/highSchool.htm|title=CHN - Homeschool FAQ|website=californiahomeschool.net|access-date=2016-10-05|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161001004459/http://californiahomeschool.net/howTo/highSchool.htm|archive-date=2016-10-01|url-status=dead}}</ref>
Homeschoolers are beginning to utilize [[Web 2.0]] as a way to simulate homeschool cooperatives online. With [[social networks]], homeschoolers can chat, discuss threads in forums, share information and tips, and even participate in online classes via [[learning management systems]] similar to those used by colleges.<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.nheri.org/homeschool-technology-and-online-communication/|title=Homeschool Technology and Online Communication - National Home Education Research Institute|work=National Home Education Research Institute|access-date=2018-02-02|language=en-US}}{{Dead link|date=November 2018 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}</ref>
==Research on outcomes==
{{Globalize section|date=September 2024|United States}}
Research on homeschooling faces a number of challenges and limitations. The documentation and regulation of homeschooling in the United States is highly variable among states, with a minority of states administering any rigorous testing or record-keeping of homeschooled children; in eleven states, no record of homeschooled students is kept at all.<ref name=":4">{{Cite journal |last1=Kunzman |first1=Robert |last2=Gaither |first2=Milton |date=2013 |title=Homeschooling: A Comprehensive Survey of the Research |url=http://giftedhomeschoolers.org/wp-content/uploads/2013/04/10-219-1-PB.pdf |journal=The Journal of Educational Alternatives |volume=2 |issue=1 |pages=4–59 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161104133705/http://giftedhomeschoolers.org/wp-content/uploads/2013/04/10-219-1-PB.pdf |archive-date=2016-11-04}}</ref> As of 2022, virtually all research on homeschooling used [[convenience sampling]], leading to issues with selection bias. Homeschoolers as a demographic tend towards distrust of surveillance and institutions, making eliminating survey bias a challenge.<ref name=":4" /> Other common methodological problems commonly included the presence of [[confounding factor]]s such as [[socioeconomic status]] and parental involvement, over-reliance on parental testimony, and taking into account the timing and duration of homeschooling (many homeschoolers only do so for a few years).<ref name="valiente2022" /> Homeschooling research is often conducted on homeschooled children or their parents; surveys of adults who have been homeschooled are extremely limited.<ref name=":4" />
The majority of homeschool research in the United States is done with the support of the homeschool advocacy group, the [[Home School Legal Defense Association]] (HSLDA). A review of studies performed by prominent HSLDA-affiliated researcher Dr. Brian D. Ray found severe design limitations<ref name=":4" /> and demographic bias; nearly all subjects in his studies were [[White people|White]], [[Christians|Christian]], and from households with two [[Marriage|married]] parents who were more educated than average. Meanwhile, a 2016 federal survey of US homeschoolers found that over 40 percent of homeschoolers were not White, a majority had parents with less than a [[bachelor's degree]], and over one in five lived in poverty.<ref name=":3">{{Cite news |last=Meckler |first=Laura |date=11 December 2023 |title=How a true believer's flawed research helped legitimize home schooling |url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/education/2023/12/11/brian-ray-homeschool-student-outcomes/ |archive-url=https://archive.today/20240924210925/https://www.washingtonpost.com/education/2023/12/11/brian-ray-homeschool-student-outcomes/ |archive-date=24 September 2024 |newspaper=[[The Washington Post]]}}</ref>
In the [[United Kingdom|UK]], the government has noted that no figures are available on educational attainment for children educated at home: "This means no assessment can be made of the impact on educational attainment of being home schooled".<ref name="HoC">{{cite web |last1=Long |first1=Robert |last2=Danechi |first2=Shadi |date=2022 |title=Home education in England: Research Briefing 05108 |url=https://researchbriefings.files.parliament.uk/documents/SN05108/SN05108.pdf |access-date=28 November 2022 |publisher=House of Commons}}</ref>
