Home Schooling

       When it comes to achievement tests, homeschoolers continue to equal and surpass public school-educated kids in every state.

       Michael Smith of the Homeschool Legal Defense Association says part of the reason is environmental. He says educators agree that there are four keys in a good learning situation: small class size, individual attention, a disciplined, loving environment, and parental involvement.

        "If those are the four keys," Smith says, "I think we see why the homeschoolers are doing pretty well because they're majoring in all four."

       Smith points to those reasons as why he feels homeschoolers will continue to outpace public school students.

       Smith also says that many public school advocates who object to homeschooling say that parents who choose to homeschool their kids do not have the experience as educators upon which to build. But he says that is not the case since many homeschoolers have learned to network together, where there is plenty of experience.

        "There are moms in those networks who have been there for 10 and 12 years. They have tried every curriculum that's out there," he says. "They can save a lot of headaches, a lot of trial-and error by being involved in a support group."

       Smith says homeschoolers never have to "go it alone" anymore. He says there are plenty of helps for the parents who no longer trust the public educational system.