In a previous article I addressed the involvement of school systems in the private life of teachers. In the comment section of that article a reader purposed a question to me. In that question I was asked how much involvement I feel schools should have in homeschooling.
While I am sure that if my fellow homeschooling writers were asked the same question they would likely reply with the answer “none”, I cannot say the same.
I think that it is important for homeschooling families and schools to work together. I feel that they should have a common understanding of what skills and goals should be accomplished by the children.
I also feel that it is important for schools to be available to homeschooling families if needed. Parents who homeschool should be able to communicate and gain resources and information from schools if they desire.
Many schools also allow students that are homeschooled to participate in school activities such as sports and proms and other gatherings.
The main reason that I feel school systems (or the state educational system) should be involved with homeschooling families is to ensure to the best of its ability that all students are given the same opportunities.
While in most cases of homeschooled students that I am familiar with, the parents teach on or above the child’s academic level, I am not certain that this is always the case. Just as with other educational systems, homeschooling parents need guidelines and standards to ensure that their children are learning the information that they need to move on to a college education.
Eventually all students will be placed together into the competitive world. As a teacher, I realize that some students will be much more ready than others. However all students are required to take the same ACT test and pass the same board professional test. Setting state standards for all students is one way to try to level the playing field the best that we can.
Arkansas Teacher Code of Ethics