Home School Students Make Valuable Contributions
In today’s society, there are numerous possibilities for receiving an education that prepares students for academic success and achievement. While the majority of elementary and secondary students in the United States attend public or private schools, the popularity of home schooling continues to grow and has become a widely accepted and respected alternative.
One of the earliest methods for learning, many of the first Americans, including George Washington, Benjamin Franklin and Andrew Jackson, received their education at home. Despite its widespread popularity for early Americans, home school students only accounted for about 13,000 people in 1973. In the last three decades, particularly in the late 90s, however, home education has exploded and is recognized as a real alternative to traditional forms of education. By 2010, according to the National Home Education Research Institute (NHERI), an estimated 2.04 million students were home schooled, and that number continues to rise by about 2 to 8 percent each year.
Parents choose to home school for various reasons, including consistently above average achievement and performance levels of students. The Scholastic Achievement and Demographic Characteristics of Home School Students (SADC) found that when in elementary school, home school students perform one grade above those attending public school. By eighth grade, that gap becomes even wider, with home school students performing four grade levels above their peers. When preparing for college, these students typically score above average on the SAT and ACT college admission tests and are actively recruited by numerous colleges, due to their proven track record. According to the Home School Legal Defense Association (HSLDA), home school students are also increasingly awarded recognition through the National Merit Scholarship Program, which screens 1.3 million entrants nationwide each year and only awards about 16,000 scholarships.
Home school students thrive at home through individualized attention provided by parents and the opportunity to work at their own pace—spend more time on some subjects or fly through others. Since parents understand the academic and emotional needs of their children, home schooling allows for achievement above and beyond the opportunities offered in some educational environments. In addition, the flexibility of home education allows students to have greater involvement in their communities and extracurricular activities, including 4-H, dance, music, sports, volunteer and church activities. Many also enroll in concurrent college classes.
Families have a unique opportunity to train up young leaders and help them reach great heights. Without the option to home school, there are numerous individuals whose potential might not be reached, especially in communities with failing school districts or poor alternatives. I am grateful to many parents who have recognized the gift of home education and the positive impact it can have on our academic achievement.
Choosing to educate children at home is not an easy or inexpensive decision for parents. It require hours of time teaching and planning, commitment by at least one parent to stay at home and thousands of dollars spent for educational supplies each year. As valuable contributors to our children’s academic future, it makes sense that home school families should receive the same tax credit already extended to public school teachers.
I recently introduced H.R. 1850, the Home School Equity Act for Tax Relief. This legislation recognizes home school families for their valuable contributions to the overall academic achievement of our country by offering the same tax deduction already given to public and private elementary and secondary education instructors. The tax credit could be applied to those materials that qualify as classroom expenses and help families endure the financial strain that can come along with home schooling. Currently, this tax credit is only available in states where “home school” students are considered “private.” This legislation would extend the credit to all 50 states.
Our young people are the future. They are the next generation of doctors, engineers, scientists, writers, politicians and business owners. Home school families are playing a vital role in directly training up our coming leaders, and we should support their efforts. In order for families to continue providing quality education at home, it is essential that they have the best resources for that success.