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For
the Media
Contact
AHEM
media contact is Sophia Sayigh, 781-641-0566 or info@ahem.info.
About
AHEM
Advocates
for Home Education in Massachusetts (AHEM) is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit,
independent, grassroots, volunteer-run, educational organization
that gathers and disseminates information about homeschooling
in Massachusetts through education, advocacy, and events.
Frequently
Asked Questions
How
many homeschoolers are there?
In
Massachusetts, local school officials keep track of how many homeschoolers
are in their district. Athough the Massachusetts Department of
Education tracks the number of students that transfer from public
school to homeschool in a given year as part of their SIMS data
collection system, there is no statewide accounting of homeschoolers,
hence no official number of homeschoolers in the state.
The
U. S. Department of Education estimates that there are 1.5 million
homeschoolers in the United States as of 2007,1 making
it an important educational option for families. The
homeschooling population is comprised of traditional and non-traditional
families from various races, ethnicities, faiths, philosophies,
and lifestyles.
Why
do families choose to homeschool?
Homeschooling
is being adopted by a broader range of families than ever before.
Families choose to homeschool for many different reasons: because
of concern about the school environment, to provide religious
or moral instruction, because of dissatisfaction with academic
instruction at other schools, or for other reasons such as family
time, finances, travel, and distance.2 Sometimes
families homeschool one child and send another to school, or homeschool
a child for a period of time, and then enroll or re-enroll him
or her in school.
What
is the law governing homeschooling in Massachusetts?
Massachusetts has no statute that specifically addresses homeschooling.
Rather, homeschooling is governed by case law, in conjunction
with applicable statutes. The most important case is Care
and Protection of Charles & others, 399 Mass. 324
(1987). In this case, the Supreme Judicial Court of Massachusetts
upheld the compulsory attendance statute, General
Laws Chapter 76, Section 1. In its decision, the Court was
aware of the need to balance two basic tenets — the constitutional
right of the parents to homeschool and the state's interest in
the education of its citizenry. The result was delegation of homeschooling
oversight to local school districts.
The
job of the local school district is to approve the homeschool
plan, ensuring that it “equals in thoroughness and efficiency,
and in the progress made therein, that in the public schools in
the same town…” (G.L. c. 76, Sec. 1). Each city or town
has discretion in determining how to conduct oversight. For example,
some towns give the responsibility to school committees, while
others have school principals provide oversight. Most commonly,
the superintendent, or an assistant superintendent, oversees homeschooling
in his or her district.
Click
here for more on the history of homeschooling in Massachusetts.
Do
homeschoolers have to take the MCAS?
No. Homeschoolers are not allowed to take the MCAS.
What
about socialization?
Despite the name, homeschooling is not limited to cloistered study
around the kitchen table. Homeschoolers make good use of the wealth
of resources available in Massachusetts and beyond. As a group,
homeschoolers are civic minded and many volunteer for community
organizations, as well as becoming involved with sports leagues,
arts groups, nature centers, and museums. Engagement with the
world allows development of relationships with adults and peers,
making it common for homeschoolers to have friends of various
ages. Homeschool support groups offer opportnities to meet other
children and enjoy group activities and classes.
What
about college?
Homeschooled students are welcomed in many institutions of higher
learning throughout the country, ranging from local community
colleges to Ivy League universities. Colleges consider the ability,
attitude, and life experiences of homeschoolers, as well as their
community involvement. Homeschoolers applying to colleges submit
home-brewed transcripts of high school work, along with the same
standardized test scores (i.e. SATs and ACTs), essays, and recommendations
as other students, if required by the college. Homeschoolers going
on to college are now prevalent enough that The Common Application
added a "Homeschool Supplement" in 2007.
| A
sampling of Massachusetts colleges that have accepted Massachusetts
homeschoolers: |
 |
Amherst
College |
|
Massachusetts
College of Art and Design |
|
Atlantic
Union College |
|
Massachusetts
Institute of Technology |
|
Babson
College |
|
Merrimack
College |
|
Bard
College at Simon's Rock |
|
Mount
Holyoke College |
|
Bay
Path College |
|
Northeastern
University |
|
Becker
College |
|
Salem
State University |
|
Berklee
College of Music |
|
Simmons
College |
|
Boston
College |
|
Smith
College |
|
Boston
University |
|
Springfield
College |
|
Brandeis
University |
|
Tufts
University |
|
College
of the Holy Cross |
|
University
of Massachusetts Amherst |
|
Eastern
Nazarene College |
|
University
of Massachusetts Lowell |
|
Emerson
College |
|
Wellesley
College |
|
Fitchburg
State University |
|
Western
New England College |
|
Franklin
W. Olin College of Engineering |
|
Westfield
State University |
|
Gordon
College |
|
Wheaton
College |
|
Hampshire
College |
|
Worcester
Polytechnic Institute |
|
Harvard
University |
|
Worcester
State University |
__________________________________________
1Bielick,
Stacey, (2008). 1.5 Million Homeschooled Students
in the United States in 2007 (NCES
2009-030). National Center for Education Statistics, U.S. Department
of Education, Washington, D.C.:
p. 1.
2
Ibid., p. 2.
| Articles,
Papers, Etc. |
|
Unschooling
FAQ |
|
Diversity
vs. Dichotomy |
|
1.5
Million Homeschooled Students in the United States in 2007
(NCES 2009-030). National Center for Education Statistics,
U.S. Department of Education, Washington, D.C.: p. 1. |
|
Home
schooling improves academic performance and reduces impact
of socio-economic factors.
Fraser Institute News Release, October 4, 2007. |
|
Princiotta,
D. and Bielick, S. (2006). Homeschooling in the United
States: 2003, (NCES 2006-042) U.S. Department of Education.
National Center for Education Statistics, Washington, DC:
2005. |
|
Journal
of College Admission, No. 185, Fall 2004: Special Homeschool
Edition |
|
Basham,
Patrick; Merrifield, John; and Hepburn, Claudia (2001). Home
Schooling: From the Extreme to the Mainstream, 2nd edition.
Public Policy Sources No. 51. Vancouver: The Fraser Institute.
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The
information on this website does not constitute legal advice;
it is provided for informational purposes only.
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