Homeschool parents, if you’ve ever sifted through conflicting homeschool research studies, wondering which ones hold water – or dreamed of guiding your child toward a winning homeschool science fair project – this episode of Vintage Homeschool Moms is your essential guide. Host Felice Gerwitz reunites with Dr. Brian Ray, president of the National Home Education Research Institute (NHERI), for their third discussion. They dissect fun topics, such as quantitative homeschool research, and confront challenging topics, like myths surrounding abuse and neglect in homeschooling. Listen in!

This episode sponsored by CTC Math, True North Academy, and Math Mammoth in honor of the Ultimate Homeschool Podcast’s 12th Birthday.

Demystifying Homeschool Research: Insights from Dr. Brian Ray

Vintage Homeschool Moms Podcast Episode 570: Navigating Homeschool Research – From Hypothesis to Headlines

Homeschool parents often encounter various research studies on homeschooling, and it can be challenging to determine which ones are reliable and credible. This episode is useful for parents who follow homeschool academic outcomes, deal with legal challenges, or want to learn more about education based on evidence. It shows the hard work that goes into creating statistics and the excitement of learning new things. You will hear about how NHERI’s research helps protect family rights in education. It also explores why a watchful home setting can sometimes offer better safety and success than traditional schools. The discussion includes ways to review studies independently and how to turn your children’s questions into more in-depth explorations.

To get the full conversation, including the natural back-and-forth and key moments, visit vintagehomeschoolmom.com or open your favorite podcast app.

Spotlight on Dr. Brian Ray: Architect of Global Homeschool Insights

Dr. Brian Ray stands as a cornerstone in the homeschooling landscape, serving as president of NHERI (nheri.org) since co-founding it in 1990. A trailblazer with over 35 years of experience in home education studies, he has elevated the field from a fringe curiosity to a powerhouse of empirical evidence. His academic credentials include a Ph.D. in science education from Oregon State University, an M.S. in zoology from Ohio University, and a B.S. in biology from the University of Puget Sound – qualifications that have fueled his transition from classroom teaching to research leadership.

Felice praises NHERI’s donor ethos: Funds target specific areas, such as survey recruitment or publication fees, with transparent updates on milestones – turning even modest contributions into tangible victories. For families researching homeschooling organizations or seeking ammunition against skeptics, nheri.org offers free resources, synopses of studies, and a newsletter brimming with fresh insights. It’s more than support; it’s stewardship for the movement’s future.

Explore Dr. Ray’s Profile and NHERI Resources | Sign Up for NHERI Newsletter

Chasing Certainties: The Core of Scientific Inquiry in Homeschooling

People sometimes talk about “your truth,” but Dr. Ray and Felice focus on quantitative truth, which comes from evidence that can be measured and observed, not just personal ideas. They refer to Webster’s 1828 dictionary, where “science” means “certain knowledge” and refers to understanding facts through the mind. This approach is based on a biblical view that there is an objective reality. If you deny such truth, conversations can devolve into mere speculation, leading to confusion in life.

This way of thinking started Dr. Ray’s interest early on. He was writing notes in kindergarten and reading encyclopedias, which shows the natural tendency that God gives some people. It is like children who take things apart to see how they work or who think deeply about sounds in words. Dr. Ray says homeschooling helps develop these skills without needing official rules. For example, why do parents need a state license to teach the sound of the letter “a” in “apple”? The success of many homeschool families shows that parents’ natural abilities are often enough.

NHERI selects research topics based on current events.

Sometimes, they select new areas to study, and at other times, they respond to current events in the news. One example is the notion that parents need certification to teach effectively, but data show that this is not the case. Another is stories about abuse, where one bad example makes people think all homeschooling is risky. This leads to calls for more government control. Dr. Ray’s study on abuse took 15 years to develop. It asked if homeschooling really leads to more harm. For anyone interested in research, whether young or old, it starts with a question and a hypothesis, like guessing that abuse rates in homeschooling are the same as in other schools. Then you plan how to test it. (More on air.)

Dr. Ray used to teach research methods in college, and he enjoys explaining it simply. This is helpful for parents who want to do research projects with their children. Felice points out that some states are adding more rules, so donating to groups like HSLDA might be needed. Research like this plays a key role in protecting homeschool freedoms.

The Hidden Grind: Crafting Unassailable Homeschool Studies

Every time you see a headline that says “study shows,” there is a lot of work behind it. Quantitative research involves statistics, samples, and data analysis to determine meaning. It requires figuring out the best way to do things. Surveying children about abuse is hard because of ethical concerns and getting permission from parents. Instead, they asked adults about their experiences growing up, tracking their school history from kindergarten to grade 12. To be considered truly homeschooled, someone must have been homeschooled for at least eight years.

