Homeschooling Success

Hundreds of thousands of families have taken the homeschool plunge. So, we have to ask – are you considering diving head first into the waters? Maybe we can entice you with some (very) impressive stats on how successful homeschooling can be.

Overall Success of Homeschooling

Did you know that homeschool students typically score 15 to 30 percentile points above their public school counterparts on standardized achievement tests? They do! In fact:

Homeschool students score above average on achievement tests regardless of their parents’ level of education or their family’s household income.
Having a homeschool parent with a teaching credential vs. one without, does not have an impact (so yes, you can teach your child just as well, or better than a certified teacher).
In addition to standard achievement test, homeschool students typically score above average on the SAT and ACT tests.

A study published in July 2010, by Dr. Michael Cogan, studied homeschool students at one Mid-west college. Dr. Cogan found that homeschooled students maintained a higher GPA through-out their college years (a 3.46 average compared to their counterparts with 3.16 average), and homeschoolers had a higher graduation rate (66.7% compared to 57.5%).

Socialization

Homeschool students participate in LOTS of social and educational activities outside the home. These include field trips, 4-H, volunteer work, sports, mentoring experiences, and more. Homeschoolers definitely know how to socialize! And of course, there are studies to prove it!

One such study – Thomas Smedley’s Master’s thesis on “The Socialization of Homeschool Children” found that homeschooled children are better socialized and more mature than their public school counterparts. “In the public school system, children are socialized horizontally, and temporarily, into conformity with their immediate peers. Home educators seek to socialize their children vertically, toward responsibility, service, and adulthood.”