Are Homeschooled Kids at a Disadvantage?

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Most discussions about whether homeschooling is better or worse than traditional institutional education rely on subjective opinions. A great deal of empirical research, however, is available to show that homeschooling does not disadvantage children and often benefits them greatly.

Homeschooling gives parents the ability to tailor the education to the needs of each student, addressing that child’s learning issues and learning styles. Parents are not limited to traditional curriculum and classroom styles nor do they need to worry about the needs of 29 other children. They can try a combination of approaches, materials and methods and choose those to which their child responds best and which are best suited to that child’s unique needs. Children who need more challenge can tackle more advanced material than their age peers, which can reduce the boredom that often leads to gifted children underachieving. The California Association for the Gifted, an organization of educators and parents focused on meeting the needs of gifted and talented students, primarily those in public schools, adopted a position paper in 2004 that supports homeschooling, in part because of the ability parents have to meet their children’s unique needs. And children with significant learning issues can receive the extra help that can ensure success; parents are unlikely to leave a child behind. Most conventional schools have a teacher-to-student ratio that does not permit customizing a child’s education this way. For children whose needs are not met by traditional institutions, homeschooling can increase the chances that they will receive an appropriate education.