===Academic===
Claims by homeschooling proponents that homeschoolers fare better than traditionally schooled children are insufficiently supported by data.<ref name=":11" />{{Rp|page=99}}<ref name=":4" /> With the studies available, a 2022 review found it was unable to offer firm conclusions because of these issues, but did not find systematic evidence of poor educational or social outcomes.<ref name="valiente2022" /> Another survey of studies related to homeschooling found that, controlling for demographic bias, homeschoolers were generally on par with non-homeschoolers, with a slight advantage in reading and writing, and a slight disadvantage in math.<ref name=":4" />
==== Parental class ====
A study conducted by Ray in 2010 indicates that the higher the level of parents' income, the more likely the homeschooled child is able to achieve academic success, which is in alignment with the correlation between income and achievement for students at conventional schools.<ref>Ray, Brian. (2010). Academic achievement and demographic traits of homeschool students: a nationwide study. ''Academic Leadership Live: The Online Journal'', 8(1).</ref> In one study of families with parents who had an average of 13 years of schooling, homeschooling was correlated with lower test scores, which was attributed to the relatively lower educational status of the parents in the sample group; meanwhile, in studies with highly educated parents, homeschooling for longer periods of time, on average, had no effect, positive or negative.<ref name=":4" /> A study which collected all homeschooling outcomes in Alaska (a state where homeschooling is extremely popular due to government financial incentives and support) found that low income students, students of color, and students with disabilities gained the most advantages when being homeschooled, while those from white, well-off families scored overall worse than their public school peers, and suffered the greatest disadvantage in math. This is notable as being the only study of homeschooling outcomes with a complete data set of all known homeschool children in a given population, which does not rely on volunteered information. However, the existence of a financial incentive to homeschool in Alaska does raise questions about the applicability of the results to other areas which do not have these programs in place.<ref>{{Cite web |last=CRHE |date=2020-08-25 |title=Advocacy Group Releases Groundbreaking Study on Homeschooling Outcomes |url=https://responsiblehomeschooling.org/advocacy-group-releases-groundbreaking-study-on-homeschooling-outcomes/ |access-date=2024-11-04 |website=Coalition for Responsible Home Education |language=en-US}}</ref>
==== Unschooling ====
Unschooled children tend to score significantly below traditionally educated children, and higher parental involvement and the use of a structured curriculum is strongly positively correlated with homeschooling outcomes, as with conventionally schooled students.<ref name="Martin-Chang">{{cite journal|last=Martin-Chang|first=Sandra|author2=Gould, O.N.|author3=Meuse, R.E.|title=The impact of schooling on academic achievement: Evidence from home-schooled and traditionally-schooled students|journal=Canadian Journal of Behavioural Science|year=2011|volume=43|issue=3|pages=195–202|doi=10.1037/a0022697|url=http://crdh.concordia.ca/researchers/Sandra_Martin-Chang.html|access-date=7 January 2013|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130212220421/http://crdh.concordia.ca/researchers/Sandra_Martin-Chang.html|archive-date=12 February 2013|url-status=dead}}</ref><ref name=":4" />
==== "Math gap" ====
A survey of educational outcomes for homeschool students found that homeschoolers consistently scored below the average in math, but with mixed or average results in reading and writing. The exact cause of this is not known, but researchers speculated that this was due to the nature of curricula, which often consisted of being read to or self-directed reading, and a lack of parental training in math.<ref name=":4" /><ref name=":8">{{Cite web |last=Coleman |first=Rachel |date=2014-09-02 |title=The Homeschool Math Gap: The Data |url=https://responsiblehomeschooling.org/the-homeschool-math-gap/ |access-date=2024-10-08 |website=Coalition for Responsible Home Education |language=en-US}}</ref> Homeschooled children have been found to be less self-motivated when studying math than reading or writing. This gap in competency has also been suggested as a reason why homeschoolers are less likely to pursue higher education.<ref name=":8" />
