Home-schooling is often perceived as the ultimate privatization of education, because parents must secure funding, choose curriculum content, and determine how to grade and progress their child. Home-schooling occurs when a family decides to teach their child at home and a parent assumes responsibility for the formal instruction of his or her child.
| For further reading on the development and character of home-schooling see the following NCSPE articles: |
| Occasional Paper 48: Nemer, Kariane Mari. 2002. “Understudied Education: Toward Building A Home-Schooling Research Agenda.” http://www.ncspe.org/publications_files/114_OP48.pdf |
| Occasional Paper 62: Belfield, Clive. 2002. “The characteristics of Home-Schoolers: New Evidence from High Schools.” http://www.ncspe.org/publications_files/932_OP62_v2.pdf |
| Occasional Paper 64: Isenberg, Eric. 2002. “Home Schooling: School Choice and Women’s Time Use.” http://www.ncspe.org/publications_files/406_OP64.pdf |
Why is home-schooling controversial?
Home-schooling has become an attractive choice for families that hold values not promoted in public schools or existing private schools. Families may home-school to teach religious beliefs and alternative values. This agenda may make educators and politicians nervous, especially when home-schoolers avoid other tasks of public education, such as citizenship preparation. In addition, recent plans have used public money to fund home-schools. Both California and Alaska allow home-school charter schools, while charter schools that use the internet to instruct students are popular with home-school parents. The potential advantages and disadvantages of home-schooling are listed below.
What are the possible advantages of home-schooling?
- Individual Attention. Unlike in a large classroom setting, home-schooled children receive the full attention of their parental teacher.
- Greater flexibility. With limited students, a parent can design a curriculum that addresses the specific talents and needs of each child.
- Reduced Peer Pressure. Public education often encourages unhealthy forms of competition among students. Home-schooling allows students to focus on learning.
- Promotes Family. Many people believe parents have the right to promote core beliefs and values in their children. Home-schooling enables this process.
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Reprinted with the permission of the National Center for the Study of Privatization in Education.
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