thesis statement homeschooling vs public schooling

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What is a good thesis statement for Homeschooling

Homeschooling refers to a type of education in which children are taught at home, usually by their parents or guardians, instead of attending a traditional public or private school. Homeschooling has been a controversial topic for many years, with some people advocating for it as a viable alternative to traditional education, and others opposing it on the grounds that it can lead to social and academic isolation. In order to develop a good thesis statement for homeschooling, it is important to consider the advantages and disadvantages of this type of education, as well as the reasons why parents might choose to homeschool their children.

One potential advantage of homeschooling is the ability to tailor the educational experience to the individual needs and interests of each child. In a traditional school setting, it can be difficult for teachers to give individualized attention to each student, due to the large class sizes and limited resources. Homeschooling, on the other hand, allows parents to create a customized curriculum that is specifically designed to meet the needs and interests of their children. This can result in a more engaged and motivated student, as well as a more meaningful and fulfilling educational experience.

Another advantage of homeschooling is the ability to create a safe and supportive learning environment. In many traditional schools, students may be exposed to bullying, peer pressure, and other negative influences that can harm their self-esteem and academic performance. By homeschooling, parents can provide their children with a safe and supportive environment in which they can focus on their education without the distractions and disruptions that are often present in traditional schools.

However, homeschooling also has its disadvantages. One of the most significant drawbacks is the lack of socialization opportunities for homeschooled children. Children who are homeschooled are not exposed to the same types of social experiences that they would encounter in a traditional school setting, such as group projects, class trips, and extracurricular activities. This can lead to a sense of isolation and a lack of exposure to diverse perspectives and cultures, which can be critical components of personal and academic growth.

In addition, homeschooling can also be challenging for parents who are not trained educators. Homeschooling parents are often responsible for creating lesson plans, grading assignments, and providing feedback on their children’s progress. This can be a significant time commitment and may be overwhelming for parents who are not prepared for the demands of teaching. Additionally, homeschooling parents may not have access to the same resources and support that traditional schools provide, such as access to specialized teachers and programs.

Finally, homeschooling may also raise concerns about the quality of education that children receive. In a traditional school setting, teachers are required to be certified and trained in their subject areas, and the curriculum is standardized and reviewed by educational authorities. Homeschooling parents, on the other hand, may not have the same level of expertise or access to resources, which can raise concerns about the quality and rigor of the education that their children are receiving.

A good thesis statement for homeschooling could be: “While homeschooling offers many advantages, such as personalized attention and a safe learning environment, it also presents challenges such as a lack of socialization and the potential for lower quality education. Ultimately, the decision to homeschool should be based on a careful consideration of the advantages and disadvantages, as well as the individual needs and circumstances of the family.”

Homeschooling is a complex and multifaceted issue that raises a number of questions about the benefits and drawbacks of this type of education. While it offers many advantages, such as personalized attention and a safe learning environment, it also presents challenges such as a lack of socialization and the potential for lower quality education. Ultimately, the decision to homeschool should be based on a careful consideration of the family’s individual needs and circumstances, and an understanding of the potential advantages and disadvantages of this type of education. In order to develop a well-rounded and informed perspective on homeschooling, it is important to consider a variety of sources and viewpoints, including academic research, first-hand accounts from homeschooling families, and the opinions of educators and other experts in the field of education. With a thoughtful and informed approach, it is possible to make an informed decision about whether homeschooling is the right choice for your family.

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Home School Versus Public School Essay

Introduction, similarities and differences between public schools and home schools, reference list.

Home schooling is the education of students at home by parents or tutors instead of learning in the formal school setting. Public schools are institutions of learning that are offered to all students by the government and that are paid for by the state taxes, either partially or in full. These two types of schooling have similarities and differences in the way they are run. This paper explores the main similarities and differences between home schools and public schools.

These two types of schooling have some similarities. Firstly, the overall goal in both types of learning is to give education to the students and to ensure academic excellence. Learning takes place to ensure that students in both public and home schools get a good education.

Both types of schooling involve the student sitting down with an instructor and receiving instructions. In home schooling the instructor can be a parent or a tutor while in public schools, the instructor is a teacher. In addition, students in both schools use the same resources to do research, such as the libraries, Internet, and museums. Moreover, students from both schools take field trips by visiting art exhibitions and museums. Another similarity is that both types of schooling use a curriculum to guide them.

Public schools use a curriculum designed by the public education authorities while in home schooling, the parent designs a suitable curriculum or uses one that has already been designed and proven to be successful. Furthermore, in both types of schooling, the student has to study and do quizzes and tests to determine the level of understanding the content. These two types of schools are also similar in that most of the subjects taught in public schools and home schools are the same.

Even though the parent of home-schooled children can choose the learning content most suitable for the child, some content such as algebra and many others are mandatory. Many home schools will also use books that correspond to those used in public schools in terms of content and grade level. Another similarity is that in both there are laws that regulate learning. There are laws that govern both public schools and home schooling, and they need to be adhered to in terms of the learning content.

Besides, when entering college, both home schooled and public schooled students take the same standardized tests (Cai, Reeve and Robinson, 2002). However, these two types of schools differ in various ways. In public schools the student learns within a group setting and is therefore likely to learn social skills through interacting with other students. This enables the student to learn to socialize with other members of the society and be able to interact in the real world.

Students in public schools are encouraged to work with others and solve problems as a team and these interactions give them knowledge and experience. In home schooling, the student learns alone and there is no interaction with other students. They do not get the opportunity to interact with their peers during learning. Home schooled students are encouraged to develop individual styles and explore their own interests.

Therefore, home schooled students may have problems interacting and relating with other members of the society in the real world. Another difference is that students in public schools may perform poorly in class due to distractions such as peer pressure. In home schooling, the students are shielded from any distractions that may come up in a learning environment and therefore they are more likely to perform well (Cai, Reeve and Robinson, 2002).