==== Higher education ====
Looking beyond high school, a study by the 1990 National Home Education Research Institute (as cited by Wichers, 2001) found that at least 33% of homeschooled students attended a four-year college, and 17% attended a two-year college<ref name=":13" /> (with the national average being 40% and 20%, respectively).<ref name=":8" /> This same study examined the students after one year, finding that 17% pursued higher education.<ref name=":13">Wichers, M. (2001). Homeschooling: adventitious or detrimental for proficiency in higher education. ''Education'', 122, 145–150</ref> A study by the [[Kentucky]] Office Of Education Accountability found that homeschooled students attended college or university within Kentucky at less than half the rate of other Kentucky high school graduates, with the academic outcomes of other homeschooled students being unknown.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Kentucky Office of Education Accountability |title=Homeschooling in Kentucky |url=https://apps.legislature.ky.gov/lrc/publications/ResearchReports/RR454.pdf}}</ref>
Although educational outcomes of homeschoolers are difficult to track, especially where homeschooled students are not required to be registered, home-schoolers tend to take standardized college admission tests such as the [[SAT]] at a disproportionately low rate, suggesting they may be underrepresented in higher education.<ref name=":8" />  Some homeschoolers averaged higher scores on college entrance tests in South Carolina.<ref>Homeschool Legal Defense Association. "Academic Statistics on Homeschooling." [http://www.hslda.org/docs/nche/000010/200410250.asp Hslda.org] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20050409185326/http://www.hslda.org/docs/nche/000010/200410250.asp|date=2005-04-09}}</ref> Other scores (1999 data) showed mixed results, for example showing higher levels for homeschoolers in English (homeschooled 23.4 vs national average 20.5) and reading (homeschooled 24.4 vs national average 21.4) on the ACT, but mixed scores in math (homeschooled 20.4 vs national average 20.7 on the ACT as opposed to homeschooled 535 vs national average 511 on the 1999 SAT math).<ref>{{Cite news |author=Daniel Golden |date=11 February 2000 |title=Home-Schooled Kids Defy Stereotypes, Ace SAT Test |url=http://www.oakmeadow.com/resources/articles/WSJArticle.htm |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100118013315/http://www.oakmeadow.com/resources/articles/WSJArticle.htm |archive-date=January 18, 2010 |work=The Wall Street Journal}}</ref>
For those homeschoolers who do pursue higher education, their GPA tends to be higher.<ref name=":8" /> Cogan (2010) found that homeschooled students at a doctoral program had higher high school GPAs (3.74) and transfer GPAs (3.65) than conventional students.<ref>Cogan, F. (2010). Exploring academic outcomes of homeschooled students. ''Journal of College Admission'', 208, 18–25</ref> Snyder (2013) provided corroborating evidence that homeschoolers at a Catholic university were outperforming their peers in the areas of standardized tests and overall GPAs.<ref>Snyder, Marc. (2013). An evaluative study of the academic achievement of homeschooled students versus traditionally schooled students attending a Catholic university. ''Catholic Education: A Journal of Inquiry and Practice March'', 16, 288–308</ref> A limited amount of data exists that homeschoolers in college were much less likely than their peers to pursue degrees in [[Science, technology, engineering, and mathematics|STEM]] topics, and more likely to pursue creative degrees, which may be attributed to the "math gap" discussed above.<ref name=":8" />
There is some evidence from 2009 that home-educated children in the UK are more likely to be [[NEET]], Not in Employment, Education or Training, at age 16 to 18.<ref name="HoC" />
===Social===
Due to its qualitative nature and reliance on parental or self-assessment, the social outcomes of homeschooling are challenging to determine, despite being a major criticism of homeschooling as a phenomenon, and the quality of existing studies on this topic is poor, due to subject-typical problems with demographic bias.<ref name=":4" />{{Rp|page=20}}
