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Dec 1, 2011, 3 comments | 1290 Pageviews |
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What's Popular This Week on The Innovative Educator.
Here’s the roundup of what's been popular on The Innovative Educator blog this week. Below you’ll see my top weekly posts along with the number of pageviews in the past 7 days. I hope there's something that looks of interest to you. If it does, check it out. If you’re inspired, leave a comment.
15 Key Facts about Homeschool Kids in College
Homeschoolers often enter college with more credit
Homeschooled students are able to work at their own pace, and as a result, students have the freedom to move significantly faster than those in a traditional classroom. Michael Cogan, a researcher at the University of St. Thomas, discovered that homeschool students typically earn more college credits before their freshman year than traditional students, with 14.7 credits for homeschoolers, and 6.0 for traditional students. Earning college credit before freshman year can save thousands of dollars and shave time off of a degree. The 14.7 average credits for homeschoolers represent a full semester of freshman year, which is typically 12-15 credit hours.Homeschool students do better on the SAT and ACT
Perhaps benefiting from personalized test prep, homeschool students typically score higher on standardized college admissions tests. The homeschool average for the ACT was 22.5 in 2003, compared with the national average of 20.8. The SAT was no different, with a homeschool average of 1092 in 2002, and a national average of 1020. ACT and SAT scores are very important for college admissions and even financial aid, so doing well on these tests is vital to a great college experience.Homeschool GPAs are consistently higher
As a homeschooled student, you work on a flexible schedule. Young children may rely greatly on their parents for scheduling and instruction, but high schoolers typically become more autonomous in their studies, learning key skills for success as independent students in college. Research indicates that this time spent learning how to study independently pays off, as homeschoolers typically have higher GPAs than the rest of their class. Homeschool freshmen have higher GPAs in their first semester at college, with 3.37 GPAs for homeschoolers, and 3.08 for the rest. This trend continues with an overall freshman GPA of 3.41 vs. 3.12, and senior GPAs of 3.46 vs. 3.16, indicating that homeschoolers are better prepared for college.Homeschooled students are more likely to attend college
Homeschooled students seem to be more likely to participate in college-level education. As reported by the Homeschool Legal Defense Association, more than 74% of home educated adults between 18-24 have taken college level courses. This rate is much higher than the general US population, which comes in at 46% for the same age range.Homeschoolers are everywhere
Patrick Henry College is one college that specifically caters to the homeschool population, but homeschoolers are increasingly accepted in a wide variety of colleges and universities. In fact, homeschoolers are now in over 900 different colleges and universities, many of them with rigorous admissions. Some of these colleges include Harvard, Cornell, Princeton, Dartmouth, Brown, and Rice University.Homeschooled students are more likely to graduate
Making it to college is one thing, but actually sticking around and graduating is another. Students who have homeschooled will typically do better than other students, with a slightly higher retention rate, at 88.6% vs 87.6% for traditional students. Graduation rates show a higher disparity between homeschoolers and the national average, with 66.7% of homeschooled students graduating, compared to 57.5%.Some colleges actively recruit homeschool students
Homeschool students have proven themselves to be so outstanding that several colleges have begun to actively recruit them. Boston University, Nyack College, and Dartmouth are among them, with a Dartmouth College admissions officer recognizing, "The applications [from homeschoolers] I've come across are outstanding. Homeschoolers have a distinct advantage because of the individualized instruction they have received."Homeschooled students are very likely to succeed in college
Research and probability indicates that homeschooled students typically do very well in college, not just academically, but socially as well. Skills learned in homeschooling translate very well to the college campus, with strong self-discipline and motivation. Colleges recognize this advantage, including Brown University representative Joyce Reed, who shares, "These kids are the epitome of Brown students." She believes they make a good fit with the university because "they've learned to be self-directed, they take risks, they face challenges with total fervor, and they don't back off."High school transcripts are often not required for college admissions
Although traditional students will typically be expected to submit their high school transcript, homeschooled students usually do not need one, submitting other information instead. Sixty-eight percent of US universities will accept parent-prepared transcripts. Others will take portfolios, with letters of recommendation, ACT or SAT test scores, essays, and more, allowing homeschooled applicants flexibility in admissions.Homeschoolers can play college sports
