New Study Shows Homeschoolers Succeed in College

Last week, a study titled Exploring Academic Outcomes of Homeschooled Students was released and showed that homeschooled college students significantly outperformed their peers. "This is great news for the homeschool community," said Michael Smith, president of the Home School Legal Defense Association. "Once again, homeschooling parents have shown they are more than capable of preparing their children for all aspects of life," he added.

The study covered homeschoolers from 2004-2009 at a mid-sized college in the upper Midwest. Among the major findings:

Homeschooled students earned a higher first-year GPA (3.41) when compared to other freshman (3.12).

Homeschooled students earned a higher fourth-year GPA (3.46) when compared to other freshman who completed their fourth year (3.16).

Homeschooled students achieved a higher graduation rate (66.7 percent) when compared to the overall student population (57.5 percent).

Other research has shown that parents spend on average $500 per child, per year to homeschool. In comparison, the average public school spends over $10,000 per child, per year. Homeschooling is proving itself everyday to be a credible and cost-effective method of educating children.

Other examples of homeschool success can also be found in the college preparatory area. Patrick Henry College Preparatory Academy, which conducts online AP* classes with a Christian worldview, released its results today for the May 2010 United States Government and Politics AP* Exam.

Reported scores for homeschooled students who studied with PHC Prep averaged "3.75" on a scale of 1-5 (with 3 being a pass). Last year's national average for the same exam was "2.78."

As millions of children go back to school in the next few weeks, it's important to remember the hundreds of thousands of homeschool families (representing over 2 million homeschooled children) who are achieving amazing results on a fraction of the budget.

*Advanced Placement and AP are registered trademarks of the College Board, which was not involved in the production of, and does not endorse, this product.

US Homeschooling Hero Close to Death

From LifeSiteNews
By Hilary White

A major figure in the worldwide effort to provide legal protection for homeschoolers is seriously ill with complications related to multiple sclerosis. The family and colleagues of Chris Klicka, an attorney with the Home School Legal Defense Association (HSLDA), said he is not likely to return to his Virginia home and are asking for prayers after Klicka became critically ill with infections and problems with blood pressure.

Klicka's condition has been deteriorating since late August, as he has lost more mobility and the ability to swim, walk or stand, according to family members. On Saturday, September 26, his wife Tracy Klicka wrote on the family's blog of her husband's desire to attend a national homeschooling conference to "say goodbye ourselves to these dear homeschool leaders and friends."

Klicka was taken to the emergency room of a hospital in Colorado Springs on Friday in critical condition. On Sunday, with her husband in the ICU at St. Francis Medical Center, Tracy Klicka wrote, "Chris is close to going home [to God] we believe. He is fairly unconscious, non-responsive and has had no nutrition since Thursday except hydration and electrolyte and glucose supplementation."

"With almost complete certainty, he will not be coming home to Virginia."

Yesterday, Tracy wrote that Chris's condition had stabilized and the fluid on his lungs had reduced and he is being moved into home hospice care with a local family.

Klicka is Senior Counsel of the HSLDA as well as Director of State and International Relations. As such he has become a leading figure in the fight for families from Europe who face the removal of their children and even arrest and prison sentences by governments. He is also the author of several books including Home Schooling: The Right Choice, The Heart of Home Schooling, and his latest book, Home School Heroes.

On the family's blog CaringBridge, Klicka's family said they have been "overwhelmed" by the responses from supporters and that they are grateful for the inquiries about financial donations.

The HSLDA is the world's leading non-profit legal defense organization for homeschooling families and represents thousands of such families in the US and Europe. The group has spent years lobbying in Washington and at the state level for the rights of homeschoolers under the US constitution and through affiliation with European groups for those who operate in countries where homeschooling is under threat.

To make a financial contribution:
Christopher Klicka
6779 Riley Rd.
Warrenton, VA 20187

Or click here.