Tuesday, July 30, 2013

The education mess...

 From Education News...

As the dissatisfaction with the U.S. education system among parents grows, so does the appeal of homeschooling. Since 1999, the number of children who are being homeschooled has increased by 75% in all states including Arizona, Texas, and California. Although currently only 4% of all school children nationwide are educated at home, the number of primary school kids whose parents choose to forgo traditional education is growing seven times faster than the number of kids enrolling in K-12 every year.

Any concerns expressed about the quality of education offered to the kids by their parents can surely be put to rest by the consistently high placement of homeschooled kids on standardized assessment exams. Data shows that those who are independently educated typically score between 65th and 89th percentile on such exams, while those attending traditional schools average on the 50th percentile. Furthermore, the achievement gaps, long plaguing school systems around the country, aren’t present in homeschooling environment. There’s no difference in achievement between sexes, income levels or race/ethnicity.

    Recent studies laud homeschoolers’ academic success, noting their significantly higher ACT-Composite scores as high schoolers and higher grade point averages as college students. Yet surprisingly, the average expenditure for the education of a homeschooled child, per year, is $500 to $600, compared to an average expenditure of $10,000 per child, per year, for public school students.

College recruiters from the best schools in the United States aren’t slow to recognize homeschoolers’ achievements. Those from non-traditional education environments matriculate in colleges and attain a four-year degree at much higher rates than their counterparts from public and even private schools. Homeschoolers are actively recruited by schools like the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Harvard University, Stanford University and Duke.

Nor do homeschoolers miss out on the so-called socialization opportunities, something considered a vital part of a traditional school environment and lacking in those who don’t attend regular schools. On the contrary, those educated at home by their parents tend to be more socially engaged than their peers, and according to the National Home Education Research Institute survey, demonstrate “healthy social, psychological, and emotional development, and success into adulthood.”

Based on recent data, researchers such as Dr. Brian Ray (NHERI.org) “expect to observe a notable surge in the number of children being homeschooled in the next 5 to 10 years. The rise would be in terms of both absolute numbers and percentage of the K to 12 student population. This increase would be in part because . . . [1] a large number of those individuals who were being home educated in the 1990s may begin to homeschool their own school-age children and [2] the continued successes of home-educated students.”


My comments...

I did not homeschool anyone nor was I homeschooled.  But it appears as if people are not choosing to homeschool because it is such a great option.  They are running from our schools and the education mess all around us and choosing to homeschool out of desperation.  It does not matter how much money we throw at schools and how many tests we make our kids take.  There are other factors more significant that the per child expenditure or the testing requirements of state and federal educational programs.  It would seem to be a ripe opportunity for Lutheran schools to shine but it seems that Lutheran schools are declining more than thriving and more closing than opening.  I have no super wisdom here.  Only the lament of one who wishes we could figure out how to do better for our children.  Truth to be told part of the reason homeschooled children do so well is that they have the benefit of families who are willing to do whatever is required to provide for the best education for their children.  I have to say that again the decline of the family is the hidden problem in our education mess... not the only one but perhaps the most significant!!


As the dissatisfaction with the U.S. education system among parents grows, so does the appeal of homeschooling. Since 1999, the number of children who are being homeschooled has increased by 75% in all states including Arizona, Texas, and California. Although currently only 4% of all school children nationwide are educated at home, the number of primary school kids whose parents choose to forgo traditional education is growing seven times faster than the number of kids enrolling in K-12 every year. - See more at: http://www.educationnews.org/parenting/number-of-homeschoolers-growing-nationwide/#sthash.cJclUTkv.dpuf

As the dissatisfaction with the U.S. education system among parents grows, so does the appeal of homeschooling. Since 1999, the number of children who are being homeschooled has increased by 75% in all states including Arizona, Texas, and California. Although currently only 4% of all school children nationwide are educated at home, the number of primary school kids whose parents choose to forgo traditional education is growing seven times faster than the number of kids enrolling in K-12 every year.
Any concerns expressed about the quality of education offered to the kids by their parents can surely be put to rest by the consistently high placement of homeschooled kids on standardized assessment exams. Data shows that those who are independently educated typically score between 65th and 89th percentile on such exams, while those attending traditional schools average on the 50th percentile. Furthermore, the achievement gaps, long plaguing school systems around the country, aren’t present in homeschooling environment. There’s no difference in achievement between sexes, income levels or race/ethnicity.
Recent studies laud homeschoolers’ academic success, noting their significantly higher ACT-Composite scores as high schoolers and higher grade point averages as college students. Yet surprisingly, the average expenditure for the education of a homeschooled child, per year, is $500 to $600, compared to an average expenditure of $10,000 per child, per year, for public school students.
College recruiters from the best schools in the United States aren’t slow to recognize homeschoolers’ achievements. Those from non-traditional education environments matriculate in colleges and attain a four-year degree at much higher rates than their counterparts from public and even private schools. Homeschoolers are actively recruited by schools like the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Harvard University, Stanford University and Duke.
Nor do homeschoolers miss out on the so-called socialization opportunities, something considered a vital part of a traditional school environment and lacking in those who don’t attend regular schools. On the contrary, those educated at home by their parents tend to be more socially engaged than their peers, and according to the National Home Education Research Institute survey, demonstrate “healthy social, psychological, and emotional development, and success into adulthood.”
Based on recent data, researchers such as Dr. Brian Ray (NHERI.org) “expect to observe a notable surge in the number of children being homeschooled in the next 5 to 10 years. The rise would be in terms of both absolute numbers and percentage of the K to 12 student population. This increase would be in part because . . . [1] a large number of those individuals who were being home educated in the 1990s may begin to homeschool their own school-age children and [2] the continued successes of home-educated students.”
- See more at: http://www.educationnews.org/parenting/number-of-homeschoolers-growing-nationwide/#sthash.cJclUTkv.dpuf