As long as they meet standardized guidelines, homeschooled athletes can be awarded freshman eligibility to participate in college level sports. The number of homeschooled students participating in sports is growing as well, with up to 10 each year in 1988-1993, and as many as 75 students in the late 90s. Homeschool waiver applicants are typically approved, and in the 1998-1999 school year all applicants in Divisions I and II were approved, indicating not only an increased interest in college sports from homeschoolers, but an excellent openness in participation.Many homeschoolers are National Merit Scholars
The National Merit Scholar program is an academic competition offering prestige and cold hard scholarship cash for high achieving students. The number of homeschool National Merit Scholars is increasing at a high rate: in 1995, there were 21 homeschool finalists, compared with 129 in 2003, a 500% increase. Homeschoolers are clearly doing well in their studies, and as a result, are reaping the rewards in scholarship money to use in school.Homeschooled students may have higher college acceptance rates
Colleges and universities often recognize that homeschooled students tend to be exceptional in their academic performance, and combined with advanced studies and extracurricular activities, make great candidates for admission. In addition to actively seeking out homeschooled applicants, colleges may also be accepting more of them. In the fall of 1999, Stanford University accepted 27% of homeschooled applicants. This doesn't sound like a lot, but it's an incredible number when you consider that this rate is twice the acceptance rate experienced by public and private school students admitted in the same semester.Homeschool students are often in honors programs
High achieving homeschool students can benefit from advanced curriculum in college, which is why so many of them end up in honors programs once they go on to study at universities. At Ball State University, most homeschooled freshmen were admitted at a higher level than regular students. Eighty percent of homeschool students were admitted to "upper levels of admission," and 67% were in the Honors College.Homeschooled students may receive federal financial aid
Due to some confusion in the past, homeschooled students may have had to obtain a GED in order to qualify for financial aid. But the Homeschool Legal Defense Association indicates that laws have changed, and as long as students have completed their education "in a homeschool setting that is treated as a homeschool or a private school under state law," they are eligible for federal financial aid without a GED.Many scholarships are available to homeschooled students
Traditional scholarships are often open to homeschooled students, but there are also some created specifically for the homeschool crowd. In an effort to attract stellar homeschooled students for admission, colleges are developing homeschool scholarships. Belhaven offers $1,000 per year, College of the Southwest awards up to $3,150 each year, and Nyack College will give up to $12,000. With the high cost of a college education, these scholarships can really pay off for homeschoolers.
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Moms and Dads -- Not The Government -- Should Be In Charge Of Parenting
Co-authored by Heather Jones DeGeorge and Lisa Nielsen
Requiring Medical Exams
Singling out home educated children for medical exams implies these parents are more likely to be child abusers. There is no evidence supporting this. It also makes two assumptions of schooled children.
1) Students are not at risk for being abused in school and
2) School children don’t need such exams because their abuse will be detected.
There is no evidence that either assumption is true. In fact there are many children advocates that battle the abuses of school upon children. There is no reason to single out homeschooled children and falsely believe that schooled children are a-okay. We are reminded of this in the wake of the Penn State child abuse horror that, among others things brought to light that people often expect someone else to take care of things. Additionally, ask grown students who suffered abuse in the home and you will find that the “mandated reporters” in the school often look the other way.
Another question that presents itself is who pays for these mandated medical exams?
Requiring an Education Portfolio
The bill requires proof of education annually through a portfolio for any homeschooled child to the local superintendent. Many home educating parents have choosing this learning method specifically because they don’t agree with teaching and learning methods of government-run schools and they don’t feel the government should be in the business of parenting or selecting the methods in which their children should learn. Furthermore, when compared head to head, homeschooled children fare better than those in public school both academically and in the percentage of students who attend college. (Stay tuned for an upcoming post for more on that.)
