The home schooling movement has gained prominence across the nation over the past decade as more and more parents opt out of the public school system to educate their children themselves. Once considered an "underground" sector of education, home schooling is now recognized as a legal practice in all 50 states and the District of Columbia. The vast majority of states do not require parents to have specific qualifications for teaching their children at home, but most states do require home-schooled students to have regular evaluations or take standardized tests.

Most early home schoolers were evangelical Christians who wanted to shield their children from outside influences that conflicted with their religious beliefs. But more and more mainstream families are now choosing to keep their children at home, tailoring the lessons and activities to suit the interests and learning abilities of their children.

Controversy has erupted in several communities where home-schooled students sought permission to use public school facilities such as science laboratories and athletic equipment that they pay taxes for, but don't have access to. Some parents of public school students objected to home school students enjoying the benefits of the schools without being held to the same standards as students in the public system.

Home-schooled students have been in the spotlight in recent months with several of them dominating national contests. Twelve-year old George Thampy of Maryland Heights, Montana beat two other home-schooled students for first place in the National Spelling Bee, just one week after he came in second at the National Geographic Bee.

On One Hand...

The public school system in this country is in dire condition, with overcrowded classrooms, deteriorating buildings and underpaid teachers. Home schooling is a valid alternative for parents who are willing to make a serious commitment to their children's education. By teaching their children at home, parents are able to give them the kind of individual attention and personalized lessons that public, and most private, schools are unequipped to provide. Parents can structure the day in a way that works for their children, and provide variety with field trips to museums and historical sites. Under these circumstances, many students thrive and excel, as seen by the recent success of students like George Thampy, the spelling bee champ.

On the Other Hand...

While it's commendable that some parents are willing to sacrifice their time and energy to educate their children at home, the fact is that even the most dedicated parent cannot provide the range and variety of classes available at public or private schools. If a parent is not trained as a teacher, he or she will find it difficult to teach their children difficult subjects like calculus and foreign languages. Also, children who are kept at home with only their parents and siblings for companionship may become isolated and fail to develop healthy socialization skills. Part of attending school is interacting with other students, making friends and having fun. If a child is deprived of this kind of interaction, he or she may have difficulty once it is time to leave the home and make their way in the outside world.

• About 1.5 million U.S. children are being taught at home. That's about 2 percent of all U.S. school-aged children.

• In 1997, Rebecca Sealfon of Brooklyn, N.Y., became the first home-schooled youngster to win the spelling bee, lasting 23 rounds and earning top honors by correctly spelling "euonym," which means an appropriate name for a person, place or thing.

• Home schooled students performed better in reading on the Iowa Tests of Basic Skills than 79 percent of other students in a sample group.

• Alaska, California, Idaho and Iowa are among the states allowing access to classrooms for home-schoolers. Colorado, Illinois, Oregon and Washington grant access to after-school activities.

Washington Times, U.S. News & World Report