Homeschooling outcomes: How do they compare?
Homeschooling has received high marks…when parents provided structured lessons.

Are homeschooled students good students? When the topic comes up in conversation, people often cite studies showing that homeschoolers score higher on standardized tests.

For instance, Eric Rudner analyzed the test scores of over 20,000 American homeschooled students and found them to be “exceptionally high—the median scores were typically in the 70th to 80th percentile” (Rudner 1999).

That’s impressive, but we have to keep in mind: This wasn’t a random cross-section of homeschoolers. Participants were recruited from a special subset of the homeschooling population — families who subscribed to a fee-based testing service. 

Compared to their peers in the public schools, these kids were more likely to have affluent, well-educated parents. Were the parents also more committed to educating their children? Perhaps.

Then there is the problem of self-selection. Who agrees to participate in a study of this kind?

Parents may be more likely to sign up if they believe their children will test well. About 52% of those approached agreed to participate in Rudner’s study. So we have to wonder about the people who declined. When we compare Rudner’s homeschoolers to the general population, it’s a bit like apples and oranges. The parents of public school kids aren’t a select group of motivated volunteers. 

More Information at:
https://parentingscience.com/homeschooling-outcomes/

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