Do Homeschooled Students Have Fewer Opportunities to Acquire Cultural Capital? Evidence From a National Survey

• In Event: 66.059 - Research in Diverse School Choice Contexts and Disciplines

Abstract

Experiences at school may create opportunities for children to acquire cultural capital. One concern for homeschooled children is that they may be deprived of these opportunities. To compensate for this potential disadvantage, however, homeschool families may seek to expose their children to cultural capital through other means. This study investigates this possibility by analyzing a nationally representative survey (NHES: 2016) containing a substantial number of households who have chosen to homeschool their children (n = 552). Results showed that homeschool families report statistically greater participation in cultural and family activities relative to public school households. Yet, formal instruction in subjects associated with cultural capital acquisition (e.g. music, arts, literature, and foreign language) is lacking in nearly 40% of homeschool households.

Author

• Daniel Hamlin, University of Oklahoma