In home schooling, the student can choose the environment that is most conducive for learning. However, the learning environment in public schools is rigid and cannot be adjusted. Moreover, in public schools the curriculum is designed by the public education authorities. They also decide the books to read and the subjects that should be done in each grade.

In home schooling, the parent can develop a curriculum for the child or choose one from the ones already designed. The parent also chooses the learning materials that are most suitable for the child. Another difference is that in home schooling, the children can be taught at their own level and with the learning styles most suitable to them. They can also learn at their own suitable time. In public schools, learning is scheduled by the school and is therefore not flexible.

All Students in public schools are taught with the same learning styles and therefore some of them might not learn effectively (Berends, 2009). In home schooling, the individual student’s learning needs are met because there is a one-on-one teaching. There is only one student being taught and therefore the instructor gives him/her all the attention. The parent can be able to monitor the progress of the student and further explain concepts that the student has not understood. The student is also taught at his/her learning pace.

In public schools, the teacher has to pay attention to many students and therefore may not be able to monitor the progress of each individual student. Understanding and meeting the needs of all individual students in a public school is difficult. All the students do not learn at the same pace and therefore the class might move on while some students have not yet understood a concept (Cai, Reeve and Robinson, 2002).

In public schools, there are many teachers with expertise in different subjects. In home schooling, the parent may not have enough knowledge and expertise to teach all the subjects. Another difference is that public schooling keeps the child away from the parents for long periods of time and therefore reduces family bonding.

In home schooling, parents and students are together all the time. Home schooling strengthens family bonds as the members of the family are always in close contact. Moreover, in public schools, extra-curricular activities are available to the students.

Students in public schools engage in sports and other activities after the class hours. This is not the case in home schooling as there are no peers for the home schooled student to play with at home. Another difference is that home schooling is more expensive than public schooling.

This is because public schools are mostly free and learning materials are provided. In home schooling, the parent has to acquire learning materials for the student and may sometimes hire a tutor if he/she does not have enough time or expertise to teach the child in a certain subject area (Berends, 2009).

Public schools and home schools have both similarities and differences and each has its pros and cons. Each individual student has unique learning needs and some can learn best in a public school while others are best suited to a home school. Therefore, parents should critically weigh each option in order to ensure that their children learn in a school that is best suited to them.

Berends, M. (2009). Handbook of Research on School Choice . New York: Taylor & Francis.

Cai, Y., Reeve, J. and Robinson, D.T. (2002). Home schooling and teaching style: Comparing the motivating styles of home school and public school teachers. Journal of Education Psychology, Vol. 94(2), pp. 372-380.

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Homeschooling Vs Public School

This comparative analysis will delve into the differences and similarities between homeschooling and public schooling. It will discuss the advantages and disadvantages of each educational approach, covering aspects such as academic performance, socialization, curriculum flexibility, and parental involvement. The piece will draw on research studies, expert opinions, and anecdotal evidence to provide a balanced view of both educational methods. It will also consider the impact of recent global events, such as the COVID-19 pandemic, on perceptions and choices regarding homeschooling and public schooling. PapersOwl showcases more free essays that are examples of Behavior Modification.

How it works

• 1 Homeschooling
• 2 Financial Basis
• 3 Availability and Diversity
• 4 Socialization
• 5 Environment
• 6 Education
• 7 Conclusion

Homeschooling

Education is an essential and determines the future of every child. In order to give children a bright future and a good education, parents must choose the best type of schooling for their children. The main education systems are public school, private school and homeschool. Homeschooling is led and managed by parents and public school is led by the government and qualified teachers. The real question is, which is better? While homeschooling has its benefits, public schooling is superior because it prepares children and teens for the real world in many ways.

People may believe that homeschooling is better because of negative influence and effects from public schools; however, it is better for children to be exposed to certain things early on than later in life. Taking the time to learn about the benefits and outcomes of public school over homeschool is important. Public schooling is cheaper, reflects the real world, and prepares young individuals for future obstacles which may occur.

Financial Basis

To start off, public schooling is funded by the government which makes it more affordable than homeschooling. The government guarantees all children education, no matter the financial status. However, there are private schools that can be very expensive; the most common education systems are public schooling and homeschooling. Reporter Amy Esbenshade Hebert, explained that “Whatever the advantages of home-schooling, saving money isn’t necessarily one of them. Add up the expense on books, curricula, tutors, field trips — not to mention the loss of a second income if one parent becomes the full-time teacher — and the cost of home-schooling can easily rival paying private-school tuition” (Herbert, 2007, p. 88). For public school, normally, buying supplies once or twice a year is required. But for homeschool, spending an abundant amount on the curriculum alone, not to mention textbooks and supplies including wifi and a device or computer are essential. There are costs associated with both education systems, but homeschool is distinctly more expensive than public school. Although some people might complain about the added expenses of supplies and participation in athletics, public schooling are still much more budget friendly than homeschooling.

Availability and Diversity

In addition, public schools provide access of an education for any child no matter academic performance, income level or disability. Public schools ensure that every student has the same opportunities regardless. Given that any child is admitted, they are likely to have classmates that do not act, think, or look like them. The diversity of classmates can be a great learning experience. It exposes children to different cultures and attributes. While there is not much exposure to the diversity with homeschooled, many homeschooling programs offer dual enrollment. The Coalition for Responsible Home Education stated that

In some states, homeschooled students participate in public school athletics alongside other students. In other states, they are banned from participating. In other states, homeschooled students are barred from participation in public school athletics. The trend in recent years has been towards allowing participation, and the states are today split fairly evenly down the middle on the issue. (¨Homeschool¨, 2018, para. 1)

Although this has good points as to why and how public schooling programs are available, not all homeschooling programs have this option available in certain areas and it is not always the best economical choice.

