What is the Best country to live in for Homeschoolers?

Question

Obviously, lax laws aren't ALL that matters. Homeschoolers also need:

-Moderate to large population for community

-Religious freedom, many practice religion at home

-To be recognized as graduates

-Good internet access and libraries

Answers appreciated!

Answer 1

Your criteria match at least a few countries. Canada, UK and US are the first to come to mind that would fit. But within Canada and the US, there are still some variations due to provincial/state laws. It's not the country that decides the homeschool laws for Canada and the US.

Answer 2

Providing it is legal, any country will do really. What happens inside your home depends what you are doing there; whether you are doing a good job or not!

Answer 3

The US has the best public school systems.  If you are thinking of homeschooling the answer lies in the home itself.  Good luck.

Answer 4

It's extremely difficult to name the "best" unless one has extensive knowledge of all countries.

However, I have experience with home education in the US and am quite pleased.

Btw, the word "graduate" as a noun means that a person has graduated from a school or institution.  Why is it important for a home educated person to be seen as a graduate?  If the person will not continue his education, then perhaps a GED would be helpful.  However, most universities of which I am aware do not require diplomas for admission.  If a person has good college entrance exam scores, then many universities will nearly beg for home educated students, who typically are high achievers at the university level.

Answer 5

Oh Boy! As far as I can see, the problem at the heart of this question is that there is no such thing as a single, typical homeschooler. Homeschooling (and homeschoolers) is a very broad church; we're not all doing the same thing or even doing remotely the same thing.

We all have very different aims, goals, objectives and ambitions for ourselves and our futures; therefore, our needs and priorities are also very different and very individual. Hence, I reckon the 'best country' in which to home-educate is going to be a very subjective (and personal) thing.

For instance: if one takes your suggestions of homeschooler 'needs':

> lax laws (can't say I'm comfortable with the word 'lax'. To me, that suggests a society in which homeschoolers should be grateful that enough loopholes exist to enable them to homeschool 'on the quiet' rather than having the choice to homeschool recognised, supported, accepted and celebrated openly for what it is);

> a moderate to large population;

> religious freedom;

> to be recognized as graduates;

> good internet access and libraries...

....well, as a 15yr old who has been home-educated all my life, I know that only one of those things matters a jot to me (or matters to my parents). Even then, I wouldn't list it as essential or even as being important to me, my education or my future.

However there are probably plenty of homeschooling kids and parents for whom the things you suggest are just as important as they are unimportant to us. And vice versa. The things that are central to me, my education and my future are probably irrelevant to many other homeschoolers.

Personally, I reckon the best country for homeschooling is mine (Australia), lol!!

Which brings me on to another problem with your question - people are naturally going to go with their own country.

Mind you, I reckon Oz is the best country in the world for anything! Okay, maybe not for snow, lol!

I'd say the things that make a place 'the best' for homeschoolers would likely include:

> decent standard of living

> lack of political interference in the private lives of citizens

> acceptance of traditional, core family values

> child centred attitudes (across the whole community)

> support for and acknowledgement of parental freedoms, rights and responsibilities

> promotion of personal responsibility

Sal - if you *seriously* believe that, you can't have seen the most recent listings (of countries by educational achievement, ??from OECD). The USA is loitering in the middle of the rankings, lagging behind many third world countries and many eastern European/former Soviet States. The world's best public school system is to be found in Norway, followed by France.

Answer 6

What about all the home school kids that live too far from a school? Like in Australia.

Besides that how important is religion? For us it is important; but there are those here who don't practice any faith.

To answer your question I'm biased! I think America is the best place for HS but then I live here!

Answer 7

Many countries have the options to home school, in a lot of countries it is still a normal every day practice, and a brick and mortar school is often the exception.

I was born and raised in Europe, and even though some European countries are finally seeing the value of alternative education, I feel that here in the United States it is a most viable option and legal in all 50 states.

Some states even have it written into their state Constitution.

Home school graduates are recognized all over, and have proved to be well educated, and successful.

Home school freedoms are not to be taken for granted though, and as mainstream as this alternative form of education has become it is still not safe from misinformed legislators who together with teacher unions are always prepared to either limit, or try to eliminate home schooling all together.