Homeschooled children have been found to score higher than average in [[self-concept]], a metric correlated to positive social outcomes.<ref name="Taylor">[https://digitalcommons.andrews.edu/dissertations/726/ Self-Concept in home-schooling children], John Wesley Taylor V, Ph.D., Andrews University, Berrien Springs, MI</ref> NHERI researcher Richard G. Medlin found that homeschooled children sampled from Christian homeschool co-ops self-reported higher in cooperation, assertiveness, empathy, and self-control than a random sample of children attending public schools.<ref>{{Cite journal |last=Medlin |first=Richard G. |year=2006 |title=Homeschooled Children's Social Skills |url=https://files.eric.ed.gov/fulltext/ED573486.pdf |journal=Home School Researcher |publisher=National Home Education Research Institute |volume=17 |issue=1 |pages=1–8 |via=ERIC}}</ref> A study of the social connections of homeschooled children found that homeschoolers had an equal number of social connections as their peers, but that those connections had a larger range of ages.<ref name=":4" /> A review of studies on the topic found that while homeschoolers were slightly more likely to report feelings of social isolation and be less peer-oriented, this may have fostered a greater sense of independence and self-determination as well.<ref name=":4" />
Homeschooled youth are less likely to use illicit substances and are more likely to disapprove of using alcohol and marijuana.<ref>{{Cite journal |last1=Vaughn |first1=Michael G. |last2=Salas-Wright |first2=Christopher P. |last3=Kremer |first3=Kristen P. |last4=Maynard |first4=Brandy R. |last5=Roberts |first5=Greg |last6=Vaughn |first6=Sharon |year=2015 |title=Are homeschooled adolescents less likely to use alcohol, tobacco, and other drugs? |journal=Drug and Alcohol Dependence |volume=155 |pages=97–104 |doi=10.1016/j.drugalcdep.2015.08.010 |pmc=4652803 |pmid=26338482}}</ref>
Although a large proportion of parents cited religion as their primary reason for homeschooling, a 2008 survey found that homeschooling had no effect on the religious behavior or affiliation of children, with parents holding the same degree of influence over their children regardless of their schooling method.<ref name=":4" />
Homeschooled students are more likely to vote than average, and homeschooled families were found to be more politically involved than those who did not homeschool.<ref name=":4" />
===Child abuse and neglect===
Some studies suggest homeschooled children are less likely to experience [[sexual abuse]] than children in public schools, while others find no or mixed results.<ref>{{Cite web|title=Child Abuse and Neglect Fatalities Not Correlated with Homeschooling|url=https://www.nheri.org/child-abuse-and-neglect-fatalities-not-correlated-with-homeschooling/|access-date=2020-12-02|website=National Home Education Research Institute|date=22 January 2018 |language=en-US}}</ref>
After the death by abuse of homeschooled [[Autism|autistic]] teen Matthew Tirado, a Connecticut study was done to investigate the prevalence of neglect and abuse among homeschooled families. It found that 38% of children withdrawn from school to be homeschooled lived in families with one or more reports of abuse or neglect to the Department of Children and Families.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Office of the Child Advocate of the State of Connecticut |date=26 April 2018 |title=Examining Connecticut's Safety Net for Children Withdrawn from School for the Purpose of Homeschooling—Supplemental Investigation To OCA's December 12 2017 Report Regarding the Death of Matthew Tirado |url=https://portal.ct.gov/-/media/oca/ocamemohomeschooling4252018pdf.pdf |website=State of Connecticut}}</ref> In 1990, homeschool lobbyists defeated a proposed [[Florida]] law which would have required parents to be run against a [[Sex offender registry|child abuse registry]] before being allowed to homeschool their children.<ref>{{Cite news |last=Goldberg |first=Michelle |date=2013-09-20 |title=The Sinister Side of Homeschooling |url=https://www.thedailybeast.com/the-sinister-side-of-homeschooling |access-date=2024-09-30 |work=The Daily Beast |language=en}}</ref> In the United States, only two states, [[Pennsylvania]] and [[Arkansas]], prevent convicted child abusers and sex offenders from homeschooling.
