some parents are not suitable candidates for parenthood.

Tod: You know, Mrs. Buckman, you need a license to buy a dog, to drive a car - hell, you even need a license to catch a fish. But they'll let any butt-reaming asshole be a father.

technically speaking, no.

Sadly, the government can't do anything about who pops you out, just how you get educated.

If she weren't using that family as a measure for home-schoolers all over California there wouldn't be a problem.

Yes....Home-schooling isn't for everyone.

Some public school teachers are not suitable teachers either. btw

No shit? Some private school teachers aren't much chop either.

The difference is that there's currently no way to determin if a parent is doing a good job of homeschooling or not (from what I can tell in this case). At least with teachers there are some alternatives.

Yes...there is a way to determine...Testing the kids to see if they are at the standard level for their grade is a good enough measure I think! Like I said before...They get the same testing standards that public school students get and that should be sufficient!

My sweetheart tested out two grades above public school students in their area. Top percentile!!! I bet he know lots more that they didn't test...I just love that kid...
:)

I'm sure it varies by state, but in the state where I homeschool, standardized testing is required in 3rd, 5th, and 8th grades for all students. I chose to give my 3rd grader a different (much shorter) test than the PS kids though (CAT vs PSSA).

When I say my sweetheart...That doesn't mean it's my kid...Not only would I be a horrible teacher, I would be a horrible parent....he's a sweetheart because he wasn't raised by me! lol!!!
:)
I don't want to give anyone the impression I have kids!

See look...jinxy home-schools..Do we need a better advertisement for it?!? People always want to talk about it when it fails...No one wants to discuss the success stories.

This is interesting...how they do in college...
http://www.pahomeschoolers.com/newsletter/issue61b.htm

Wait a minute. Jinx is a TEACHER!?

If you, rather than the state, gives the test, how does the state know the kid actually did it?

Actually, a parent can't give the test, has to be someone else - a grandmother in our case.

That isn't very reassuring, that people can't and don't beat the system, put in place to insure the kids aren't getting the short end of the stick.

I think the evaluation of the child's portfolio at the end of each year is a much better indicator of which end of the stick they're getting.

I think if the right person is doing the homeschooling than it can be a very rewarding experience for all involved. However, if someone is doing it for the wrong reasons then the children lose out HUGE. I know this from firsthand experience. It's like anything else in life, if someone wants to cheat the system they can and typically do.

Properly done, homeschooled children are some of the smartest, most thoughtful & productive - so say the numbers. Problem is as more "extremists" start doing it for "alternate" reasons, they are bringing down the curve.