In 2007, there were approximately 4 million children being home-schooled in the U.S. and the numbers are growing by 15 to 20% a year.

Our public schools are already under-funded and under-performing. With the exception of extremely expensive private schools, home-schooling is the only alternative parents have to this growing problem.

Some 92% of public school superintendents contend that home-schooling does not allow a child to develop the social skills necessary to survive in the world. They believe that the trials that they face in public schools, such as bullies and drugs, are a precursor to real life that allows them to develop problem solving skills. They further contend that the lack of these skills cause home-schooled children to be extremely judgmental of the world around them.

Home-schooling advocates are quick to point out that it is those very social skills that they learn in public schools that are the prevailing problem.  From their point of view, these are the things that have brought about the rapid increase in delinquent behavior, drug use and teen pregnancy that we see in our society today.

Research has been done to determine how each of these settings affects children.  Dr. Thomas Smedley administered the Vineyard Adaptive Behavior scales test, which identifies mature and well-adapted behaviors in children.  He found that home-schooled children ranked in the 84th percentile as opposed to the 23rd percentile ranking achieved by public school children

Many teachers are concerned that successful home-schooling parents are non-credentialed and therefore undermines their expertise and jeopardize their jobs.

This is an unfortunate side effect of home-schooling.  Teachers in the public school system become even more undervalued than they already are.  This is not the intent of home-schooling parents.  Most have the greatest respect for those that have chosen the teaching profession and fight the system everyday in an attempt to educate children. Home-schooling parents know the uphill battle that teachers face due to ineffective administrations and classroom over-crowding.

Home-schooling parents just want to provide their children with the best education possible. They believe that it is at home with them where they can get one on one attention which can be tailored for each child's skill levels and needs.

There are many pro's and con's to both sides of this debate.  Every parent has to make the choice which suits their child and family best. 

Until the public school system is fixed and it's many problems eliminated, home-schooling will continue to grow and the debate will go on.