=== Adulthood ===
Research on the long-term outcomes of homeschooled adults is severely lacking. An HSLDA survey, distributed by [[Evangelical christian|Evangelical Christian]] homeschooling networks, found extremely positive outcomes for homeschooled adults. A random survey of religious young adults found that those who were homeschooled got married younger, had fewer children, and divorced more frequently other religious adults, controlled for background variables. The homeschool cohort reported lower SAT scores, less time in college, and higher rates of feeling helplessness about life and lack of direction.<ref name=":4" /> In a survey of homeschooled adults, the majority of respondents reported satisfaction with their homeschool experience, although some factors were strongly correlated with lower satisfaction in various areas. For instance, those who were offered fewer opportunities to socialize with peers reported significantly lower preparedness for adult life, and those who reported their parents as [[Christian fundamentalism|Christian fundamentalists]] reported higher rates of abuse and lower quality of academic instruction. The prevalence of mental health problems was roughly on par with the general populace.<ref>{{Cite web |title=The HARO Survey of Homeschool Alumni |url=https://responsiblehomeschooling.org/research-old/haro-survey/ |access-date=2024-11-04 |website=Coalition for Responsible Home Education |language=en-US}}</ref>
==Legality and prevalence==
{{Main|Homeschooling international status and statistics}}
==Criticism ==
Critics of homeschooling point to methodological problems with the studies on homeschooling that have been done, which are typically based on non-representative convenience samples.<ref name=valiente2022/>
Some organizations of teachers and school districts resist homeschooling. The [[National Education Association]], a United States [[labor union|teachers' union]] and [[professional association]], has asserted that teachers should be licensed and that state-approved curricula should be used.<ref>{{cite web |last=Lines |first=Patricia M. |title=Homeschooling |url=http://www.kidsource.com/kidsource/content2/homeschooling.k12.3.html |publisher=Kidsource |url-status=bot: unknown |access-date=13 September 2013 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160101025239/http://www.kidsource.com/kidsource/content2/homeschooling.k12.3.html |archive-date=1 January 2016}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|last1=Lips|first1=Dan|last2=Feinberg|first2=Evan|title=Homeschooling: A Growing Option in American Education|url=http://www.heritage.org/research/reports/2008/04/homeschooling-a-growing-option-in-american-education|publisher=Heritage Foundation|date=2008-04-03|url-status=bot: unknown|access-date=13 September 2013|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130806091432/http://www.heritage.org/research/reports/2008/04/homeschooling-a-growing-option-in-american-education|archive-date=6 August 2013}}</ref> [[Elizabeth Bartholet]], a [[Harvard University]] professor of law and faculty director of the Law School's Child Advocacy Program, recommended a ban on home education in 2019, calling it a risky practice.<ref name="EB">{{cite news |last1=O'Donnell |first1=Erin |date=May 2020 |title=The Risks of Homeschooling |url=https://www.harvardmagazine.com/2020/05/right-now-risks-homeschooling |access-date=January 1, 2022}}</ref>
