Maybe in the meantime, you could help me to understand the alternative assessment terminology. What is that accomplishing? I am asking this as an attempt to understand, not as a criticism.

The “gap” that concerns me is one of “attitude” and not “economic” or “intellectual” per say. As a homeschooler, I hope that you will realize the difference. Children need certain parameters and tools yes, but homeschoolers seem to learn to become hunter/gatherers rather quickly. They are inspirational in the amount of information they assimilate rather quickly. I believe it’s mainly due to the attitude of the homeschooling parent. Parents are learning “how” to teach while the children are learning “how” to become students. The mutual learning makes an inspirational environment of discovery. One that many of us did not learn until college level, where we basically learned how to learn.

p.s. The issue for me, I guess, is one of the acceptance and use of constructive criticism. That’s something I am going to look into more. Thank you for your comment post. I appreciate it very much!

My school teaches and learns from approximately 95% first generation college-going students, most are first generation American, and more than 80% are college enrolled and have completed at least one community college class before 12th grade graduation–all paid for by the initiative.

I wanted to provide an example to you of a free and public Gates’ supported small school that is working to close the gap by giving the “less advantaged” child the opportunity to see that college is not only accessible, but entirely possible.

By the way, our school is first come, first served and does is not a “magnet” in any way. We work our butts off, but it’s worth it.

P.S.– at this point, I plan to homeschool my children as well.