Socialization

Furthermore, conventional schooling and homeschooling both offer their own respective advantages in preparing children for the social demands of the real, adult world. It is possible to become socially well adjusted through private schooling and homeschooling. However, it is challenging and encompassing part of a child’s formative years. Public school is a major place where kids learn to socialize, how to behave around their peers and teachers, and how to generally just communicate and interact well. Students have the ability ability to interact with people of diverse ages and beliefs. Contrarily, Calvert Education explains,

For one thing, homeschoolers do not have the same exposure to peer pressure and bullying, both of which are tied to poorer academic performance and lower self-esteem. Parents often decide to homeschool because they do not want their child’s values to be defined by their peers or for their children to face social ridicule or bullying. In private or public schools, the pressure to “fit in” or achieve a perceived level of social status among classmates can be quite great. (“Homeschooling” 2017, Homeschool Socialization Sect. para. 2-3)

As much as I would agree that these are possible disadvantages of public school, every person will go through some type of pressure or negative things in his or her lifetime. Public schooling is a way to become familiar of the real world and be exposed to problems and certain circumstances. Bullying and social ridicule are very negative and can result in many outcomes; however, they are real and whether someone is homeschooled or not, they will or may face negative circumstances in their lifetime. With the experience of public schooling, individuals may be able to handle it differently and react differently than people who are homeschooled. Experience is a number one factor that can change how someone reacts to, copes with, and manages a situation. Homeschooling limits children’s interaction with others, as well as it limits their contact and association with diverse individuals.

Environment

In addition, the main difference between homeschooling and public schooling is the environment. In homeschooling, there are no distractions because children are studying at their own risk. David R. Hodge stated, “for instance, the most widely cited reason by parents which accounted for 88% of all homeschooled students was concern about school environments and the associated detrimental effects related to substance use, peer pressure, etc” (Hodge, 2017, p. 274). Parents feel that the public school environment is dangerous and will cause their child to rebel. Also that it may teach a different set of values and beliefs than what parents believe and want to instill in their child. In a homeschooling setting, parents are able to watch over their child, help them develop, and teach them morals. Homeschooling provides students with a calm, safe, and comfortable environment. However, even though public school classrooms do not always have the same calm and peaceful atmosphere, the disarray of the classrooms is helpful to children. This is because, in reality, the real world is not so calm and peaceful. Therefore, the children who live sheltered and preserved from real life are the ones who commonly have difficulty adjusting to reality. It is necessary for children to learn to interact and work with one another to build the dynamic skills needed for the real world. Both homeschool and public school provide helpful opportunities for children to learn, but public school is more impactful in assuring a children’s future success and adjustment to the real world.

Lastly, public schools provide children with certified teachers who are committed educators. Where in homeschooling, children are taught by their parents who only need a highschool diploma or G.E.D. to homeschool. Parents do not have the same level of education or experience as teachers. As well as, parents have to be fully dedicated to their child’s’ education for them to succeed. Many parents have jobs; therefore, balancing a job while trying to educate their children can be difficult. In addition, while parents are directly involved in the education of their children, it may be difficult to teach certain subject without experience. Therefore, homeschoolers may have to invest in a tutor or educational professional for support which defeats the whole purpose of homeschooling. Although homeschooling may teach a student to become more independent and do things on his or her own, it is not always best to just rely on oneself. Tara Jones expresses that “it may be that home-educating parents have more opportunities to be influential, supportive and encouraging in their children’s education as well as having more control and power over their children’s learning” (Jones, 2013, p. 117). However, she also contraversed that “home-educating families argue that they are not able to access the funding and services that schools have in order to educate their children” (Jones, 2013, p. 118). Therefore, even though homeschooling allows parents to have more jurisdiction and opportunities for their children, many may struggle to provide his or her child with services and education the education they need.

To conclude, public schooling has its advantages financially, socially, environmentally, and educationally. However, it is important that both the advantages and disadvantages of public schooling and homeschooling are taken into account. Homeschooling can have a more direct role on a child’s daily learning and help protect a child from bullying or other negatives aspects of reality. As well as, being in a friendly environment, having less distraction from students, and becoming more self motivated and independent are all aspects of homeschooling. However, children lose out on social interaction with peers while homeschooled.

In addition, fewer resources such as technology that may be available in public school are not provided and with parents having to dedicate time and money to homeschooling it can result in a loss of income or reduced working time. Not only do students that are homeschooled miss out on the interaction with peers and diversity of people, they lack the real world experiences which are the reasons why parents decide to homeschool their children in the first place. With homeschooling, parents or people in general are afraid of the negativity that is exposed to children in public schools. This includes, bullying, violence, peer pressure, and many other negatives influences. Furthermore, while homeschooling can provide a wide variety of courses and curriculums that are not available with public school, homeschooling is much more expensive than the traditional government funded public school. Whether the differences between homeschooling and public schooling it all comes down to each parent’s learning goals for their children.

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Research Facts on Homeschooling

Research facts on homeschooling, homeschooling: the research.

Research Facts on Homeschooling, Homeschool Fast Facts

Brian D. Ray, Ph.D. February 9, 2024    Copyright © 2024 National Home Education Research Institute

This article gives key research facts on homeschooling

General facts, statistics, and trends.

• There were about 3.1 million homeschool students in 2021-2022 in grades K-12 in the United States  (roughly 6% of school-age children). There were about 2.5 million homeschool students in spring 2019 (or 3% to 4% of school-age children) [note 1]. The homeschool population had been growing at an estimated 2% to 8% per annum over the past several years, but it grew drastically from 2019-2020 to 2020-2021.

