Basic Skills Homeschool Testing Study

11% of survey complete.

Welcome to the Homeschool Testing Study. The principal investigator is Dr. Brian Ray, president of the National Home Education Research Institute (NHERI). The purpose of this research is to better understand the academic successes of homeschooling and choices about home education. You will be asked to complete a survey about your family’s homeschooling and provide your children’s test scores. There are no known risks in participating in this research beyond those experienced in everyday life.

The benefits to you include giving you more insight about how you homeschool, and a report on the study if you request it. The benefits to society include helping others understand the benefits or challenges of homeschooling. About 15 minutes of your time will be required to participate in this research. No compensation is provided for participation in this survey.

Your participation in this research is voluntary. Your participation is confidential. The data collection methods will not allow the researcher or the public to personally identify you or your children. Your test provider will not be shown your responses to the survey. Your test provider will not be made known to anyone. The records of this study will be kept private and secure. In the event of any publication or presentation resulting from the research, no personally identifiable information will be shared. By submitting your student’s testing ID, you authorize your testing service (e.g., Basic Skills Assessment and Educational Services) to release your testing results to NHERI.

If you have any questions, please contact Brian D. Ray, Ph.D. of NHERI at 503-364-1490 or mail@nheri.org.

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* 1. What is/was your student(s)’ U.S. state/territory of residence as of the date of testing?

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* 2. Do you live in an urban or rural area? The Census Bureau identifies two types of urban areas and one rural. In which do you live?

Urbanized Areas of 50,000 or more people

Urban Clusters of at least 2,500 and less than 50,000 people

“Rural” encompasses all population, housing, and territory not included within an urban area

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* 3. How many children (under 18 years old) live in your household?

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* 4. How many adults (18 years and older) live in your household?

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* 5. What was the student's father's highest academic attainment as of the date of testing?

Did not finish high school

Graduated from high school

Some college but did not graduate

Graduated from college with associate's degree

Graduated from college with bachelor's degree

Graduated from college with master's degree

Graduated from college with doctorate degree

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* 6. What was the student's mother's highest academic attainment as of the date of testing?

Did not finish high school

Graduated from high school

Some college education but did not graduate

Graduated from college with associate's degree

Graduated from college with bachelor's degree

Graduated from college with master's degree

Graduated from college with doctorate degree

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* 7. Has the student's main academic-instructing parent/guardian ever been certified to teach in any state?

Yes

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* 8. Has the student's non-main instructing parent/guardian ever been certified to teach in any state?

Yes

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* 9. Please rate how much you agree that the following are important reasons for why you homeschool.

	Not at all important	A little important	Somewhat important	Quite important	Extremely important
A. Concern about the school environment such as safety, drugs, or negative peer pressure	A. Concern about the school environment such as safety, drugs, or negative peer pressure Not at all important	A. Concern about the school environment such as safety, drugs, or negative peer pressure A little important	A. Concern about the school environment such as safety, drugs, or negative peer pressure Somewhat important	A. Concern about the school environment such as safety, drugs, or negative peer pressure Quite important	A. Concern about the school environment such as safety, drugs, or negative peer pressure Extremely important
B. Dissatisfaction with the academic instruction at schools	B. Dissatisfaction with the academic instruction at schools Not at all important	B. Dissatisfaction with the academic instruction at schools A little important	B. Dissatisfaction with the academic instruction at schools Somewhat important	B. Dissatisfaction with the academic instruction at schools Quite important	B. Dissatisfaction with the academic instruction at schools Extremely important
C. You prefer to teach at home so that you can provide religious instruction	C. You prefer to teach at home so that you can provide religious instruction Not at all important	C. You prefer to teach at home so that you can provide religious instruction A little important	C. You prefer to teach at home so that you can provide religious instruction Somewhat important	C. You prefer to teach at home so that you can provide religious instruction Quite important	C. You prefer to teach at home so that you can provide religious instruction Extremely important
D. You prefer to teach at home so that you can provide moral instruction	D. You prefer to teach at home so that you can provide moral instruction Not at all important	D. You prefer to teach at home so that you can provide moral instruction A little important	D. You prefer to teach at home so that you can provide moral instruction Somewhat important	D. You prefer to teach at home so that you can provide moral instruction Quite important	D. You prefer to teach at home so that you can provide moral instruction Extremely important
E. Because the child has special needs (e.g., physical or mental health) that the schools can’t or won’t address	E. Because the child has special needs (e.g., physical or mental health) that the schools can’t or won’t address Not at all important	E. Because the child has special needs (e.g., physical or mental health) that the schools can’t or won’t address A little important	E. Because the child has special needs (e.g., physical or mental health) that the schools can’t or won’t address Somewhat important	E. Because the child has special needs (e.g., physical or mental health) that the schools can’t or won’t address Quite important	E. Because the child has special needs (e.g., physical or mental health) that the schools can’t or won’t address Extremely important
F. You want to provide customized educational experiences	F. You want to provide customized educational experiences Not at all important	F. You want to provide customized educational experiences A little important	F. You want to provide customized educational experiences Somewhat important	F. You want to provide customized educational experiences Quite important	F. You want to provide customized educational experiences Extremely important
G. You want to emphasize family life together	G. You want to emphasize family life together Not at all important	G. You want to emphasize family life together A little important	G. You want to emphasize family life together Somewhat important	G. You want to emphasize family life together Quite important	G. You want to emphasize family life together Extremely important
H. Concern about your child(ren) being exposed to COVID-19	H. Concern about your child(ren) being exposed to COVID-19 Not at all important	H. Concern about your child(ren) being exposed to COVID-19 A little important	H. Concern about your child(ren) being exposed to COVID-19 Somewhat important	H. Concern about your child(ren) being exposed to COVID-19 Quite important	H. Concern about your child(ren) being exposed to COVID-19 Extremely important
I. Concern about the school’s COVID-19 policies (e.g., masks, vaccines)	I. Concern about the school’s COVID-19 policies (e.g., masks, vaccines) Not at all important	I. Concern about the school’s COVID-19 policies (e.g., masks, vaccines) A little important	I. Concern about the school’s COVID-19 policies (e.g., masks, vaccines) Somewhat important	I. Concern about the school’s COVID-19 policies (e.g., masks, vaccines) Quite important	I. Concern about the school’s COVID-19 policies (e.g., masks, vaccines) Extremely important
J. Inability to regularly attend school due to COVID exposures/policies.	J. Inability to regularly attend school due to COVID exposures/policies. Not at all important	J. Inability to regularly attend school due to COVID exposures/policies. A little important	J. Inability to regularly attend school due to COVID exposures/policies. Somewhat important	J. Inability to regularly attend school due to COVID exposures/policies. Quite important	J. Inability to regularly attend school due to COVID exposures/policies. Extremely important

