Entries by Brian D. Ray, Ph.D.

An Analysis of the Economic Impact of Home and Private Schooling in Nevada

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ARE HOME AND private schools a “cost” to traditional public schools? This argument has often been used by local school districts, and others, to push for legislation that would restrict the establishment of these alternative schools. By focusing on home and private schools, and using Nevada as an example, this paper analyzes the impact of these alternative schools in depth. What is found is that aside from their superior effectiveness (Duvall, Delquadri, & Ward, 2004; National Center for Education Statistics [NCES], 2002; Rudner, 1999), the reduced public school enrollment caused by the presence of alternative schooling results in lower educational costs for the affected school district.

John T. Wenders, Ph.D. & Andrea D. Clements, Ph.D., Volume 17, No. 2, 2007, p. 13-35

Homeschooled Children’s Social Skills

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The social skills scores of the homeschooled were consistently higher than those of public school students. “Differences were most marked for girls and for older children, and encompassed all four of the specific skills tested: cooperation, assertiveness, empathy, and self-control.” Gender differences were considered and found.

Richard G. Medlin, Ph.D., 2006, Volume 17, Number 1, p. 1-8

Homeschooling as “Educational Neglect” or Neglected Research Standards?

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Reviews Kelly, Barr, and Weatherby’s 2006 report entitled Educational Neglect & Compulsory Schooling: A Status Report in which they claimed that school-age children who are privately home educated and not registered with state agencies – even if the law does not require such registration – are “missing” and “educationally neglected.”  Explains significant philosphical and methodological weaknesses and errors in the report.

Brian D. Ray, Ph.D., Volume 17, Number 1, p. 9-12

Parental Reasons By Grade Level

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Do Parental Reasons to Homeschool Vary By Grade? Evidence from the National Household Education Survey, 2001

In general, younger and older homeschooled students are educated at home for the same reasons: parents believe they can provide them a better education (47%) and for religious reasons (41%). However, there are some differences in reasons according to the grade levels of the students.

Guillermo Montes, Ph.D., Volume 16, Number 4, 2006, p. 11-17

Empathy, Altruism, and Moral Development

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Empathy, Altruism, and Moral Development in Home Schooled Children

 

Homschooling parents were more concerned with teaching their children their values and religious beliefs, and more convinced that their children’s education reinforced this endeavor, than public school parents. They were also more confident that their children had embraced the values encompassed in their education. The two groups of parents did not differ, however, concerning whether they wanted their children to decide for themselves what values to believe in. Compared to public school parents, home schooling parents reported slightly more prosocial behavior in their children.  In general, the attitudes toward religion and values expressed by home schooling parents were positively related to children’s prosocial behavior.

 Skylar T.  Kingston and Richard G. Medlin, Ph.D., Volume 16, No. 4, 2006, p. 1-10

The Liberal State Thesis

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The Liberal State Thesis Regarding Parental Authority, Children’s Rights, and Homeschooling: How Far 

Critiques the “liberal state thesis” that, among other things, promotes “the continued development and encroachment of the liberal state upon parental authority to homeschool children without undue interference and regulation of the government.” Offers a more positive view of homeschooling, and defends the responsibility of parental authority in determining their children’s educational delivery system.

Stephen M. King, Ph.D., Volume 16, No. 3, 2005, p. 15-24

 

Parental Duty and the Shape of the Future

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Explains that the state-based approach to determining which values are passed on to succeeding generations resolves the difficulty of indiscriminate social reproduction (i.e., some values are reproduced and not others) but it is not self-evident that this is the right way to resolve the difficulty. Explores an alternative approach, “a dispersed model in which individuals and groups work independently to preserve what they most value in the society and to pass beliefs and moral commitments on to the next generation.” Argues that this approach “better fits the actual moral beliefs of parents and citizens; it is more likely to produce the outcomes parents want (or should want) for their own children and what adult citizens should want for all children.”

 

Charles Howell, Ph.D., Volume 16, No. 3, 2005, p. 1-14

 

 

Religious Outcomes in Conventionally Schooled and Home Schooled Youth

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Purposes to determine if outcomes of home educated students were commensurate with the religious objectives given by many as reason for choosing home-based education by comparing responses to the instrument entitled Daily Challenges Inventory. Significant difference between homeschooled and conventionally schooled youth was found on 14 items of the DCI. The homeschooled group was significantly less likely to watch MTV; use drugs; lie to a parent, teacher, or other older person; attempt suicide; drink enough alcohol to be legally drunk; or gamble. Homeschoolers were also significantly less likely to describe themselves as too busy, stressed out, angry with life, confused, or always tired. Conventionally schooled youth were significantly more likely to describe themselves as upbeat, encouraged, and seeking answers.

 

T. Wayne McEntire, Ph.D., Volume 16, No. 2, 2005, p. 13-18

 

 

Home School Graduates and Their Mothers Talk About Literacy Instruction

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Interviews, face-to-face, high school graduates of homeschooling and their mothers about their literacy experiences to elicit in-depth literacy information in an informal non-threatening way, with the potential of pursuing desired information that might not be reported on a written questionnaire. Addresses many topics such as reading aloud, early memories, decoding, comprehension, favorite books, literature, vocabulary, grammar, spelling, writing, Christian materials, other instructional materials and techniques, Time Spent on Reading and Language Arts, family co-operatives, reading problems, current reading, what would you do differently?, and would you homeschool your own children?

June D. Knafle, Ph.D., and Alice Legenza Wescott, Ph.D., Volume 16, No. 2, 2005, p. 1-12