by Meggie Hardy

Created on: October 21, 2007   Last Updated: July 17, 2009

The No Child Left Behind Act sounded good rolling off the tongues of politicians. No doubt, the political spin helped elect some folks to public office. As often the case, however, political rhetoric and platform ideologies don't play out on the practical stage as promised in sound bites. Parents, weary of a public education system that's saddled with too many regulations, too little budget and a one-size fits-all curriculum, are taking matters into their own hands and looking outside the 'educational-box' for alternatives.

If you're serious about providing the best educational opportunities for your child, you have to do some tedious homework. That can be a little challenging for it begins with your ability to be objective.

You have choices. Step back from being the idolizing parent and look at your child objectively. Naturally, you think he is the perfect human specimen, but the truth is, your little darling is the perfect imperfection of humanism, complete with individual flaws and strengths. Choose an education tailored to his needs, talents and personality, not one based on your expectations of him or on biased parental affection.

When considering educational options for your children, the first step is to investigate the laws. Each state has specific laws governing education. Visit or write to your state education agency and ask for a copy of the laws governing education. Know your rights: Learn the law.

A good place to begin is with a visit to a child psychologist who specializes in school psychology. He can help define your child's individual needs and evaluate his learning ability. Work with him to help develop an education model that's right for your child.

You might consider home schooling. Since 2005 the number of children who are home schooled has increased by 5.85%. All fifty states now allow for home schooling, but not all fifty states ascribe to the same legal definition concerning home schooling. A number of states have yearly assessment testing, while others have no accountability criteria at all. Many parents and educators firmly believe that an absence of a yearly skills assessment, increases the likelihood of illiteracy and delinquency. Still, others see it as the future of education, the beginning of a major shift toward the individualized education model.

If Home Schooling is not your choice, you might consider Charter and/or Magnet Schools. While still adhering to a set standard of accountability, they are free from some of the

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