During the 2003-2004 school year one to two million students was home schooled. That accounts for approximately 2 to 4 percent of the school-aged population ("More kids are learning at home," 2005). Home schooled students are growing about 15% a year, according to the U.S. Department of Education (Winters, 2000).

Pennsylvania currently has over 25,000 home schooled students. The distribution of home school students in Pennsylvania generally corresponds with population patterns in the state, however the highest concentration of home-schoolers occurs in Lancaster, Berks, and York counties, all counties with very large Amish populations (Vender, 2005). Last year there were 4,430 home schooled students in Philadelphia and its suburbs (Hardy, 2005, pp. B1, B8).

Because of frequent relocation, many military families choose the home school alternative for their children. Home schooling is also done for religious reasons by people who want to freely teach their religious values and build strong family bonds. Others choose home schooling for special needs children. Kids with Bi-Polar Disorder, Epilepsy, and Sleep Apnea get the individual attention they need and are not chastised by other children. Perhaps the most important reason people home school is to avoid the nation's public schools. They want to avoid the widespread use of drugs and alcohol consumption, increased teenage sex, and school violence. Home-schoolers should realize that many of these problems are embedded in society and are not isolated to our public schools. Home schooled children also avoid the threat of teacher's strikes, long school bus rides, and increased class size.

Many believe that home schooling simply works; home-schoolers are soundly educated and perform well on standardized tests. According to a recent cover story in Time magazine, ". . . the average SAT score for home-schoolers in 2000 was 1100, compared with 1019 for the general population. Today Harvard admissions officers attend home schooling conferences looking for applications, and Rice and Stanford Universities admit home-schoolers at rates equal to or higher than those for public-schoolers (Cloud, Morse, 2001). Some victims of Hurricane Katrina have chosen to home school rather than have their children placed in one of Louisiana's public schools.

Formal teaching training for home-schoolers is not necessary. Most home school parents facilitate their children's learning by taking on the role of tutor and providing the tools for their children to learn independently (Ishizuka, 2000, p.31). Home schooling is a legal option in all 50 states but states do regulate the practice. Ten states have no reporting requirements and are considered the most home school friendly; 13 states and Washington D.C. are considered low regulation states only requiring parents to notify the state of their intent to home school; 16 states are considered moderate - regulation and require registration and test scores; and 11 states are considered high regulation, requiring notification, testing and additional measures, such as evaluation by a state-approved educator (Vender, 2005).

Pennsylvania is considered a high regulation state with regards to home schooling. In Pennsylvania the compulsory school age is from 8 to 17 years of age. The Pennsylvania Home schooling Act 169-1988 specifies that parents must submit a notarized affidavit of their intent to home school with the local superintendent. Along with this affidavit, they must also submit medical forms and a list of learning objectives covering the required academic subjects. School officials do not have discretionary authority to approve or disapprove a family's home schooling plans. They have the authority to rule on whether the parents have submitted the paperwork required by law. Parents must maintain a portfolio of instruction and daily attendance records, must have at least a high school education, and must arrange for a yearly evaluation of the child's progress by a certified teacher or licensed psychologist of their choosing. At the end of the school year, parents must submit the professional's written evaluation that their child has received an appropriate education along with a portfolio of the child's work for the school district's review. The portfolio must include materials used, work done, annual evaluation and standardized test results. In grades 3, 5, and 8, the home schooled child must take a standardized test, administered by anyone other than the parent of the child (Kanna, Kochenderfer, 2002, p.272). Attendance requires 180 days per year or 900 hours at the elementary level or 990 hours at the secondary level (The Home School Legal Defense Association, 2005).

Some home-schoolers like using a curriculum, others do not. Using a curriculum can ensure that the child is covering the same materials as the schools. However, using a curriculum can be restrictive, expensive and time consuming. For those who choose a curriculum there is a wide variety to choose from. Options include computer-based curriculum using teachers at a blackboard to literature-based curriculum incorporating math, civics and reading through classic books (Killingbeck, 2005).

The advantages of home schooling allow children to receive a superior education that is attuned specifically to their own needs, learning style, personality, and interests (Kanna, Kochenderfer, 2002, p.14). Families can work at their own pace, this allows children to spend more time on a particular subject or move forward. It also allows for more family time. Some parents have even been able to take their hyperactive ADHD child off Ritalin once they began learning at home (Kanna, Kochenderfer, 2002, p.71). Families can experiment with various curriculums until they find what works best. Learning need not be confined to a classroom; libraries, museums, field trips and the Internet is only a few of the resources available. Home schooling offers a low student-teacher ratio, usually no more than 3 to 1. This can also be counterproductive as a ratio this low limits group discussion and debate. Many people home school for religious reasons. This gives them the advantage of providing their own moral foundation. Other advantages include no more long bus rides to school or mandatory tests.

Home schooling is not easy and it requires a lot of work. There are science experiments, field trips, lessons to prepare, and papers to grade. While home schooling itself is not an expensive endeavor compared to private schooling, it can pose limits on one parent's earning potential.

Teaching children the more difficult subjects like Chemistry, Geometry, and foreign languages can provide a difficult challenge for most home-schoolers. Some home-schoolers argue that as children become more mature, they become incredibly adept in teaching themselves (Kanna, Kochenderfer, 2002, p.105). While this may be true to some degree, it seems a bit far fetched to expect a child to teach themselves these complex subjects. Many children studying under experts in these fields struggle with these courses. Some families have success using tutors to combat this problem.

Socialization is the area cited most often by home schooling critics. Home-schoolers answer the critics of socialization by arguing that most socialization in public schools is negative. Children become preoccupied with materialism and acceptance. Self esteem and independence fostered in the home better prepares children for the outside world.

Moreover, most home-schoolers provide their children with a variety of activities, including home school network groups, scouting, church groups, and athletic organizations. The typical home schooled child is involved in over 5 social activities outside the home each week, according to Brian Ray of the National Home Education Research Institute (Ishizuka, 2000, p.17). Recently, the state of Pennsylvania joined 14 other states in mandating that its 25,000 home schooled students be allowed to participate in extracurricular activities, including sports, clubs, and plays (Hardy, 2005, pp. B1, B8).