The question, “But does this homeschool program line up with what they do in the public schools?” is one of my biggest pet peeves. Why? Because what they are doing in the public schools is failing! Kids are dropping out every day; others are pushed through a system that is not providing them with even the fundamentals; and still others struggle through a program that places them in a mold that just does not fit them.

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Many homeschoolers often ask me for suggestions on how to keep skills sharp over the summer without committing a large amount of time to summer school.  

One of the best programs I have found to keep learning alive during the summer months (short of continuing with focused schooling all summer) is the Summer Bridge program.  

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Nathaniel and Hannah are not typical students. However, their accomplishments are not atypical of homeschool graduates.

Nathaniel will graduate this year with his older sister, two years ahead of schedule. Both will attend a local college on a two-year full honors scholarship.

Why?

Because eight years ago their parents recognized the fact that their local public school could not meet the needs of their kids and committed to homeschooling them.

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There is one homeschool student who has impressed me from the first year I met him. When I conducted his eighth grade homeschool evaluation, he was already more articulate than most of the eleventh grade students in my public school classroom, and his passion for politics was unquestionable.

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I am happy to share Subway’s apology to the homeschool community:

We at SUBWAY restaurants place a high value on education, regardless of the setting, and have initiated a number of programs and promotions aimed at educating our youth in the areas of health and fitness.

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Apparently the fact that homeschoolers are proving to out do their counterparts in spelling bees, geography bees and math competitions makes them ineligible to enter Subway’s creative writing contest designed for school aged children.

Now I know that homeschoolers do tend to sound more intelligent than their chronological age, but that does not change the fact that they are school-aged? :-)

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The on-going debate in California regarding homeschool rights took a positive turn on Tuesday of this week when nineteen members of the House of Representatives filed an amicus curiae brief on behalf of homeschooling families.

The brief reminds the court that the “primary role of the parents in the upbringing of their children is now established beyond debate as an enduring American tradition” and that that role includes their education.

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What better way to celebrate Christ’s birth than to spend your Christmas vacation serving him? That’s exactly what Bridgeway Academy homeschooling families did this past Christmas season by traveling to Russia to share Christ with the people there.

Through street ministry, evening concerts, and their ministry to area orphanages, these incredible kids made an impact for Christ.

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Evaluation season is well under way here in Pennsylvania. As a homeschool evaluator, this is one of my favorite times of the year. It is this time of year that I am most encouraged about the success of homeschooling.

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No doubt the state of Pennsylvania has some of the most stringent homeschooling laws in the country. Affidavits, portfolios, daily logs, evaluations, standardized testing, June 30th, August 1st . . . all terms you will find in the Pennsylvania homeschool law. Many parents find the homeschooling laws in Pennsylvania to be an annoyance and an infringement on our rights.

However, I want you to see just the opposite is true.

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