• Homeschooling – that is, parent-led home-based education; home education – is an age-old traditional educational practice that a decade ago appeared to be cutting-edge and “alternative” but is now bordering on “mainstream” in the United States. It may be the fastest-growing form of education in the United States. Home-based education has also been growing around the world in many other nations (e.g., Australia, Canada, France, Hungary, Japan, Kenya, Russia, Mexico, South Korea, Thailand, and the United Kingdom).
• A demographically wide variety of people homeschool – these are atheists, Christians, and Mormons; conservatives, libertarians, and liberals; low-, middle-, and high-income families; black, Hispanic, and white; parents with Ph.D.s, GEDs, and no high-school diplomas. One nationwide study shows that 41% of homeschool students are Black, Asian, Hispanic, and others (i.e., not White/non-Hispanic) (U.S. Department of Education, 2019).
• Taxpayers spend an average of $16,446 per pupil annually in public schools, plus capital expenditures (National Education Association, 2023). The roughly 3.1 million homeschool students of 2021-22 represented a savings of over $51 billion for taxpayers. This is $51 billion that American taxpayers did not have to spend.
• Taxpayers spend nothing on the vast majority of homeschool students, while homeschool families spend an average of $600 per student annually for their education. Families engaged in home-based education are not dependent on public, tax-funded resources for their children’s education.
• Homeschooling is quickly growing in popularity among minorities. About 41% of homeschool families are non-white/non-Hispanic (i.e., not white/Anglo).
• It is estimated that over 9 million Americans had experienced being homeschooled as of February of 2020.

Reasons and Motivations for Home Educating

Most parents and youth decide to homeschool for more than one reason. The most common reasons given for homeschooling are the following:

• customize or individualize the curriculum and learning environment for each child,
• accomplish more academically than in schools,
• use pedagogical approaches other than those typical in institutional schools,
• enhance family relationships between children and parents and among siblings,
• provide guided and reasoned social interactions with youthful peers and adults,
• provide a safer environment for children and youth, because of physical violence, drugs and alcohol, psychological abuse, racism, and improper and unhealthy sexuality associated with institutional schools, and
• as an alternative education approach when public or private institutional schools are closed due to acute health situations such as related to disease (e.g., Covid-19, Coronavirus)
• protect minority children from racism in public schools or lower expectations of children of color (e.g., black) (e.g., Fields-Smith, 2020; Mazama & Lundy, 2012).
• teach and impart a particular set of values, beliefs, and worldview to children and youth.

Academic Performance

• The home-educated typically score 15 to 25 percentile points above public-school students on standardized academic achievement tests (Ray, 2010, 2015, 2017, 2024). (The public school average is roughly the 50 th percentile; scores range from 1 to 99.) A 2015 study found Black homeschool students to be scoring 23 to 42 percentile points above Black public school students (Ray, 2015).
• 78% of peer-reviewed studies on academic achievement show homeschool students perform statistically significantly better than those in institutional schools ( Ray, 2017 ).
• Homeschool students score above average on achievement tests regardless of their parents’ level of formal education or their family’s household income.
• Whether homeschool parents were ever certified teachers is not notably related to their children’s academic achievement.
• Degree of state control and regulation of homeschooling is not related to academic achievement.
• Home-educated students typically score above average on the SAT and ACT tests that colleges consider for admissions.
• Homeschool students are increasingly being actively recruited by colleges.

Social, Emotional, and Psychological Development (Socialization)

• Research facts on homeschooling show that the home-educated are doing well, typically above average, on measures of social, emotional, and psychological development. Research measures include peer interaction, self-concept, leadership skills, family cohesion, participation in community service, and self-esteem.
• 87% of peer-reviewed studies on social, emotional, and psychological development show homeschool students perform statistically significantly better than those in conventional schools ( Ray, 2017 ).
• Homeschool students are regularly engaged in social and educational activities outside their homes and with people other than their nuclear-family members. They are commonly involved in activities such as field trips, scouting, 4-H, political drives, church ministry, sports teams, and community volunteer work.
• The balance of research to date suggests that homeschool students may suffer less harm (e.g., abuse, neglect, fatalities) than conventional school students.
• Adults who were home educated are more politically tolerant than the public schooled in the limited research done so far.

Gender Differences in Children and Youth Respected?

• One researcher finds that homeschooling gives young people an unusual chance to ask questions such as, “Who am I?” and “What do I really want?,” and through the process of such asking and gradually answering the questions home-educated girls develop the strengths and the resistance abilities that give them an unusually strong sense of self.
• Some think that boys’ energetic natures and tendency to physical expression can more easily be accommodated in home-based education. Many are concerned that a highly disproportionate number of public school special-education students are boys and that boys are 2.5 times as likely as girls in public schools to be diagnosed with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD).

Success in the “Real World” of Adulthood

The research base on adults who were home educated is growing; thus far it indicates that:

• 69% of peer-reviewed studies on success into adulthood (including college) show adults who were home educated succeed and perform statistically significantly better than those who attended institutional schools ( Ray, 2017 ).
• they participate in local community service more frequently than does the general population (e.g., Seiver & Pope, 2022 ),
• these adults vote and attend public meetings more frequently than the general population
• they go to and succeed at college at an equal or higher rate than the general population
• by adulthood, they internalize the values and beliefs of their parents at a high rate

General Interpretation of Research on Homeschool Success or Failure

It is possible that homeschooling causes the positive traits reported above. However, the research designs to date do not conclusively “prove” or substantiate that homeschooling causes these things. One hypothesis is that the positive findings might be due to the demographics of the homeschool students and families in the studies. The “sources” (articles) below explain limitations and caveats regarding the studies. More methodologically stronger research needs to be done to find whether homeschooling is what leads to or causes better outcomes.  At the same time, there is no empirical evidence that homeschooling overall causes negative things compared to institutional schooling. Future research may better answer the question of causation.

