Homebase: a Guide to Homeschool in High School

The Downhill Slide

So what is it? What is it about high school that is so intimidating to homeschooling parents that they choose to send their kids to private or public school?

The stats are stunning. Between 5th and 6th grade, the number of students being homeschooled in Hampton Roads is cut by half. This is true of all seven cities and has been consistent over the last ten years despite the overall growth of homeschooling. From 8th grade to 9th the number of young people being educated at home takes another small hit.

The question I have is why? What changes during a child's 5th grade year that convinces a parent to change their educational environment? I am soliciting responses from both current and former homeschooling parents. If you stopped homeschooling, what was your reason? Was it family finances, the challenges of teaching an adolescent or the academic demands? If you considered sending your kids to a traditional school setting, why did you consider this change and what made you stick with homeschooling? I will tabulate the responses and let you know.

Input from Out there:

Thanks to Pam Willoughby, my awesome sister-in-law, for the feedback on the blog last week. Another reason to take the PSAT: it can be a predictor of how well a student might do on Advance Placement exams. Time to schedule the PSAT? Yes it is.


Options!
This is a tight deadline, but on Wednesday, October 1, there will be an Apprentice Expo at Scope from 3-7:30. It is called Scope Your Future and the announcement states that there will be "approximately 70 employers" in attendance. It is free and open to the public. An apprentice program is a great alternative for a kid who might not be interested in college.