K. Other, please specify:

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* 10. Which statement best describes your general homeschooling style for your:

	Select this if you do not have a homeschooled child in this age range	I strictly follow a formal curriculum	I mostly use formal curriculum, but sometimes use informal curriculum	I mostly use informal curriculum, but sometimes use formal curriculum	We always use informal (including unschooling) curriculum, and never follow a formal curriculum
Elementary school aged child(ren) (i.e., ages 5-10)	Elementary school aged child(ren) (i.e., ages 5-10) Select this if you do not have a homeschooled child in this age range	Elementary school aged child(ren) (i.e., ages 5-10) I strictly follow a formal curriculum	Elementary school aged child(ren) (i.e., ages 5-10) I mostly use formal curriculum, but sometimes use informal curriculum	Elementary school aged child(ren) (i.e., ages 5-10) I mostly use informal curriculum, but sometimes use formal curriculum	Elementary school aged child(ren) (i.e., ages 5-10) We always use informal (including unschooling) curriculum, and never follow a formal curriculum
Middle school aged child(ren) (i.e., ages 10-14)	Middle school aged child(ren) (i.e., ages 10-14) Select this if you do not have a homeschooled child in this age range	Middle school aged child(ren) (i.e., ages 10-14) I strictly follow a formal curriculum	Middle school aged child(ren) (i.e., ages 10-14) I mostly use formal curriculum, but sometimes use informal curriculum	Middle school aged child(ren) (i.e., ages 10-14) I mostly use informal curriculum, but sometimes use formal curriculum	Middle school aged child(ren) (i.e., ages 10-14) We always use informal (including unschooling) curriculum, and never follow a formal curriculum
High school aged child(ren) (i.e., ages 14+)	High school aged child(ren) (i.e., ages 14+) Select this if you do not have a homeschooled child in this age range	High school aged child(ren) (i.e., ages 14+) I strictly follow a formal curriculum	High school aged child(ren) (i.e., ages 14+) I mostly use formal curriculum, but sometimes use informal curriculum	High school aged child(ren) (i.e., ages 14+) I mostly use informal curriculum, but sometimes use formal curriculum	High school aged child(ren) (i.e., ages 14+) We always use informal (including unschooling) curriculum, and never follow a formal curriculum

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* 11. Please indicate how much you emphasize the following subjects in the education of your child(ren):

	Minimal	Some	Medium	Much	Maximal
Math	Math Minimal	Math Some	Math Medium	Math Much	Math Maximal
Reading	Reading Minimal	Reading Some	Reading Medium	Reading Much	Reading Maximal
Science	Science Minimal	Science Some	Science Medium	Science Much	Science Maximal
Social Studies / History	Social Studies / History Minimal	Social Studies / History Some	Social Studies / History Medium	Social Studies / History Much	Social Studies / History Maximal
Writing	Writing Minimal	Writing Some	Writing Medium	Writing Much	Writing Maximal

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* 12. Which category best fits the total income of all persons in your household over the past 12 months? Include your own income. Include money from jobs or other earnings, pensions, interest, rent, Social Security payments, and so on.

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* 13. How many students have you registered to have tested with Basic Skills Assessment and Educational Services this spring or summer?

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* 14. In addition to participating to present more truth about homeschooling and gaining insights about yourself and your child, would you like to receive a digital copy of the final study?

Yes, I would like to receive a digital copy of the completed study

No, thank you, I do not want to receive a digital copy of the completed study

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* 15. Please enter an email address if you would like us to send you a digital copy of the completed study.

Email Address