In the News
School's in at Home
An increasing number of American families—at least 850,000 children nationwide—are being schooled at home, up from 360,000 a decade ago, according to the U.S. Education Department. Some do so because of shortcomings in public education or concerns over social trends. More women are abandoning careers to stay home with their children. And many families yearn for a less frantic schedule and more time together.
The top three motivations for homeschooling in the survey were the prospect of a better education (49 percent), religious beliefs (38 percent) and a poor learning environment in the schools (26 percent) (source: The New York Times, Nov. 10, 2003).