20,760 home school
students in 11,930 families were administered either the Test of Basic Skills (ITBS) or the Test of Achievements
and Proficiency (TAP). The ITBS reflects more than 50 years of test development experience and research on measuring
achievement and critical thinking skills in Reading, Language, Arts, Mathematics, Social Studies, Science, and Information Sources. The TAP measure skills and standards important to growth across the high school curriculum.
The median scores for home school students are well above their public/private counterparts in every subject and in every grade. Especially in the higher grade levels. The gap starts to widen in grade five.
By 8th grade, the median scores of home school students is almost four grade equivalents above that of students nationwide in public/private schools. Students who are home schooled for their entire academic life do better than students who have been home schooled for only a few years. Home school parents have more formal education than the general population. Home school families span all income levels. A very large percentage of home school parents are certified to teach. Almost one out of every four home school student has at least one parent who is a certified teacher. Home school students are able to progress through instructional material at the student’s rate. Thus, it is easy for home school students to be enrolled one or more grades above their public and private school-age peers.
There are no significant differences in the mean composite scaled scores of home school students enrolled in a full-service curriculum and home school students not so enrolled. There are no significant differences in the achievement levels of male versus female home school students.
There is a significant difference in the achievement levels of home school students depending on the amount of money spent per child on educational materials. This makes a bigger difference at the higher grade levels. Students in higher income families have consistently higher mean composite scaled scores. Differences due to income are more pronounced for students in higher grades
. There is no significant difference in the achievement levels of home school students whose parents are certified teachers and those that are not. Children of collage graduates out perform children whose parents do not have a collage degree. Home school students spend significantly less time watching television than the general population of school-age students. Like the nation as a whole, increased amount of television viewing for home school students is associated with lower achievement test scores. * 25 % of home school students are enrolled one or more grades above their age-level peers in public and private schools. * Home school student achievement test scores are exceptionally high, well above those of public and private school students. * Home school students in grades 1 to 4 perform one grade level their age-level public/private school peers on achievement tests. * The achievement test score gap between home school students and public/private school students starts to widen in grade 5. * Students who have been home schooled their entire academic life have higher scholastic achievement test scores. * There are no meaningful differences in achievement by gender, whether in a full-service curriculum, or whether a parent holds a state issued teaching certificate. * There are significant achievement differences among home school students when classified by amount of money spent on education, family income, parent education, and television viewing.
This study is a rich source of information – the largest sample ever used to study home school students and their families. Home schools can and do place a greater emphasis on study skills, critical thinking, working independently, and love of learning.
The achievement levels of home school students in this study are exceptional. This study shows that those parents choosing to make a commitment to home schooling are able to provide a very successful academic environment. The author has been involved in quantitative analysis for over 30 years, having served as a university professor, a branch chief in the US Department of Education, and a classroom teacher. He has been the Director of the ERIC Clearinghouse on Assessment and Evaluation, an information service sponsored by the National Library of Education, US Department of Education. He holds a Ph D in Educational Psychology.