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HOME SCHOOLING'S NET EFFECT
Online courses are providing new opportunities for the rising
number of children in the U.S. who attend home school. In less
than 10 years, the number of home-schooled students in the U.S.
has more than tripled to 1.7 million, as parents seek more
personalized curricula for their children and grow increasingly
concerned about the safety of public schools. However, many
parents feel unqualified to teach certain subjects, especially to
older students, and the Internet is helping to fill the
educational gap. Some home-schooled students use online courses
only as a supplement to their regular studies, while others
enroll in an online school such as the Christa McAuliffe Academy,
the Laurel Spring School, or Child U. Online schools communicate
with parents through chat rooms and e-mail, and help students
socialize through pen-pal programs and extracurricular
activities. With critics citing concerns that home-schooled
students are not properly socialized, online high schools are
responding by organizing field trips and even holding proms.
(Washington Post, 16 July 2000)
Contact F. David Peat
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