Letter: Degree not a factor in home-schooling

Source: The State Journal-Register

By:  Crystal Trigg
March 1, 2012


Although the story seems positive in regard to home-schooling, there were negative undertones. I respect public school teachers and the job they do. However, I feel home-schoolers were represented unfairly in the Feb. 17 UIS home-schooled students article.

To begin, a point was made that the “teacher” for the one of the reported home-schooled students had a degree in education. I would encourage research into the statistics of home-schoolers and their “standardized” test scores compared to their public school counterparts regardless of their “teacher’s” educational degree status. Statistics from the August 2009 article “New Nationwide Study Confirms Homeschool Academic Achievement” from HSLDA’s website show:

“Whether either parent was a certified teacher did not matter.

Certified (i.e., either parent ever certified) — 87th percentile.

Noncertified (i.e., neither parent ever certified) — 88th percentile.”

Furthermore, students with neither parent having a college degree scored in the 83rd percentile. 

Things such as registering, standardized testing or school hours do not create higher quality or lower quality of education. It is the dedication and determination of the student and “teacher” that have the greatest impact on the success of the student.

Choosing to home-school one’s child involves putting forth an immeasurable amount of time, energy and sacrifice into one’s child’s education. One pays twice for education — once for public education and once for home educational materials. Home-schoolers sacrifice much time for preparation, teaching, research and grading. Then there are extracurricular activities, household and family duties and in some cases working a job outside of the home. These sacrifices are joyfully made as this is something one who home-schools desires to do and that is worth more than an education degree.