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Overall, roughly 2.2% of American students are homeschooled. According to the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES), "the weighted estimate of the number of students being homeschooled in the United States in the spring of 2003 was 1,096,000." That's a 29% increase from 1999. Like anything else, homeschooling has its positives and negatives. On the plus side, students aren't exposed to peer pressure and get 1:1 instruction. On the other hand, homeschooled kids miss out on many of the social aspects of school like dances and yummy cafeteria food. The NCES asked parents who homeschooled their children for reasons why they chose the route. The most
common response was a concern about the environment of schools. Other concerns included a desire "to provide religious or moral instruction" and caring for a child with special needs. While homeschooled kids have a reputation for being a bit socially awkward, their test scores are typically above average. On 1999's SAT, "homeschoolers scored an average 1,083 (verbal 548, math 535), 67 points above the national average of 1,016." That's gotta make their teachers proud.
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