Home Schooling Facts and Statistics

Want to start home schooling
and wish someone would
give you the facts?

Here are some home schooling facts
based on actual research

Who gathered the facts about home schooling?
How many people do home schooling?
Is home schooling growing or declining?
Do we have the right to home school?
What about tax dollars for education?
Do home schooling students have higher academic achievement?
What if the parents are not certified teachers?
How flexible is the curriculum?
Do home schooling students score better on tests?
Is home schooling good for disabled students?
Are home schooled children well behaved?
What about self-esteem?
Do home schooling parents get involved in the community?
Is there any difference in critical thinking skills?
Are home schooling parents more or less often unemployed?
Where can I get more information?
How do I get started with home schooling?

Many parents are looking for home schooling facts before deciding on home schooling their children. Take a look at some of the questions and answers on this page so you can decide if it is right for you and your family. Have a question of your own? Click here ask a question. If we share it with others on one our webpages we will pay you $25.00 US as a thank you for helping other home schoolers!

Back to top

Who gathered the facts about home schooling?

Brian D. Ray is a researcher, writer, speaker, a former professor of education and science (at the undergraduate and graduate levels), a former middle school and high school classroom teacher, and is the president of the National Home Education Research Institute. Dr. Ray holds his Ph.D. in science education from Oregon State University. He has published several books on this topic, and we are thankful to report some of his research information here. We have also listed a few of his books at the bottom of this page.

Back to top

How many people do home schooling?

During 2002-2003 in the United States, there were an estimated 1,700,000 to 2,100,000 children (grades K-12) that were home educated.

Back to top

Is home schooling growing or declining?

Home schooling appears to still be the fastest-growing form of education.

Back to top

Do we have the right to home school?

Another researcher in the home schooling field, Dr. Patricia Lines said that home education families "... have not turned their backs on the broader social contract as understood at the time of the Founding [of America]. Like the Antifederalists, these homeschoolers are asserting their historic individual rights so that they may form more meaningful bonds with family and community. In doing so, they are not abdicating from the American agreement. To the contrary, they are affirming it."

Back to top

What about tax dollars for education?

According to Dr. Ray, home schooling families are not dependent on public, tax-funded resources. Inreality, they likely save American taxpayers over $10 billion per year.

Back to top

Do home schooling students have higher academic achievement?

In the most in-depth nationwide study on home education across the United States, Dr. Ray collected data on 5,402 students from 1,657 families. Home schooling students' academic achievement, on average, was significantly above that of public school students.

Back to top

What if the parents are not certified teachers?

Research has found that the home educated did well even if their parents were not certified teachers and if the state did not highly regulate home schooling.

Back to top

How flexible is the curriculum?

Home educators have the ability to be flexible and tailor or customize their curriculum to the needs of each child.

Back to top

Do home schooling students score better on tests?

According to Dr. Ray, in study after study, the home educated score better than those in conventional state-run schools (see table below).

Back to top

	Reading	Language	Math
Public Schools	50	50	50
Home Education	65-80	65-80	65-80

Back to top

Is home schooling good for disabled students?

Another researcher, Steven Duvall. indicates that for learning disabled students, there are higher rates of academically engaged time and greater academic gains made by the home educated."... [P]arents, even without special education training, provided powerful instructional environments at home..."

Back to top

Are home schooled children well behaved?

Studying actual observed behavior, Dr. Larry Shyers found the home educated have significantly lower problem behavior scores than do their conventional school-age mates.

Back to top

What about self-esteem?

According to Dr. Ray's multiple studies, the home educated have positive self-concepts.

Back to top

Do home schooling parents get involved in the community?

Research by Dr. Ray shows home schooling students are regularly engaged in field trips, scouting, 4-H, and community volunteer work, and their parents (i.e., their main role models) are significantly more civically involved than are public school parents.

Back to top

Is there any difference in critical thinking skills?

Critical thinking skills of college students were found to have no significant differences among high school graduates of private schools, public schools, and homeschooling.

Back to top

Are home schooling parents more or less often unemployed?

J. Gary Knowles presented his study of adults who were home educated and found that none were unemployed and none were on welfare. In addition, 94% said home education prepared them to be independent persons, and 79% said it helped them interact with individuals from different levels of society. They strongly supported the home education method.

Back to top

How do I get started with home schooling?

To get started go to the How to Start Home Schooling page that takes you through a simple 4 step process. If you are looking for curriculum click on that link at the bottom of the page.

Back to top

Where can I get more information?

Here are some key resources for you to consider. We would appreciate any comments, suggestions or additions you would like to share with us and others. Check back often to see what more we have to offer!

National Home Education Research Institute
P.O. Box 13939, Salem OR 97309
Ph: (503) 364-1490 Fax: (503) 364-2827
Website: www.nheri.org

These publications are available for ordering online (add 30% shipping in the U.S.):

Worldwide Guide to Homeschooling: Facts and Stats on the Benefits of Home School (book, $9.99)

Home Schooling on the Threshold: A Survey of Research at the Dawn of the New Millennium (report, $3.95)

Home-Based Education: The Informed Choice (video, $19.99)

The nonprofit 501(c)(3) NHERI accepts contributions.

Other articles to review:

Lines, Patricia M. (1994, February). Homeschooling: Private choices and public obligations. Home School Researcher, 10(3), 9-26.

Ray, Brian D. (2002). A quick reference worldwide guide to homeschooling: Facts and stats on the benefits of home school, 2002?2003. Nashville, TN: Broadman & Holman, Publ.

Ray, Brian D. (1997). Strengths of their own-Home schoolers across America: Academic achievement, family characteristics, and longitudinal traits. Salem, OR: National Home Education Research Institute.

Duvall, Steven F. (1994, August 30). The effects of home education on children with learning disabilities. A paper presented to the Home School Legal Defense Association.

Shyers, Larry E. (1992). A comparison of social adjustment between home and traditionally schooled students. Home School Researcher, 8(3), 1-8.

Oliveira (de Oliveira), Paulo C. M., Watson, Timothy G., & Sutton, Joe P. (1994). Differences in critical thinking skills among students educated in public schools, Christian schools, and home schools. Home School Researcher, 10(4), 1-8.

Knowles, J. Gary. (1991). Now we are adults: Attitudes, beliefs, and status of adults who were home-educated as children. Paper presented at the Annual Meeting of the American Educational Research Association, April 3-7, Chicago IL. (facts01.d6, 3/11/02; rev. 2/14/03)