A key part is getting a representative sample, which means avoiding bias, such as only choosing families that seem perfect. There is no complete list of homeschoolers, so they used trusted companies that track people by age, ethnicity, and other factors. This costs tens of thousands of dollars. They aimed for 1,000 to 1,200 people to achieve sufficient statistical power, which helps identify real differences. This is similar to national polls. If you examine subgroups such as income or family size, you need even more people.

The Homeschool Survey: The Source of Data

The survey had more than 50 questions. It began with basic information, such as age and ethnicity, and then asked about abuse using definitions from federal and state laws. This avoided arguments about things like spanking. They tested the questions first in a pilot study to ensure they were reliable, much like a scale that gives the same weight each time. Dr. Ray thanks his co-author, Dr. Danish Shakil, for handling the complex math to find patterns.

After that, they wrote the paper, made changes based on feedback, and had it published in a peer-reviewed journal, such as the Journal of School Choice. It took years and hundreds of hours. Felice, who has judged science fairs and written a book on them, sees similarities. Both need controls, making informed guesses about outcomes, and being open if the results differ from expectations. This openness helps people distinguish between credible and untrustworthy sources, enabling them to identify good research from bad.

Revelations from the Data: Abuse Realities and Homeschool’s Edge

The abuse study yielded two main findings following all the work. First, there was no big difference in rates of abuse or neglect between people who were homeschooled and those who went to public or private schools. This was after adjusting for factors such as family income, ethnicity, the number of children, and parents’ education. It means the risks are about the same, which contradicts the notion that homeschooling is especially hazardous. Not everyone was pleased, because some wanted homeschooling to look perfect and schools to look bad.

Second, for the homeschooled people who did experience abuse, it usually happened outside the home, like at sports, group events, or co-ops, not from family. Abuse is always sad, but this illustrates how having at least one attentive parent at home can be beneficial. When you consider all the studies together, which are listed on nheri.org, homeschooling appears to offer a slight advantage in protection due to the close supervision.

Dr. Ray’s work is well-known. His review of homeschool research is the most-read article in the Journal of School Choice, having garnered over 22 years of views, with more than 70,000 views. Three of the top 11 articles in that journal are his, including this one on demographics, which ranks number two. It gets mentioned in the news and other journals. This is just one study, but it is well-conducted and calls for further research.

To learn more, visit NHERI’s site for summaries. They link to the full articles, which helps support their work.

Key Study: Demographics and Abuse in Home Education

Nurturing Mini-Investigators: Research as Homeschool Superpower

One strength of homeschooling is the ability to let children explore freely. Felice took her kids to state science fairs to see advanced projects. One standout was a girl’s study on whether boys handle pain better than girls. (More on air.)

Dr. Ray likes this because it resembles real research but is simpler. Children can formulate a hypothesis based on other studies, ask questions, and collect data for their own enjoyment. Parents can count it toward subjects like language arts for writing, math for numbers, and science for the method. It mixes learning areas well.

NHERI helps with this mindset by answering questions from parents or leaders. They receive emails suggesting new studies, and Dr. Ray might request funding or share existing information. They support groups like FPEA in Florida or CHEA in California with data to fight bad laws. In times of policy changes, this research helps defend homeschooling.

Felice says terms like “representative samples” and “statistical controls” make reading research easier. Seeing the effort involved makes you value other researchers more.

Bolstering the Battle: NHERI’s Call to Collective Action

With more legal issues around homeschooling, NHERI provides important facts to groups in places like Florida, Wyoming, and Oregon. Their team provides guidance to help navigate excessive regulation. They focus on truth and honesty to overcome challenges.

Felice suggests visiting nheri.org to read articles and consider making a donation. She likes how they explain where money goes and report on results. Your support helps keep studies ongoing that support homeschool rights.

Contribute to NHERI: Empower Research Today

Final Thoughts: Truth as the Foundation of Homeschooling

Dr. Ray’s story, from early notes to influencing laws, shows how research reveals that parents are great teachers, homes are safe places, and curiosity drives learning. The episode covers the steps of research, what the data means, and how to encourage children.

Hear the full talk, complete with its real moments, on Vintage Homeschool Moms. It offers more on daily routines, curricula with a faith-based approach, and strong family education. Subscribe to keep up.

What is the most unusual question your child has explored? Share in the comments.

God bless your homeschool efforts. See you next time.

Subscribe for More Inspiration: Spotify | Apple | vintagehomeschoolmom.com

SEO Keywords: homeschool research studies, Dr. Brian Ray NHERI, abuse and neglect in homeschooling, quantitative homeschool research, homeschool science fair projects, homeschool academic outcomes, NHERI research findings, Felice Gerwitz podcast

Here are some podcasts you might enjoy:

• Episode 135: Winning Science Fair Projects
• Episode 559: Homeschooling Uncovered: Research, Funding, and Surprising Facts!
• Episode 569: Unlocking Homeschool Grad Success: What Research Reveals About Thriving Adult Homeschoolers