Triangle Home Schooling
When considering the education of their children, more and more parents are taking a serious look at home schooling.
What makes the parents of more than 1.1 million children in America decide to home-school their children?
These parents have weighed the pros and cons, compared the options and costs of public and private schools to home schooling, considered their own costs of large amounts of time, and decided it was a viable option. Home schooling affords a positive, protected educational environment where the curriculum can be just as stringent but freely integrate the faith and moral beliefs of parents. And the quantity time invested becomes the quality time a parent may spend affirming and demonstrating love, through one-on-one attention from parent to child.
Is it more costly than other alternatives?
The average annual cost for home schooling is less than $3,200, but some parents find ways to spend significantly less. In 2000, private schools cost on average about $8,500 annually per student, and even parochial school cost an average $4,200 annually per student.
How do home schooled children compare statistically with children from a traditional school system?
Home schooled children scored at least 20 percentile points higher than their more traditionally educated counterparts in reading and math. What about college entrance? In 2000, the average SAT score for home schooled children was about 80 points higher than the general population.
These answers make home schooling quite an attractive option for parents who can afford to stay home to educate their own children.
References:
www.uhea.org
nces.ed.gov
www.ncpa.org
www.issues2000.org
www.ncea.org
www.census.gov
www.homefires.com
Starting Home Schooling
STEP I ........NOTIFY THE STATE
A. North Carolina Division of Non-Public Education, 919- 733-4276, www.ncdnpe.org
B. File “Notice of Intent to Operate a School”
C. Proof of academic instructor’s high school diploma
D. Proof of at least 9 months of regular schedule
STEP II ........LOCAL SUPPORT GROUPS
A. North Carolinians for Home Education, 919-790-1100, www.nche.com
B. Cary Homeschoolers, 919-363-6661, www.caryhomeschoolers.com
C. Chapel Hill Homeschoolers, www.chapelhillhomeschoolers.com
STEP III ......CURRICULUM OPTIONS
A. Traditional Text Books – graded for each subject, common in institutional schools
– A Beka (800)874-BEKA – Christian, patriotic, conservative
– Calvert (410)785-3400 – Secular, relaxed, tutorial method
B. Early Academics-early age reading, writing, arithmetic; uses visual aids, and manipulatives
– Bob Jones (800)845-5731 – Christian, patriotic, conservative
– Christian Liberty Academy (847)259-4444 – wide curriculum program, texts chosen to achievement level
C. Workbooks/Programmed Learning – workbooks with projects, sequence of facts for immediate feedback
– School of Tomorrow (800)925-7777 – designed for independent student work, Biblical perspectives throughout material
– Alpha Omega (800)622-3070 – diagnostic tests for student placement, CD-ROM and correspondence versions available, Bible centered
D. Unit Study – subjects centered around common theme, no math or language program
– Konos (336)887-2045 – emphasizes discovery learning, Christian perspective, character trait based
– Advanced Training Institute (630)323-2842 – Bible centered family program, requires reporting/attending the Institute, emphasizes life-training and character development
STEP IV ......STANDARDIZED ACHIEVEMENT TESTS – many support groups organize testing
A. California Achievement Test
– Crosspointe Educational Services 919-577-1238
– Thurber’s Educational Assessments 919-967-5282
B. Iowa Test of Basic Skills
– Piedmont Education Services (336)924-2493
STEP V........MAGAZINES AND NEWSLETTERS
Greenhouse Report
www.nche.com
Homeschooling Today
(970)493-2716
www.homeschooltoday.com
Home Education Magazine
(800)236-3278
www.home-ed-magazine.com
The Teaching Home
(503)253-9633
www.teachinghome.com
