NMNSH’s Gift to Homeschoolers

The National Museum of Nuclear Science and History “is the only Smithsonian Affiliate Museum in the city of Albuquerque.” Chartered by Congress in 1991, it is “the official Atomic Museum of the United States.”

The NMNSH is a cool place to visit, but it deserves special commendation for offering programs “specifically for homeschool students ages 5-15 … bi-weekly in September and then monthly throughout the school year.”

KRQE’s morning show recently interviewed the museum’s David Gibson, who demonstrated a “Science Is Everywhere” experiment.

Let’s hope that many homeschooling families take advantage of the museum’s programs. How many students are homeschooled in New Mexico? No one know for sure, but the Coalition for Responsible Home Education estimates between 11,210 and 14,947 — meaning taxpayers, by avoiding the cost of government schooling, are getting a break equal to as much as $150 million.

But more importantly, as Brian D. Ray of the National Home Education Research Institute notes, homeschooled students “score 15 to 30 percentile points above public-school students on standardized academic achievement tests,” perform “well, typically above average, on measures of social, emotional, and psychological development,” and “are commonly involved in activities such as field trips, scouting, 4-H, political drives, church ministry, sports teams, and community volunteer work.”

A key component of the education-freedom movement, homeschooling has much to offer, both in New Mexico and throughout the nation. Kudos to the NMNSH for recognizing, and lending a hand to, the state’s homeschooling community.