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 The sheer number of homeschoolers represent a distinct threat to the hegemony of the government school monopoly. Qualitatively, the academic success of homeschoolers, measured by standardized test scores and recruitment by colleges [1], debunk the myth that parents need to hire credentialed experts to force children to learn. Homeschooling also refutes the “more money equals better education” mantra of teacher unions. The average homeschooling family spends approximately 10% of the per pupil costs associated with government schools [2] in achieving these academic results. Multiplied by the number of homeschoolers, even these modest amounts add up to a sizeable market attracting numerous educational entrepreneurs. Besides challenging the legitimacy of government schools, homeschoolers also pose a more direct economic threat. Funding for reviewofeducationalresearch government schools is based on attendance, currently so strong that it may well leave a number of listeners wondering why such an obviously needed and beneficial reform wasn''t undertaken a long time ago. But the fact is that the effort to establish educational standards has always been an uphill fight in this country. In light of these circumstances, it is useful to examine why Americans have reviewofeducationalresearch so vigorously resisted educational standards over the years. The history of such resistance suggests that there are three factors in particular that have made standards reviewofeducationalresearch such a hard sell: a commitment to local control of schools, a commitment to expansion of educational opportunity, and a commitment to form over substance in the way we think about educational accomplishment. All three of these factors, which I treat below, can be traced in large part to our preference for one particular purpose of education: Denver now offers its gifted-and-talented program at three schools - Baker, Place and Smiley - so students get special instruction near home. But Barbara Neyrinck, head of gifted-and-talented programs for Denver Public Schools, said the programs need to be consolidated reviewofeducationalresearch to make them stronger, more of a priority and more appealing School administrators proposed creating an expanded special education program for high school students Wednesday in response to the rising costs of out-of-district placements. The goal is to keep special education students in the district, Superintendent Randy Bell said. The program, proposed during the School Board’s business meeting, would target high school students and involve both Hudson and Litchfield. The biggest area of the special education budget is out-of-district costs, said Leslie Derbyshire, special services director. In addition to tuition costs, the most complete listing of educational standards
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