Gallup polls of American voters showed a significant change in attitude from 1985 to 2001, with respondents going from 73% opposed to homeschooling to 54% opposed.<ref>{{cite web |title=ERIC/CEM - School Choice Discussion |url=http://eric.uoregon.edu/trends_issues/choice/home_schooling.html |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071114144844/http://eric.uoregon.edu/trends_issues/choice/home_schooling.html |archive-date=14 November 2007 |access-date=19 April 2016}}</ref><ref>{{cite journal |last=Rose |first=Lowell C. |author2=Alec M. Gallup |author3=Stanley M. Elam |date=1997 |title=The 29th Annual Phi Delta Kappa/Gallup Poll of the Public's Attitudes Toward the Public Schools |journal=Phi Delta Kappan |series=1 |volume=79 |pages=41–56}}</ref> In 1988, when asked whether parents should have a right to choose homeschooling, 53 percent thought that they should, as revealed by another poll.<ref>{{cite journal |last=Gallup |first=Alec M. |author2=Elam M. Stanley |date=1988 |title=The 20th Annual Gallup Poll of the Public's Attitudes Toward the Public Schools |journal=Phi Delta Kappan |volume=70 |issue=1 |pages=33–46}}</ref>
There is also concern that homeschooling reduces a child's exposure to [[mandated reporter]]s such as teachers, making children more susceptible to sustained, unreported abuse.<ref name="EB" /> While there is not enough data to determine exact rates of abuse in homeschooling there is, however, strong evidence to suggest that parents who engage in maltreatment and educational neglect are more likely to use homeschooling as a guise.<ref>{{Cite journal |last=Webster |first=Rebecca |date=2013-05-16 |title=The Relationship Between Homeschooling and Child Abuse |url=https://digitalcommons.cwu.edu/source/2013/oralpresentations/137 |journal=Symposium of University Research and Creative Expression (SOURCE)}}</ref>
The vast majority of homeschoolers are doing so for religious reasons. They are primarily concerned with producing "virtuous" adults, rather than "educated" adults.<ref>{{Citation |last=Kunzman |first=Rob |title=Homeschooling Curriculum |date=2022-05-30 |url=http://dx.doi.org/10.4324/9781138609877-ree72-1 |access-date=2023-01-24 |publisher=Routledge |doi=10.4324/9781138609877-ree72-1}}</ref> Political scientist [[Rob Reich]] speculated in ''The Civic Perils of Homeschooling'' (2002) that homeschooling could threaten to "insulate students from exposure to diverse ideas and people."<ref>Reich, Rob. (2002). ''The Civic Perils of Homeschooling''. Educational Leadership. 59(7). p 56.</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=The Civic Perils of Homeschooling |url=https://www.ascd.org/el/articles/the-civic-perils-of-homeschooling |website=ASCD}}</ref>
==See also==
{{div col|colwidth=22em}}
* [[Homeschooling international status and statistics]]
* [[Alternative education]]
* [[History of education]]
* [[Home education in the United Kingdom]]
* [[Home School Legal Defense Association]]
* [[Homeschooling and alternative education in India]]
* [[Homeschooling and distance education in Australia]]
* [[Homeschooling during the COVID-19 pandemic]]
* [[Homeschooling in Canada]]
* [[Homeschooling in New Zealand]]
* [[Homeschooling in South Africa]]
* [[Homeschooling in the United States]]
* [[Informal learning]]
* [[List of homeschooling programmes]]
{{div col end}}
==References==
{{Reflist|30em}}
==Further reading==
* {{Cite book |last=Holt |first=John |author-link=John Holt (educator) |orig-year=1976 |year=2004 |title=Instead of Education: Ways to Help People Do Things Better|location=Boulder, CO |publisher=Sentient Publications |isbn=978-1-59181-009-4 }}
==External links==
{{Wiktionary}}
{{Wikiquote}}
{{commons category}}
{{wikisource}}
* [http://www.cato.org/pubs/pas/pa-294.html A history of the modern homeschool movement], from the [[Cato Institute]].
* [http://www.nheri.org/ National Home Education Research Institute (NHERI)]. NHERI produces research about homeschooling and sponsors the peer-reviewed academic journal Homeschool Researcher.
* [https://www.britannica.com/topic/homeschooling "Homeschooling"] in the ''[[Encyclopædia Britannica]]'', written by [[Pat Farenga]].
{{Education}}
{{Homeschooling|state=expanded}}
{{Parenting}}
{{Authority control}}
[[Category:Homeschooling| ]]