Degree Name

EdD (Doctor of Education)

Program

Educational Leadership

Date of Award

December 1998

Abstract

The problem which this researcher investigated centered around the motivational factors which caused parents to educate their children at home. The purpose of this study was to assess the factors as perceived to cause families to home school their children. This study of home school education offered the opportunity to examine the dynamics within home schooling families as they conducted a non-traditional educational alternative. The study may provide information and insight to assist public school policy makers in considering inclusion of program components presently perceived as missing. Two home school associations in upper East Tennessee responded to a home school questionnaire. The data from the questionnaire presented a demographic overview of home school families and indicated the motivational factors for home schooling as opposed to enrollment in public schools. Six research questions were answered, and twelve hypotheses were tested using the Chi Square Test of Independence. The Chi Square Analysis revealed a statistically significant relationship between the academic achievement in math of home school children and the types of curriculums used by parents. The Chi Square Analysis revealed no statistically significant relationship between the academic achievement of home school children and the types of group activities used by parents, and the hindrance of current state home school laws The results indicate that parents chose to home school their children because they felt it was the responsibility of parents to provide a child's education, and to control the moral environment of the child. Public school system personnel should make an effort to acquire information from registered home school families as to the causes and reasons families are opting to leave public education.

Document Type

Dissertation - unrestricted

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