1. For more detail, see How Many Homeschool Students Are There in the United States? The March of 2021 estimate is based on data from state governments (e.g., Delaware, Florida, Minnesota, Nebraska, North Carolina, and Virginia), the U.S. Census Bureau (2021), and the U.S. Department of Education (2019). See McDonald (2020). The spring 2019 estimate was based on an estimate of about 2.5% per annum growth from estimates of 2 million home-educated children during the spring of 2010 and 2.3 million spring of 2016 in the United States (Ray, 2011). The estimate of 2.3 million in 2016 was calculated by Brian D. Ray, the author of this fact sheet, on April 7, 2016. He based it on publicly available research findings.

The above findings are extensively documented in one or more of the following sources, and most are available from www.nheri.org:

• Cheng, Albert. (2014). Does homeschooling or private schooling promote political intolerance? Evidence from a Christian university. Journal of School Choice: International Research and Reform , 8(1), 49-68 [a peer-reviewed journal].
• Fields-Smith, Cheryl. (2020). Exploring single black mothers’ resistance through homeschooling . Switzerland: Palgrave Macmillan Cham.
• Mazama, Ama; & Lundy, Garvey. (2012, August 26). African American homeschooling as racial protectionism. Journal of Black Studies, 43 (7) 723–748.
• McDonald, Kerry. (2020). Homeschooling more than doubles during the pandemic: State-level data show just how dramatic the surge in homeschooling has been. Retrieved December 29, 2020 from https://fee.org/articles/homeschooling-more-than-doubles-during-the-pandemic/
• Mead, Sara. (2006). The truth about boys and girls.
• Medlin, Richard G. (2013). Homeschooling and the question of socialization revisited. Peabody Journal of Education, 88 (3), 284-297 [a peer-reviewed journal].
• Murphy, Joseph. (2012). Homeschooling in America: Capturing and assessing the movement . Thousand Oaks, CA: Corwin, a Sage Company.
• National Education Association. (2023). Rankings of the States 2022 and Estimates of School Statistics 2023,  https://www.nea.org/sites/default/files/2023-04/2023-rankings-and-estimates-report.pdf
• Ray, Brian D. (2004). Home educated and now adults: Their community and civic involvement, views about homeschooling, and other traits. Salem, Oregon: NHERI.
• Ray, Brian D. (2004). Homeschoolers on to college: What research shows us. Ray, Journal of College Admission , No. 185, 5-11 [a peer-reviewed journal].
• Ray, Brian D. (2010). Academic achievement and demographic traits of homeschool students: A nationwide study. Academic Leadership Journal, 8, www.academicleadership.org [a peer-reviewed journal]. For a free copy, contact us .
• Ray, Brian D. (2013). Homeschooling associated with beneficial learner and societal outcomes but educators do not promote it. Peabody Journal of Education, 88 (3), 324-341 [a peer-reviewed journal].
• Ray, Brian D. (2015). African American homeschool parents’ motivations for homeschooling and their Black children’s academic achievement. Journal of School Choice, 9 :71–96 [a peer-reviewed journal]. For a free copy, contact us .
• Ray, Brian D. (2017). A systematic review of the empirical research on selected aspects of homeschooling as a school choice. Journal of School Choice , 11 (4), 604-621 [a peer-reviewed journal]
• Ray, Brian D. (2024). Reasons for homeschooling and the correlates of home-educated students’ academic achievement: A new U.S. nationwide study. Presented at International School Choice and Reform Conference, Madrid, Spain, January 6, 2024.
• Ray, Brian D.; & Shakeel, M. Danish. (2022). Demographics are predictive of child abuse and neglect but homeschool versus conventional school is a nonissue: Evidence from a nationally representative survey. Journal of School Choice, https://doi.org/10.1080/15582159.2022.2108879  [a peer-reviewed journal]
• Seiver, Jillene Grove; & Pope, Elisa A. (2022). The kids are alright II: social engagement in young adulthood as a function of k-12 schooling type, personality traits, and parental education level. Home School Researcher , 37 (2), 1-9.
• Sheffer, Susannah. (1995). A sense of self: Listening to homeschooled adolescent girls .
• United States Department of Education. (2019) Homeschooling in the United States: Results from the 2012 and 2016 Parent and Family Involvement Survey (PFINHES: 2012 and 2016). Retrieved November 3, 2020 from https://nces.ed.gov/pubs2020/2020001.pdf

About the Author

Brian D. Ray, Ph.D. is an internationally known researcher  (see Google Scholar Profile for many of his publications), educator, speaker, and expert witness, and serves as president of the nonprofit National Home Education Research Institute. He is a former certified teacher in public and private schools and served as a professor in the fields of science, research methods, and education at the graduate and undergraduate levels. He holds a Ph.D. in science education from Oregon State University, a M.S. in zoology from Ohio University, and a B.S. in biology from the University of Puget Sound. Dr. Ray has been studying the homeschool movement since about 1984.

For more homeschool research and more in-depth interpretation of research, media, journalists, and others please contact:

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tel. (503) 364‑1490 [email protected] www.nheri.org

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About nheri.

NHERI conducts homeschooling research, is a clearinghouse of research for the public, researchers, homeschoolers, the media, and policy makers, and educates the public concerning the findings of all related research. NHERI executes, evaluates, and disseminates studies and information (e.g., statistics, facts, data) on homeschooling (i.e., home schooling, home-based education, home education, home school, home-schooling, unschooling, deschooling, a form of alternative education), publishes reports and the peer-reviewed scholarly journal Home School Researcher, and serves in consulting, academic achievement tests, and expert witness (in courts and legislatures).

