Reply #32: answering a few home school questions

[BigEdMustapha]

1. It depends on what state you are in as to weather or not the kids are monitored or tested by the local school district. I live in Texas (where my wife and I home school our two boys) and there are no requirements for us to even inform the school district that we are homeschooling.

2. The only statistics published recently regarding homeschooling performance versus public school kids were conducted and released by the Home School Legal Defense Foundation (HSLDA) which is a very right-wing group. I don't trust the statistics for one main reason - most of the home school parents have to volunteer to have their kids tested to be compared against public school kids - so of course parents like you mention are not going to have their kids tested. So the numbers are suspect at best.

3. I would certainly refuse any voucher or government money when it comes to homeschooling my kids - the moment you start taking money from them, you simply become part of the system. The whole reason we home school is to get away from the ridiculous testing the conduct nonstop. So I'll pass on vouchers or govt funds because it will likely come with the requirements of testing and oversight.