5 comments:

Anonymous said...

You wrote:

"It would seem to be a ripe opportunity for Lutheran schools to shine but it seems that Lutheran schools are declining more than thriving and more closing than opening."

Money. In this economy, many families cannot afford the $3500-$4,000 tuition per child, per year, at an LCMS grade school. Sad, but true.

If one parent stays home - And this is easy to do if one parent cannot find a decent job and must stay home, then $600 per child is a bargain.

Too bad that government allows public schools to become dirty, run-down, violent cesspools. Test scores? Who cares. They are worthless. There is no correlation between test scores and actual math and reading levels. No one talks about math and reading levels anymore. Sad.

Anonymous said...

Perhaps the LCMS could come up with a distance-based, home schooling initiative that could compete with traditional home schooling. Start it in geographical areas where it has been demonstrated that traditional "brick and mortar" LCMS grade and high schools cannot survive.

Another project for Higher Things?

Dr.D said...

The decline in LCMS schools is indeed a sad thing. As Pastor Peters has observed, the current situation, and the way parents are reacting to it, should be a golden opportunity for Lutheran schools.

I agree with the previous poster who said that MONEY was the problem. Most Lutheran schools are beyond the reach, economically, for most parents. This is truly a shame. It is a marvelous opportunity for evangelism, catechism, and true education.

I would like to relate a true story from my own past, long ago. In one of my many career moves, I made a move from TX to Bethlehem, PA. I had a small daughter, age 6, just starting school. She got in about 3 weeks in TX before we made the move. I was not pleased with what I had learned about the Bethlehem school system, so I wanted to consider private education for her.

Not far from the apartment we rented we found St. Ann's Catholic Church & School. I went over to see the Sister in charge of the school, and she briefed me on their rules, dress code, etc. When we were drawing to a close, I said, "Sister, you still have not told me how much your school charges." She replied, "There is no tuition. If you will send your child, we will do the rest." I explained that we were not RC, would not be a part of their congregation, etc., but she persisted. There was no charge. My daughter go her first year in that Church school entirely free (except that we had to pay for uniforms, etc.) I was simply amazed, but that was 1973.

Fr. D+

Unknown said...

Fr. Peters,

Your last comment struck me about how the demise of the family causes the education mess. You're absolutely right.

I teach now in a private school, but I have public school experience too. The subject I teach is Latin and Classics so I teach a very small percentage of the school. In fact, what I teach is so specialized that it is only taught in 9 public and private schools in the entire state of NEbraska and all in the Omaha Metro area. Most people cannot afford the tuition at the private school I teach or our competitor. But, every year at state convention, my school as well as the other private and public schools are equally matched by a group of homeschoolers. No matter how well I prepare my students, they're always better. Of course, a lot of that has to do with time (I only have x minutes in a week with them). But the thing I notice even more is that the parents of these students show up in droves. One or two parents of my students may show up and usually only for the awards at the end, but they all come for the whole thing. It's remarkable. And I think it explains why the homeschooled kids do so well, because their parents take an active interest in evrything they do and that includes sports.

I can't condemn all parents who miss out on their kids' activities. having taught in public schools, I knew a lot of parents who could never come to conferences or their kids' activities simply because they were walking 2 or more jobs just to make sure they had food and clothes and a roof over their heads.

It's a sad situation for this country and for the many private schools who give better results for less money spent. Vouchers are a partial answer, but most politicians won't touch that.--Chris

Anonymous said...

I will tell you why I homeschooled. I just wanted to be with my kids. That is it. I didn't need the money from a job. My son was in a good Lutheran school. I just wanted to be with him. What is the point of being well to do, if you have to spend your time and money on what other people want you to do? Some people want a beach house, fancy vacations and fancy cars and self actualizing careers. I just wanted to be with my kids. I don't think the education is any better than the Lutheran school. But I got thousands of hours with him. It is a wonderful way to spend your life.