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How Does Homeschooling Compare to Public School?

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Basic Differences

Test results, grade point average, college placement, emotional adjustment.

Many parents considering a homeschool education over a more traditional experience want to know how homeschooling compares to public school—especially when it comes to academic performance.

You're not alone if you've considered removing your children from regular school in favor of homeschooling. When you think of the advantages of teaching your kids at home , you likely envision the freedom of making your own schedule, focusing on particular areas of interest, and going at your child's pace.

But does a home-based education offer a leg up for kids in terms of scholastic advancement? It depends. Here's how educating at home stands up to public school for test results, GPA, college placement, and more. 

An education at home differs from a traditional public school education in some basic (but significant) ways that may impact academic performance. Individualized attention from a parent-slash-teacher can make a world of difference for a student who is struggling academically or has a learning disability , for example.

Working independently may also allow more advanced students to go at their own pace, not having to wait for others to catch up. On the other hand, depending on the challenge level of subject matter, you may have to learn about certain topics alongside your child (or access someone with the appropriate expertise).

Many factors you might expect to affect academic success at home have surprisingly low impact. Whether or not a parent has earned a teaching degree or certificate is not associated with their child’s academic achievement, and neither is the degree of government control in their state . Parents’ level of formal education and household income are also not correlated with children’s scholastic proficiency.  

While test results aren’t the only indicator of a child’s academic prowess, they can be an important benchmark of learning—and they do matter for college placement. The effects of homeschooling on test results are promising.

As far back as 1998, one study found that homeschool children’s median scores on standardized tests such as the Iowa Tests of Basic Skills landed in the 70 th to 80 th percentile.

Similarly, according to the National Home Education Research Institute (NHERI), students educated at home typically score 15 to 30 percentile points higher than public school students on standardized tests for academic achievement.

For Black students, the numbers are even higher. Black children who homeschool score 23 to 42 percentage points higher on standardized tests than their counterparts in public schools.

On the ACT, a test used nationwide for college admissions, composite scores for homeschooled students fluctuated between 22.3 in 2007 and 22.8 in 2014. (The highest possible score is 36.) Though not as high as scores from private school students, these rankings were 1.4 to 2.2 points above the average public school student.

Grade point average, or GPA, is another common point of reference for academic performance. Because many homeschool families don’t calculate GPA, limited data exists comparing grade point average between home and publicly educated kids. However, research has been conducted on the GPAs of college students who homeschooled during their K-12 years. 

One study conducted at an unnamed private university in the American Southeast found a statistically significant increase in the college GPA of students who were homeschooled versus those who were not.

In another study from an unnamed university in the Midwest, students who had homeschooled finished their freshman year of college with an average GPA of 3.37, compared with the 3.08 average GPA of other students.

The academic advantages of homeschooling continued throughout the college years. As seniors, the same students earned an average GPA of 3.41, compared to the 3.16 average GPA of non-homeschooled seniors.

Other, more in-depth research tells a somewhat different story, however. A 2016 study analyzed data from nearly 825,000 students at 140 colleges and universities and found that students who had been homeschooled did not achieve higher GPA in their first year of college, nor were they more likely to return for a sophomore year.  

For many colleges and universities, admissions are handled very similarly between students who have had a traditional education and those who have homeschooled.

With the rise in various nontraditional forms of education, even institutions like Ivy League schools have acknowledged the value a home-based education can provide their potential students. (However, many do not publicize statistics about their homeschool admissions.)

Homeschooled students may need to emphasize certain aspects of their education in a college application to improve their chances of admission. Applicants may need to provide extra information about their academic curriculum and take optional tests to establish their academic abilities.

On the other hand, because homeschoolers can often earn college credit before high school graduation, they may have an advantage for college placement—or, at the very least, for finishing a degree sooner than students from public school. 

A comparison between home and public education isn’t all about academics. Your child’s emotional development matters, too. Stereotypes about homeschool education may have you believe that homeschooled kids are more likely to be socially awkward or emotionally stunted. Fortunately, this doesn’t have to be the case.

According to the NHERI, homeschoolers often rank above average in measures of social, emotional, and psychological development.

The degree to which your child grows emotionally will largely depend on the environment in your home and the activities you expose them to.

Consider how you might involve your child in volunteering, participating in academic or extracurricular cohort groups, playing league sports, or taking lessons on an instrument. These outside-the-home extras can all expose your child to other people of various backgrounds, as well as help them make friends.

A Word From Verywell 

Only you can decide if homeschooling is the best choice for your family. If you do choose to teach at home, there are no guarantees that this form of education will produce better results, academically or emotionally, for your child.

In large part, the success of homeschooling depends on you as an educator and your child as a learner. However, much of the research indicates that homeschooling can provide your child a greater likelihood of academic achievement.

Ray BD. Homeschooling: The Research . National Home Education Research Institute. 2020.

Rudner LM. Scholastic achievement and demographic characteristics of home school students in 1998 . Educ Policy Anal Arch. 1999:7(8). doi:10.14507/epaa.v7n8.1999

Ray BD.  African American homeschool parents’ motivations for homeschooling and their black children’s academic achievement .  Journal of School Choice. 2015; 9:1, 71-96. doi:10.1080/15582159.2015.998966

ACT, Inc. Trends in ACT composite scores among homeschooled students . 2015.

Almasoud S, Fowler SR. The difference in the academic achievements of homeschooled and non-homeschooled students . Home School Researcher . 2016;32(1).

Cogan M. Exploring academic outcomes of homeschooled students . Journal of College Admission. 2010;208:18-25.

Yu MC, Sackett PR, Kuncel NR. Predicting college performance of homeschooled versus traditional students . Educ Meas . 2016;35(4):31-39. doi:10.1111/emip.12133

U.S. News & World Report. How homeschooling affects college admissions . 2018.

