A recent study prepared by Dr. Brian Ray of the National Home Education Research Institute and Bruce K. Eagleson, published in the Journal of Academic Leadership, offers some instructive truths about the unimportance of state regulation of homeschooling. This information is most propitious and providential considering that during the 2009 session the NDHSA plans to introduce legislation that will remove parental qualifications other than a high school diploma or G.E.D.

It is estimated that 1.5-2.4 million children are now taught by their parents. The growth has been steady in North Dakota and across America. Unfortunately, many policy makers prefer that the state continue to regulate and even increase regulations of parent teachers. North Dakota’s chief educator, Dr. Wayne Sanstead, Superintendent of Public Instruction,  boasts about the restricted freedoms from high regulation of homeschoolers in North Dakota.

Does the research support high regulation? Are parents and children really better off when the state stringently oversees the education of all children including those that are homeschooled?  

According to the researchers of this newly-published study, "The purpose...was to determine whether there is a relationship between the college-admissions (or college-aptitude) SAT scores of students who were homeschooled and the degree of state regulation of homeschooling." 

Eight states, including North Dakota, are not included in the study due to either small sample size or degree of state regulation not the same for 10 years. However, what is true for other high-regulation states is likely true for North Dakota, as well.

The following comments are provided for publication by Dr. Brian Ray (bold emphasis added by editor):

The SAT scores of homeschool students from low-, moderate-, and high-regulation states were first compared for states whose degree of regulation had not changed for the 10 years preceding and including the year of SAT testing. There were no significant differences between students' SAT scores in the three groups (of state regulation of homeschooling) for any of the three test scores (verbal, F(2, 40) = 0.58, p = .57; math, F(2,40) = 1.527, p = .23; total, F(2,40) = 1.070, p = .35). In all cases, the states with the highest degree of state regulation had the lowest average SAT scores. As previously explained, the unit of analysis was the state.
 
At least...three matters should be considered. First, the simple fact is that no significant statistical relationships were found between the degree of state regulation of homeschooling and students' SAT verbal, math, and total scores. No p-values were under .05. In addition, no significant differences were found in SAT scores regardless of whether the same degree of state regulation of homeschooling existed in a given state for the periods of the past 5 years or past 10 years.

Second, one must cautiously use the findings in light of at least two points pertaining to the study's design and the nature of the data. One is that some notable limitations adhere to the data. For example, it was not possible to ascertain for how many years, on average, students in a particular state were home educated, nor was it possible to determine for how long, on average, students had lived in a particular state. Ergo, it was not possible to know, in experimental terms, these elements of the homeschooling 'treatment' that the students had experienced.

Third, the use of these findings in education policy largely depends upon the socio-political worldview of the person considering what policy should exist. At one of the most fundamental levels, the issue is whether the parents or the state should have primary authority over and responsibility for the education and upbringing of a child. One could believe that the state should be the default authority and responsible party rather than the parents.
 
On the other hand, if one thinks that parents should have primary authority and responsibility over their children's education, that person would likely argue that the parents should be allowed to design and execute the home-based education of the children without legal or regulatory intrusion from the state unless there was significant evidence that a practice such as home schooling generally harms children and youth. They would point out that most state constitutions simply give the states authority to make schools available to children, not to regulate the education of all children. [Editor’s note: N.D.’s constitution mandates the availability of a public education system but is completely silent on government oversight of private and home schools.]

Those of this perspective might also argue that these findings do not reveal a correlational relationship between state regulation and SAT scores and therefore advocates of regulation have no basis for claiming that increased state regulation of homeschooling might cause better preparedness for college. Persons of this worldview might further argue that even if the state should exercise more authority to control home schooling, the findings indicate no significant relationship between degree of state regulation and SAT scores and therefore the cost of increasing state regulation (e.g., time, energy, money, political battles) would not be warranted.

 The link to read this for yourself is included here:  Ray, Brian D., & Eagleson, Bruce K. (2008, August 14). State regulation of homeschooling and homeschoolers' SAT scores. Journal of Academic Leadership, 6(3). Retrieved August 25, 2008 from:   http://www.academicleadership.org/emprical_research/State_Regulation_ of_Homeschooling_and_Homeschoolers_SAT_Scores.shtml