Despite the academic and college attendance superiority of homeschooled children over those in public school, this law is not in effect for schooled children. The point is that the parents of home schooled children as well as those in non public schools have chosen to unplug from a government system that they feel does not serve their children best. Home educators should not be required by that system to plug back in.
In many cases home educating parents subscribe to an academic philosophy that the local superintendent neither understands nor agrees with. For some families this is the very reason their child is no longer in the public school system. Families may be following legal private school models such as a Democratic/Free School model like Summerhill or Sudbury. They may agree with the delayed academics model followed by countries like Finland where play is valued and children begin academics at age 7 — which is 1 - 3 years after many states recommend children begin school. Worthy of note is that Finland kicks the world’s backside in academic testing where the US falls 15th-17th.
Parents who stood up to the experts
What happens when because you have chosen a philosophy that you feel is best for your children, you are accused of educational neglect and land in a courtroom with a judge that has absolutely no background in education let alone educational research? Are homeschooling parents going to be told they are negligent for not following the advice of an education “expert” if they disagree—despite the results?
Parents like Gretchen Hererra, Heather DeGeorge, and Jo-Anne Tracy have experienced first hand “education experts” whose advice would have harmed their children. Despite the fact that Gretchen Hererra had a medical note stating that forcing her son to engage in her school’s high stakes testing would make him ill, the school demanded he comply or be kicked out. Only recently out of the system she shared this, “Anthony's lips aren't cracked, he's not biting his fingers (skin around them), he's well rested, he's not snappy and he's overall in better spirits and it shows! I JUST started to unschool him, and this is the results so far! I had NO idea school was killing him slowly!” Heather is a licensed educator in the state of NJ with additional graduate credits in Special Education (including specific coursework in teaching children with autism). DeGeorge was told by her local district that she didn’t know enough about what her own child (then 3) in the autism spectrum needed in the way of education. Five years later, as a result of being educated in the home and being mentored closely on social situations, her son is now able to participate in a broad range of group activities and presents like most neurotypical children his age. Had home educating mom Jo-Anne Tracy followed the orders of the “experts” where her son went to school his life certainly would not have turned out as positively as it did once she took her son out of school. At the age of nine this mom was told by “The Education Experts” that her son was ineducable. As a result of removing her son from school he is now a thriving college student studying to become a geologist.
Separation of Government and Parenting
This is not just about homeschooling. This is about the government allowing people to make their own, educated decisions and staying out of it unless there is imminent harm. This is about a government who controls a woefully inadequate educational system trying to control learning choices of families who are sacrificing to provide the best possible learning options for their children. This is especially important for parents with children who have special needs or gifted children—who are woefully under-served and/or burdening the schools resources.
It is also important for parents like DeGeorge that have adopted a special needs child from the state and receive subsidy to help raise her with those needs. Their subsidy is at risk if they are in dispute about that child’s education with the local superintendent as they are already required to fill out an annual affidavit about their education to continue receiving those funds.
There is a serious ripple effect possible if a bill like this is passed. The bill was spawned as a result of errors by the Division of Youth and Family Services which allowed children to slip through the cracks. In the case that spawned this bill, the children WERE identified and called in, but DYFS didn’t respond. That isn’t a problem with homeschoolers. It’s a problem with DYFS. This now has the potential to add to their already burdened and struggling system.
Please join the Home School Legal Defense Association in speaking out to the Senate Education Committee as well as your local representatives to stop the progress on this bill.
How You Can Help to Preserve Homeschooling Law
Please engage in any or all of the below activities today.
1) Share this article with any lists, groups, or individuals who might be willing to call members of the Senate education committee on behalf of this effort.
2) Tweet “Keep #homeschooling & #unschooling free & legal. Don’t create unequal laws. Stop bill S3105. http://tinyurl.com/bills3105."
3) Call or e-mail the Senators serving on the Education Committee. You can feel free to use a part or all of the email I (Lisa Nielsen) sent:
To: sensweeney@njleg.org, senruiz@njleg.org, senwhelan@njleg.org, senallen@njleg.org, senkean@njleg.org, senturner@njleg.org
Or, frame your own message using information in this article.
