That would have been an outrageous notion a generation ago, when far fewer parents had college degrees and most people regarded teachers and schools with more respect and even awe. Today parents are much better educated, hooked up to a world of information via the Internet and inundated with headlines about problems plaguing public schools. They see home schooling as one more step in the evolution of parent power that has given birth to school-choice programs, vouchers and charter schools. They've declared their independence and are taking matters into their own hands. But while home schooling is winning converts, it still has plenty of critics who worry that millions of youngsters will grow up without adequate academic or social skills.
Home schooling compresses all that into a single setting that can be very difficult for kids.
The National Education Association, the nation's biggest teachers union, backs much more rigorous regulation. Only 37 states now have statutes that set standards for home schooling, says Christopher Klicka, executive director of the National Center for Home Education, an advocacy group. Many educators say it's the government's responsibility to make sure kids get what they need to become productive citizens.