By Sarah Garone  Sarah Garone, NDTR, is a freelance health and wellness writer who runs a food blog.

Home — Essay Samples — Education — Homeschooling — Public School vs. Homeschool

Public School Vs. Homeschool

• Categories: Homeschooling Public School

About this sample

Words: 687 |

Published: Jan 30, 2024

Words: 687 | Pages: 2 | 4 min read

Table of contents

Academic approach, socialization, flexibility and individualized learning, teacher-student ratio and attention.

• National Home Education Research Institute. (n.d.). Research Facts on Homeschooling. https://www.nheri.org/research-facts-on-homeschooling/
• Canadian Journal of Behavioural Science. (2004). Socialization of Homeschool Children: A Communication Approach. https://psycnet.apa.org/record/2004-20445-007
• Journal of Educational Psychology. (2009). Exploring Academic Outcomes of Homeschooled Students. https://psycnet.apa.org/record/2009-22973-002
• National Center for Education Statistics. (2021). Fast Facts: Teacher Trends. https://nces.ed.gov/fastfacts/display.asp?id=28

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The research on homeschooling, the academic, social, and long-term outcomes for children in home schools..

Posted September 1, 2021 | Reviewed by Gary Drevitch

About 4 to 5 million children in the United States (or approximately 8 to 9% of school-age children) were homeschooled in March 2021. This statistic increased dramatically during the pandemic: Only 2.5 million (or 3 to 4% of school-age children) were homeschooled in spring 2019.

The most common reason cited for homeschooling (before the pandemic) was concern about the local school environment, including safety and negative peer pressure . Many parents also choose to homeschool due to dissatisfaction with the educational quality of local schools, or for religious reasons.

However, many parents and caregivers considering homeschooling may be especially concerned about how homeschooling might impact their child’s academic progress and social development. Does the research find any differences between children who were homeschooled versus children in conventional school?

Academic Performance

Homeschooled students tend to score higher on tests of academic skills when compared to children in public schools across most studies. However, it is difficult to draw any conclusions from these studies since most do not control for important family demographic factors and compare self-selected homeschooling families’ test scores (from tests proctored by parents) to national averages. Interestingly, children in a “structured” homeschool program — that is, a homeschool program with organized lesson plans — tend to score higher on academic tests than children from conventional schools, while children in “unstructured” homeschool environments without organized lesson plans tend to score lower than children in conventional schools.

Social Skills

The findings on social skills seem to be more mixed. Some studies have found no difference in social skills between children in homeschool environments versus conventional schools, some studies have found that homeschooled children score higher on measures of social ability, and some have found that homeschooled children score lower on overall social skills. Not surprisingly, homeschooled students who have had more opportunities for peer interactions tend to show improved social skills.

Long-Term Success

Most studies find that homeschooled children tend to have higher college GPAs than children from conventional schools. In addition, most studies have found no difference between homeschooled and conventional students in college graduation rates. However, most homeschooled students do not attend competitive four-year colleges and one study found that homeschooled students may have lower math GPAs in college than children from conventional schools. Children who are homeschooled may also be more likely to work in a lower-paying job.

Limitations of this Research

It is important to note that this research is difficult to interpret because families that choose to homeschool are different from families who do not in many other ways — for example, they may have parents with higher income or educational levels — and these factors likely contribute to the results as well. For instance, we cannot conclude that homeschooling will improve your child’s test scores since homeschooled children may have more educated mothers and it may be the mother’s educational level that drives the higher test scores, not homeschooling itself.

Almasoud, S., & Fowler, S. R. (2016). The difference in the academic achievements of homeschooled and non-homeschooled students. Home School Researcher, 32(1), 1-4.

Cogan, M. F. (2010). Exploring academic outcomes of homeschooled students. Journal of College Admission, 208, 18-25.

Coleman, R. E. (2014). The homeschool math gap: The data. Coalition for Responsible Home Education.

Drenovsky, C. K., & Cohen, I. (2012). The impact of homeschooling on the adjustment of college students. International Social Science Review, 87(1/2), 19-34.

Kunzman, R., & Gaither, M. (2020). Homeschooling: An updated comprehensive survey of the research. Other Education, 9(1), 253-336.

Martin-Chang, S., Gould, O. N., & Meuse, R. E. (2011). The impact of schooling on academic achievement: Evidence from homeschooled and traditionally schooled students. Canadian Journal of Behavioural Science/Revue Canadienne Des Sciences du Comportement, 43(3), 195.

McKinley, M. J., Asaro, J. N., Bergin, J., D'Auria, N., & Gagnon, K. E. (2007). Social Skills and Satisfaction with Social Relationships in Home-Schooled, Private-Schooled, and Public-Schooled Children. Online Submission, 17(3), 1-6.

Medlin, R. G. (2006). Homeschooled Children's Social Skills. Online Submission, 17(1), 1-8.

Montes, G. (2006). Do Parental Reasons to Homeschool Vary by Grade? Evidence from the National Household Education Survey, 2001. Online Submission, 16(4), 11-17.

Montes, G. (2015). The social and emotional health of homeschooled students in the United States: A population-based comparison with publicly schooled students based on the national survey of children’s health, 2007. Home School Researcher, 31(1), 1-9.

Pearlman-Avnion, S., & Grayevsky, M. (2019). Homeschooling, civics, and socialization: The case of Israel. Education and Urban Society, 51(7), 970-988.

Ray, B. D. (2017). A systematic review of the empirical research on selected aspects of homeschooling as a school choice. Journal of School Choice, 11(4), 604-621.