Below is the necessary information to call or email each of the senators.
In response to the Division of Youth and Family Services (DYFS) inability to protect 8-year-old Christiana Glenn who died last May from malnutrition, a bill was introduced to the NJ Senate that establishes a higher level of accountability for homeschoolers then it does for other children.
Unfortunately, rather than address the failure of the government agency, it misdirects attention to the fact that the child did not attend school.
This misguided bill sets the stage for a potentially dangerous precedent for other states across the nation. In question are two parts of the bill requiring homeschooling families to comply to mandates not asked of schooled children.
Unfortunately, rather than address the failure of the government agency, it misdirects attention to the fact that the child did not attend school.
This misguided bill sets the stage for a potentially dangerous precedent for other states across the nation. In question are two parts of the bill requiring homeschooling families to comply to mandates not asked of schooled children.
- Medical exams Homeschooled children would have to provide yearly medical exams.
- Education portfolios Homeschooled children would have to provide a portfolio of records and materials including, but not limited to, a list of reading materials used, samples of writings, worksheets, workbooks, or creative materials used or developed to assess the reading, writing, and computational skills of the student.
Requiring Medical Exams
Singling out home educated children for medical exams implies these parents are more likely to be child abusers. There is no evidence supporting this. It also makes two assumptions of schooled children.
1) Students are not at risk for being abused in school and
2) School children don’t need such exams because their abuse will be detected.
There is no evidence that either assumption is true. In fact there are many children advocates that battle the abuses of school upon children. There is no reason to single out homeschooled children and falsely believe that schooled children are a-okay. We are reminded of this in the wake of the Penn State child abuse horror that, among others things brought to light that people often expect someone else to take care of things. Additionally, ask grown students who suffered abuse in the home and you will find that the “mandated reporters” in the school often look the other way.
Another question that presents itself is who pays for these mandated medical exams?
Requiring an Education Portfolio
The bill requires proof of education annually through a portfolio for any homeschooled child to the local superintendent. Many home educating parents have choosing this learning method specifically because they don’t agree with teaching and learning methods of government-run schools and they don’t feel the government should be in the business of parenting or selecting the methods in which their children should learn. Furthermore, when compared head to head, homeschooled children fare better than those in public school both academically and in the percentage of students who attend college. (Stay tuned for an upcoming post for more on that.)
Despite the academic and college attendance superiority of homeschooled children over those in public school, this law is not in effect for schooled children. The point is that the parents of home schooled children as well as those in non public schools have chosen to unplug from a government system that they feel does not serve their children best. Home educators should not be required by that system to plug back in.
In many cases home educating parents subscribe to an academic philosophy that the local superintendent neither understands nor agrees with. For some families this is the very reason their child is no longer in the public school system. Families may be following legal private school models such as a Democratic/Free School model like Summerhill or Sudbury. They may agree with the delayed academics model followed by countries like Finland where play is valued and children begin academics at age 7 — which is 1 - 3 years after many states recommend children begin school. Worthy of note is that Finland kicks the world’s backside in academic testing where the US falls 15th-17th.
Parents who stood up to the experts
What happens when because you have chosen a philosophy that you feel is best for your children, you are accused of educational neglect and land in a courtroom with a judge that has absolutely no background in education let alone educational research? Are homeschooling parents going to be told they are negligent for not following the advice of an education “expert” if they disagree—despite the results?
