The first amendment of the Constitution states that "Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof." This amendment allows everyone to practice their own religion without fear of persecution, but it also keeps religion from being taught in public schools. So for religious families, home schooling is a good alternative to public schools because parents can incorporate religion into their home-school lessons. Home-schooling allows families to teach their children lessons and values they feel are important.
Every student learns at a different pace, but teachers must set their teaching pace to address the whole class at once. Home-schooled students set a learning pace that best suits them. This allows extra time for students who need to spend extra time on one subject. It also allows students who learn faster to move at an accelerated rate.
Scheduling family vacations and commitments around school can be challenging. Home schooling children provides schedule flexibility. Any family vacation can be turned into an educational field trip without the worry of days missed and make-up work. Home schooling also provides flexibility during the day. Home school lessons can be scheduled around doctor appointments, sick days or chores.
Safety is a big issue in public schools. One prevalent form of school violence is bullying. Bullying includes but is not limited to mocking or humiliating others, pushing, tripping and destruction of personal property. Bullying can take place over cell phones as well. Home-schooling can protect children from the damaging effects of bullying.
According to the National Home Education Research Institute, home-schooled students score higher on standardized tests than public-schooled students. They also score higher on college placement tests like the ACT and SAT. For parents who feel that public education leaves something to be desired, home-schooling is a good alternative.