Redford, J., Battle, D., & Bielick, S. (2017, April). Homeschooling in the United States: 2012. Washington, DC: National Center for Education Statistics, Institute of Education Sciences, U.S. Department of Education. Retrieved August 1, 2017, from. (NCES 2016-096.REV) https://nces.ed.gov/pubsearch/pubsinfo.asp?pubid=2016096rev

Sikkink, D., & Skiles, S. (2015). Homeschooling and young adult outcomes: Evidence from the 2011 and 2014 Cardus Education Survey. The Cardus Religious Schools Initiative.

Cara Goodwin, Ph.D., is a licensed clinical psychologist who specializes in translating scientific research into information that is useful, accurate, and relevant for parents.

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Public School vs. Homeschooling

In recent years, home-schooled children seem to be “winning.” They have conquered national spelling bees, obtained generous scholarships to elite universities, and have even been crowned beauty queens. If home-schooled kids are enjoying such success, it is understandable why any parent would ask, “Is regular or home school best for my child?”

Like many questions about your child’s education, this particular one does not have an easy answer. It is important to consider many factors before deciding whether your child should stay at home to learn or should be sent to a regular public school.

Home environment vs. school environment

For many advocates of either homeschooling or public school education, the environment offered by either situation is the determining factor as to whether a child should be home-schooled or sent to a regular public school.

The calm, safe environment of home school

Proponents of homeschooling believe that children thrive better in a safe, comfortable environment with which they are familiar. Ironically, so do advocates of public schooling.

However, home-schoolers believe the home is the safest, most secure environment in which a child can learn. At home, a child does not have to deal with peer pressure or with fitting in with the popular cliques. A child can just “be.” This gives the child the opportunity to focus on the lessons being taught and on the educational expectations required of him or her.

Orkid Jalali offers her take on the pros and cons of homeschooling your children.

Home-schooled students do not have to worry whether they are wearing the right clothes, the right shoes, or are shopping at the right stores, or playing the right video games. Since there are (usually) no other children around, home-schooled children learn in a relatively calm, peaceful environment, and – most importantly – they usually have the opportunity to work at their own pace and in their own style. For some, that spells the difference between success and failure.

The critical social component of regular school

Regular public school classrooms are not, by nature, relatively calm environments, especially at the elementary school level. However, that does not mean a student cannot thrive in such an environment. In fact, supporters of regular public schooling argue that the chaos of the classroom is actually what children need to succeed.

Humans are social creatures. That is the belief of many regular public school proponents. Children should interact and work with one another in order to build real, vital skills needed in the real world. For example, the advocates of regular public schooling believe that learning the reading process can certainly happen effectively at home. After all, they say, most kids do learn to read at home. However, the goal of public education is not to teach students simply how to read, solve math problems, or to solve scientific equations. If that were the case, homeschooling would be the best option for everyone.

Carrie and Claire answer questions about being homeschooled vs. attending public school.

The mission of regular public schools, the supporters argue, is to teach kids those skills – and then how to use and apply them through meaningful, necessary interactions with their peers and teachers. That, in essence, is the focus of many regular public schools: relationships. Those relationships can only truly be formed in regular schools. Students can only truly learn how to problem-solve with their peers if they are in a regular public school. Students can only learn how to handle and overcome peer pressure if they are faced with it in a regular school.

Of course, this attitude held by many supporters of a regular public school may suggest that actual “book” learning is not as important as learning how to deal with others, but only you can decide which is more important to your child. Both environments clearly offer opportunities for children to learn, but only you can choose which kind of learning is most vital to you and your family.

Along with the environment in which they learn, students (and their families) also have to consider what they are going to learn. Homeschooling and regular public schooling have different philosophies about these elements as well.

Home curriculum vs. School curriculum

How children learn is a major factor in determining whether your child should stay at home or should go to school. Home-schooled children tend to learn through individual experience, and maybe that is best for your child. Regular public schooled children learn through relationships, and that may be what your child needs. Clearly, this is one major difference between the two philosophies. Another vital component, though, is what they learn, and like before, there are significant differences between the two camps.

The Rockstar Homeschooling Mom explains her curriculum choices.

For the most part, children learn the same basic skills, whether they are home-schooled or taught at a regular public school. They all learn to read, write, and solve basic math problems. Both sides can agree that is a good foundation. However, it is beyond this common foundation that home school and regular school differ. With this in mind, you must evaluate where you want your children’s education focus to be.

Customizing your child’s education with home school

Parents who home-school their children generally get to decide by themselves the focus of their child’s education. The curriculum at can be developed on the passions of the parents, or for what the child has a natural curiosity. In general, that is why most home-schooled children receive some type of religious instruction at home. The parents believe the teaching of religion or spirituality should be incorporated into education, and that is why many choose to teach their children at home.

This does not mean you can teach your kids at home only if you are going to teach them religious-based lessons. Home-schooled curriculum can take the shape of whatever the parent most wants to teach his or her child.

Exposing your child to a plethora of ideas and concepts

Regular public school is different, of course. Public schools, for the most part, base their curriculums on state standards, and the lessons are geared so the students can reach and surpass those standards. There is usually not a lot of time to cover material in-depth, but students are exposed to a broad range of ideas and concepts.

There-in stems the major difference between the curriculums: the home curriculum usually takes fewer ideas to a deeper level, while the school curriculum usually takes more ideas and tries to connect them with one another, hoping to show the students the big picture. Again, only you can decide which is the best approach for your child.

Home-schooling and regular public schooling each has advantages and disadvantages. One may offer a more controlled environment for your child, while the other may expose him or her to a world of ideas you could not possibly imagine. You may find it difficult to choose between the two. Making the right choice depends upon how your child learns, and what you would like him or her to learn. Keeping the best interest of your child in mind makes the decision clearer.

Questions? Contact us on Facebook. @publicschoolreview

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