Parents like Gretchen Hererra, Heather DeGeorge, and Jo-Anne Tracy have experienced first hand “education experts” whose advice would have harmed their children. Despite the fact that Gretchen Hererra had a medical note stating that forcing her son to engage in her school’s high stakes testing would make him ill, the school demanded he comply or be kicked out. Only recently out of the system she shared this, “Anthony's lips aren't cracked, he's not biting his fingers (skin around them), he's well rested, he's not snappy and he's overall in better spirits and it shows! I JUST started to unschool him, and this is the results so far! I had NO idea school was killing him slowly!” Heather is a licensed educator in the state of NJ with additional graduate credits in Special Education (including specific coursework in teaching children with autism). DeGeorge was told by her local district that she didn’t know enough about what her own child (then 3) in the autism spectrum needed in the way of education. Five years later, as a result of being educated in the home and being mentored closely on social situations, her son is now able to participate in a broad range of group activities and presents like most neurotypical children his age. Had home educating mom Jo-Anne Tracy followed the orders of the “experts” where her son went to school his life certainly would not have turned out as positively as it did once she took her son out of school. At the age of nine this mom was told by “The Education Experts” that her son was ineducable. As a result of removing her son from school he is now a thriving college student studying to become a geologist.
Separation of Government and Parenting
This is not just about homeschooling. This is about the government allowing people to make their own, educated decisions and staying out of it unless there is imminent harm. This is about a government who controls a woefully inadequate educational system trying to control learning choices of families who are sacrificing to provide the best possible learning options for their children. This is especially important for parents with children who have special needs or gifted children—who are woefully under-served and/or burdening the schools resources.
It is also important for parents like DeGeorge that have adopted a special needs child from the state and receive subsidy to help raise her with those needs. Their subsidy is at risk if they are in dispute about that child’s education with the local superintendent as they are already required to fill out an annual affidavit about their education to continue receiving those funds.
There is a serious ripple effect possible if a bill like this is passed. The bill was spawned as a result of errors by the Division of Youth and Family Services which allowed children to slip through the cracks. In the case that spawned this bill, the children WERE identified and called in, but DYFS didn’t respond. That isn’t a problem with homeschoolers. It’s a problem with DYFS. This now has the potential to add to their already burdened and struggling system.
Please join the Home School Legal Defense Association in speaking out to the Senate Education Committee as well as your local representatives to stop the progress on this bill.
How You Can Help to Preserve Homeschooling Law
Please engage in any or all of the below activities today.
1) Share this article with any lists, groups, or individuals who might be willing to call members of the Senate education committee on behalf of this effort.
2) Tweet “Keep #homeschooling & #unschooling free & legal. Don’t create unequal laws. Stop bill S3105. http://tinyurl.com/bills3105."
3) Call or e-mail the Senators serving on the Education Committee. You can feel free to use a part or all of the email I (Lisa Nielsen) sent:
To: sensweeney@njleg.org, senruiz@njleg.org, senwhelan@njleg.org, senallen@njleg.org, senkean@njleg.org, senturner@njleg.org
Subject: S3105 IS A HUGE MISTAKE - Keep Gov Out of Parenting Business
Dear Senators,
I am [share your background in one sentence.] I am writing to advise you to oppose S3105. This misguided bill is mistakenly targeting homeschoolers in inappropriate ways for the failures of the Division of Youth and Family Services. Read this article http://tinyurl.com/bills3105 to learn more about why many parents and educators feel the government should stay out of the business of parenting.Or, frame your own message using information in this article.
Below is the necessary information to call or email each of the senators.
- Sen. Stephen Sweeney:
President of the New Jersey Senate. sensweeney@njleg.org (856) 251-9801 (West Deptford office) | (856) 455-1011 (Bridgeton office) | (856) 339-0808 (Salem office) - Sen. Teresa Ruiz:
Assistant Senate Majority Leader and Chair of the Senate Education Committee, to which S3105 was referred. senruiz@njleg.org (973) 484-1000 - Sen. Jim Whelan: senwhelan@njleg.org
(609) 383-1388 - Sen. Diane Allen: senallen@njleg.org (609) 239-2800
- Sen. Thomas Kean: senkean@njleg.org (908) 232-3673 or (908) 232-2073 (Westfield) | (908) 918-0414 (Summit)
- Sen. Shirley Turner: senturner@njleg.org
(609) 530-3277
You have read this article DIY Learning /
homeschooling /
unschooling
with the title
. You can bookmark this page URL https://benncam.blogspot.com/2011/12/moms-and-dads-not-government-should-be.html. Thanks!
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