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Twenty years ago, homeschooling was virtually unheard of and those who did choose to homeschool their children did so with severe suspicion. Many were even dragged into court or put in jail. Times have changed dramatically since then. Homeschooling is legal in all 50 states and growing by leaps and bounds. Many colleges are actively pursuing homeschool graduates because of their high ACT scores and their willingness to excel. While homeschooling is permissible in every state, states vary widely in what they require of parents to homeschool legally.According to The Elijah Company, based out of Crossville, TN, sometimes people in authority (i.e., public school personnel, social workers, etc.) are ignorant or unaware of homeschool laws or they do not understand the decisions of homeschooling families. Because of this lack of understanding, many may place demands on homeschooling families that are simply not required by the state's law. Home School Legal Defense Association is the number one source for researching the current laws, news, statistics and information about homeschooling. If you are thinking about homeschooling, it would be wise to download and print a copy of your state's requirements before you bring your children home to ensure that you are not violating any of the laws.
Because homeschooling is becoming so widespread, homeschooling families can find themselves inundated with vast arrays of opportunities in their communities to further their children's education. In the area where I live (near Knoxville, TN), there is a Yahoo!Group strictly devoted to posting events, field trips, classes, co-ops, etc. for homeschoolers. There are over 600 member families on this list (KidsClub)! Because of this huge selection of outside-the-home activities, homeschooling families need to make sure that they're actually spending time at home. We can get ourselves so busy going here and there for our children's sake's that the "home" of "homeschooling" is missing. Keeping ourselves rested as parents should be as important of a priority as outside activities.
Please read my article The Benefits of Homeschooling- My journey to keep my children home for school
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