Context and Regulation of Homeschooling: Issues, Evidence, and Assessment Practices

The article discusses salient factors that influence the current context within which homeschooling occurs. Individual states have applied various approaches to establish regulations that both preserve the rights of homeschooling parents and fulfill the state’s obligation to ensure that its residents receive the education to which they are constitutionally entitled. Case and ethnographic studies or research involving small and selected samples often appear in outlets associated with homeschool advocacy groups or in outlets that are not mainstream. The paucity of empirical evidence derived from methodologically strong research paradigms has led to little certainty about many aspects of homeschooling including its effectiveness in preparing an educated citizenry. From state to state, the understanding and definition of homeschooling varies widely, leading to equally wide variations in regulatory practices. The article documents and summarizes state-to-state variations in matters pertaining to homeschooling, and offers recommendations to help school psychologists work more effectively with students who are educated at home