[Mpls] Homeschooling References

[Michael Atherton]

Madeline Douglass wrote:

> Is there any information re what % of Minneapolis school 
> age children are home schooled?

All homeschoolers are required by state law to notify the 
school district in which they live that they will be homeschooling, 
so the MPS do know how many families are homeschooling.  Whether
they are willing to release that information is another
question.

> any test scores or stats comparing the academic performance 
> of home schooled versus traditional schooled children in 
> Minneapolis?

Depending on the age of the student homeschoolers are required 
by state law to be tested annually using a nationally
normed test, but parents are not required to report scores
to the district or the state.  So, unless someone locally
has done a study comparing public school students to homeschooled
students this data is not available.
  
> Does the Minneapolis public...or private schools do anything 
> to support or not support home schooling?

I don't know.  The MPS do have a Home School Services Dept.,
but I don't know what they do besides register homeschooled
students.  Maybe someone from the MPS can tell us?

> Anything unique or special about the home schooling movement 
> in Minneapolis?

All of the advantages the rest of us share living in the city. :-)

Michael Atherton
Prospect Park