First Homeschooler Survey Results

1. Number of children, by age groups
        <5              57 families, 72 children
        5-10            97 families, 150 children
        11-13           53 families, 56 children
        14-18           41 families, 48 children

        Average         2.4 children per family 

2. Reasons for home schooling (rank 1-5)
        Reason  average score   ranked first by
        Religion        1.8             43%
        Quality         2.0             25%
        Family          2.6             18%
        Special needs   3.4              9%
        Safety          3.7              5%

3. If you were not able to homeschool, how would your children be educated?
        Religious private school        68%
        Local public school             10%
        Private nonreligious school     10%
        Public magnet school             5%
        Other                            7%

4. Do you belong to a homeschool support group?  Number answering ‘yes"
        108 (81%)

5. Teaching resources:
        Tutor   12 (5 certified)
        Parent  27 (6 certified)
        Classes 59 (46% of respondents)

6. How many of your children have attended college:     9 (of 326)
   Were they required to have a GED?                    2 received GED

7. What records do you maintain?
        Attendance              96%
        Curriculum              88%
        Extracurr. activities   84%
        Portfolio               87%
        Medical records         86%

8. What method of education do you use?
        Own curriculum                  77 (57%)
        Packaged curriculum             73 (54%)
        Unit study                      56 (41%)
        Unschooling                     24 (18%)
        Teacher developed curric.       12  (9%)

9. Were you aware of HB 586, to regulate homeschooling?
        yes     95%
   Were you aware of new University System admission requirements?
        yes     73%

10. What is your opinion of the following proposed regulations?  
    1=in favor, 2=neutral, 3=opposed, 4=no opinion.  
    Number (proportion) answering 1 or 2:
        Std. tests              10      (7%)
        Progress reports        23      (17%)
        Portfolio to super.     13      (10%)
        Portfolio to teacher     3      (2%)
        Remedial program         6      (4%)
        Immunization recs.      14      (10%)
        SAT II tests            17      (13%)
        Lession plans            2      (1%)
        BA degree for parent     6      (4%)

11. Would you use the following services if available with 
    no change in current homeschooling requirements?  
    Fraction of "yes" responses:
        Classes                 51%
        Tests                   50%
        Extracurricular act.    55%
        Sports                  49%
        Library                 56%
        Textbooks               29%
        Diploma                 55%
        Regular HOPE            68%

12. Would you use the following services if availability came 
    with increased regulation?  Fraction of "yes" responses:
        Classes                  9%
        Tests                    9%
        Extracurricular act.     5%
        Sports                  11%
        Library                  6%
        Textbooks                3%
        Diploma                 11%
        Regular HOPE            10%

13. Proportion of all respondents who would want and use new services
    in exchange for additional regulation (#11 x #12)
        Classes                 5%
        Tests                   6%
        Extracuricular act.     3%
        Sports                  5%
        Library                 3%
        Textbooks               1%
        Diploma                 6%
        Regular HOPE            7%

14. Location of respondent
        Urban            8%
        Suburban        58%
        Rural           33%

15. Home educating parents’ education level:

        HS                      16%
        Assoc. degree            8%
        Some college            32%
        College (BA)            25%
        Some postgrad.           7%
        Postgrad. degree        11%

16. Race
        Caucasian               95%
        African-American         2%
        Other                    3%

17. Category that best reflects political philosophy:
        Liberal          5%
        Centrist         6%
        Conservative    90%
        Libertarian      3%
        Other            1%

18. Approximate annual household income:
        <$25,000 11% $25-50,000 42% $50-75,000 35% $75-100,000 9%>$100,000        3%