We are a nation at risk today, but not because we do not place a high priority on the education of children. We are so efficiency minded today that there is little time left for things that take time–things like relationships or like disciplining our own children or others. Our failure in the educational world exists today because we have failed to understand the importance of relationships–relationships with God, relationships in the family, and relationships within the local church and community.

From a Biblical perspective, perhaps the underlying reason parents are examining and embracing the home education approach is due to a spirit of restoration found in the closing verses of the Old Testament scriptures spoken by the prophet Malachi. "Behold, I will send you Elijah the prophet before the coming of the great and dreadful day of the Lord: And he shall turn the hearts of the fathers to the children, and the hearts of the children to their fathers, lest I come and smite the earth with a curse." (Malachi 4:5-6).

The first advent of Jesus Christ was directly associated with the prophetic ministry of John the Baptist fulfilling this scripture (Luke 1:17). Surely in this age of spiritual renewal and reformation we are seeing a fulfillment of this prophetic word again.

QUESTIONS/ANSWERS ABOUT HOME EDUCATION

Since the first advent, we have seen a continual struggle between two basic philosophies: The Greco-Roman ideals represented by individualism and the democratic state versus the Judeo-Christian ideals represented by the family and the Church. It is a battle over wealth and the loyalty of the next generation.

The individual looks after his own wealth and opportunities. The state develops the long range plans. It wants the control of the wealth and loyalty of the next generation. The individual and the state both speak loudly and clearly for themselves and for each other.

The Church speaks for its interests, but who is speaking for the family? It is the family that supports the Church and passes on the Christian heritage from generation to generation. Are Christian leaders thinking further ahead than the state? Passing along a heritage is an educational function. When fathers relinquish family responsibilities, the Christian faith looses ground as well. Christian leaders can no longer remain quiet concerning the family’s role in education. It is time for Christian leaders to send the prophetic message of this age to fathers.

It is imperative for both families and Church leaders to know the facts about home education. Home schooling is flourishing within the United States. In the 1980’s, the general public had never heard of home schooling but today almost everyone has.

Still society at large knows little about home schoolers, their backgrounds, their achievements, and their other activities. A recent study conducted by Dr. Brian D. Ray, president of the National Home Education Research Institute, provides some answers to the key questions being asked about home education. This study, Strengths of Their Own: Home Schoolers Across America, collected data on 5,402 home school students from 1,657 families for the 1994-95 and 1995-96 academic years. The largest and most comprehensive study on home schooling ever undertaken, it not only confirms many studies on similar investigations into aspects of home schooling but also addresses all the common questions and concerns expressed about home education. Often these questions are based upon a false premise fostered by the culture in which we live. A summary of the ten most asked questions/answers is given below.

1. How many people are home schooling in the United States? The best estimate is approximately 1.23 million home schoolers (estimated margin of error is

+/- 10%).

2. How does home schoolers’ education compare to those in public schools? Home schoolers out-perform their public school peers by 30 to 37 percentile points across the subjects on standardize achievement exams.

3. How can parents teach their own children? Is teacher certification required? Studies show that teacher certification for home schooling parents has little effect on the child’s learning.

4. How much education does a parent need to successfully home school? Another way of stating this question is, "Does the parent’s education level predict student achievement?" For public schoolers, studies show that the parent’s educational level and students are directly related. The higher a parent’s education, the better the public student’s achievements. For home schoolers, studies show that the student’s achievements (which are significantly better than public schooled children) are not related to the parent’s education level.

5. Isn’t home schooling just another avenue of escape by white people from school integration? How will minority families/students achieve proper education if all the whites leave public schools? Studies show that racial segregation is rarely the reason that American parents are selecting home education as an alternative to public education. Also, Dr. Ray’s studies show that minority families who themselves have selected home education have children who do as well as whites in student achievements.

6. Isn’t home schooling mostly made up of high income families? How will the poorer income families achieve proper education except in the public education system? Studies show that family income level has no impact on a child’s achievements in home schooling. Those families with annual incomes less than $15,000 compared with six other higher income groups (up to those with over $100,000/year income) have children achieving the same higher percentile ranking above public educated children (over 35 percentile higher).

7. How much money is involved in home education? The average annual cost of home education is estimated at $546/child. The current national average for public education is $5325/child (ten times the cost of home education with less results). Shouldn’t every local, state and national politician hear about these results and look at encouraging more parents to home educate their children as alternative to the national crises facing America? That’s the question the reader must answer.

8. What about socialization of home schooled children? Are they sheltered from "the real world"? Home schoolers are involved in many social activities outside the home, including community as well as religious events. The average home schooler is involved in over five activities outside the home. Most home school children are so socially adjusted (mature beyond their age) they find themselves participating in many more events with people older than they. The home schooled Jesus of Nazareth is a prime example (Luke 2:46-47).

The present design of the educational system of America does not incorporate the best interest of the family. The push for earlier entrance into formal education is actually detrimental to the desire and ability of the child to accomplish learning in the future. The present system actually inhibits proper socialization of the child. Positive and principled sociability is firmly linked to the family (the source of self worth). Negative "me-first" sociability is born from peer group association and less meaningful parental contact.

9. How much state regulation is required of home schooling families to ensure the child gets properly educated? This question is basically one of parental accountability. The fifty States have laws which vary considerably regarding education. Some have very low regulations regarding education and the necessity for parents to contact the state regarding their child’s education. Others have moderate regulations and require the parents to send notification, test scores, and/or professional evaluation of student progress. Still others have high regulation and require parents to send notification, achievement test scores and/or professional evaluation, plus other requirements such as curriculum approval, teacher qualifications of parents, or home visits by state officials.

The question here really is, "Is government regulation necessary for high achievement?". Studies show the answer to this question is NO! A comparison of states with low, moderate and high regulations on home schooling shows no impact on home school achievements. More bureaucracy is not the answer. In fact, the existing costs of public education management could be lowered if more parents were encouraged to home school their children. This is another good point for public policy makers to understand and act upon.

10. How many home schooled children can make it in college? Are they really able to learn the difficult courses necessary for college preparation (science and mathematics)? Studies show that once they graduate from high school, home schoolers closely parallel their public school counterparts, whether they pursue more education or enter the job market. Approximately 70% of both home schoolers and public schooled children attend college. In fact, many home schoolers are beginning to take college courses prior to graduation from high school because they master material quickly and nothing in the system is keeping them from progressing onward to more challenging curriculum of interest.

CONCLUSIONS

The answer to the decline in American education and society lies partially in restructuring the educational system. The government-sponsored monopoly on education must give way to a parent/family-centered system. The decision where to educate and at what time to begin formal education must rest with the parents.

Any sincere investigation will reveal that a life of learning was (and is) the heart of Jewish heritage and was instilled by Jehovah ("Hold on to instructions, do not let it go; guard it well, for it is your life." Proverbs 4:13). Learning constitutes the very core of the heritage that Jewish civilization has bequeathed to the Church. Some say that many Jews believe studying is the highest form of worship. They have long been called the "people of the Book." The Greeks learned to comprehend. The Hebrews learned in order to revere.

The subject of a proper education is a vast discussion and has tremendous implications on the future generation. It is imperative that parents attune themselves to their responsibilities regarding the next generation. God has a plan, a plan to prosper us and not harm us, a plan to give us hope and a future (Jeremiah 29:11).