| Wikipedia states that "Home education, also called | | | | students and society that a school environment |
| homeschooling or home school, is an educational | | | | provides. Many home-education families address |
| alternative in which children are educated at home by | | | | these concerns by joining numerous organizations, |
| their parents, in contrast to the compulsory | | | | including home-education cooperatives, independent |
| attendance which takes place in an institution with a | | | | study programs and specialized enrichment groups for |
| campus such as a public school or private school." | | | | physical education, art, music, and debate. Most are |
| Around the world Homeschooling has been increasing | | | | also active in community groups. Home-educated |
| quite substantially over the last 4 years. In 2003, in | | | | children generally socialize with other children the |
| the United States, approximately 1.1 million children | | | | same way that school children do: outside of school, |
| were Home Schooled, up 29% from 850,000 in 1999. | | | | via personal visits and through sports teams, clubs, |
| Recent figures show that Homeschooling in other | | | | and religious groups. |
| Western Countries are also continuing to grow. For | | | | The academic effectiveness of homeschooling is |
| example, an estimated 50,000 children are considered | | | | largely a settled issue. "Numerous studies have |
| "home-educated" in the United Kingdom; Australia - | | | | confirmed the academic integrity of home education |
| 26,500; and in Canada (as at 2001) it was estimated | | | | programs, demonstrating that on average, |
| that 80,000 children were educated at home with the | | | | home-educated students outperform their publicly-run |
| numbers continuing to increase. | | | | school peers by 30 to 37 percentile points across all |
| Most home education advocates have individual | | | | subjects." The performance gaps between minorities |
| motivations to home-educate. Academic and social | | | | and gender that plague publicly-run schools are |
| results of home education are varied and are the | | | | virtually non-existent amongst home-educated |
| source of vibrant debate. Some feel that they can | | | | students. |
| more effectively tailor a student's academic program | | | | Notable home-educated individualso Thomas Edison, |
| to suit an individual strengths and weaknesses, | | | | United States, scientist and inventoro Alexander |
| especially children who are gifted or have learning | | | | Graham Bell, Scotland, Inventor (Telephone, |
| disabilities. Others are religious parents who see | | | | Hydrofoil)o Dakota Fanning, United States, actresso |
| non-religious education as contrary to their moral or | | | | Hilary Duff, United States, Actress/Singero Charles |
| religious systems. Still others feel that the negative | | | | Evans Hughes, United States, Governor of New |
| social pressures of schools, such as bullying, drugs, | | | | York, United States Secretary of State, and Chief |
| school violence, and other school-related problems, | | | | Justice of the United Stateso Frankie Muniz, United |
| are impacting negatively to a child's development. | | | | States, Actoro Rosa Parks, United States, civil rights |
| Many parents simply like the idea of teaching their | | | | activisto Susan La Flesche Picotte, United States, first |
| own children rather than letting someone else do so. | | | | American Indian woman physiciano Woodrow Wilson, |
| A common concern voiced about home-educated | | | | United States, the only United States President to |
| children is they lack the social interaction with | | | | hold a Ph.D. |