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Print This StoryHome-Schooling Has Advantages, Disadvantages
Laws Protect Home-Schooled Children From Falling Through The Cracks
Parents want only the best for their children. And when it comes to education, it is becoming an increasingly popular view that the "best" is to teach your own children at home.
NewsChannel5's Tracy Carloss takes a look at the trend of home schooling and how it affects both parents and children.
There have been state regulations put in place to protect children and to make sure they are receiving all educational requirements.
To home-school your child requires written notification to the superintendent, and the parents must have a high school diploma or G.E.D., or work under a person with a college degree. Children are also required to have 900 hours of schooling and take end-of-the-year assessment exams with a certified teacher.
For some families, home schooling seems to be the right option. Vicki Keys is a former teacher who decided to teach her four children at home. She enjoyed watching her first child learn so much that she wanted to continue to teach the rest of her children at home.
Keys has a structured classroom, and says that although it was the right choice for her family, it may not be so for everyone.
Communities also have resources for parents who home school their children. Robert Clampitt from the Mayfield City School District works with the parents in the district who home school, who number over 20. "There are home school organizations to get their questions answered, support pages, Web pages for people in home schooling," said Clampitt.
Not all people have such positive feelings about home schooling. Despite some regulations, Cleveland Teachers Union president Rich Decolibus said that this is not enough.
"It's pretty much an unregulated business. There is no question some parents should not be doing this," said Decolibus. He added that some unqualified parents could do their children harm and that children could be, "inadvertently falling through the cracks."
Despite the controversy, home schooling continues to grow in popularity. Curriculums are available for parents who decide to teach their children at home, and there are even sports leagues for home-schooled kids.
NewsChannel5's Tracy Carloss takes a look at the trend of home schooling and how it affects both parents and children.
There have been state regulations put in place to protect children and to make sure they are receiving all educational requirements.
To home-school your child requires written notification to the superintendent, and the parents must have a high school diploma or G.E.D., or work under a person with a college degree. Children are also required to have 900 hours of schooling and take end-of-the-year assessment exams with a certified teacher.
For some families, home schooling seems to be the right option. Vicki Keys is a former teacher who decided to teach her four children at home. She enjoyed watching her first child learn so much that she wanted to continue to teach the rest of her children at home.
Keys has a structured classroom, and says that although it was the right choice for her family, it may not be so for everyone.
Communities also have resources for parents who home school their children. Robert Clampitt from the Mayfield City School District works with the parents in the district who home school, who number over 20. "There are home school organizations to get their questions answered, support pages, Web pages for people in home schooling," said Clampitt.
Not all people have such positive feelings about home schooling. Despite some regulations, Cleveland Teachers Union president Rich Decolibus said that this is not enough.
"It's pretty much an unregulated business. There is no question some parents should not be doing this," said Decolibus. He added that some unqualified parents could do their children harm and that children could be, "inadvertently falling through the cracks."
Despite the controversy, home schooling continues to grow in popularity. Curriculums are available for parents who decide to teach their children at home, and there are even sports leagues for home-schooled kids.
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