Patricia M. Lines

About the author: Patricia M. Lines is a senior fellow at the Discovery Institute, an organization that publishes opinions on politics, technology, economics, science, and culture.

The home-schooling movement has expanded over the past fifteen years. Along with this expansion is an increased acceptance of home schooling as a legitimate form of education. In fact, home schooling has been around for centuries, while compulsory public schooling is a relatively new idea. The typical home-schooling parent is religious, white, and conservative, with a middle-class income and a better education level than most Americans. Homeschooling parents are more likely to participate in civic activities than parents who send their children to public school. Studies indicate that home-schooled children score above average on tests and are admitted by most universities and colleges in the United States...