The Use of Unschooling as a Potential Solution to the Complex and Chronic Problem of Educating Foster Children A dissertation presented to the faculty of The Patton College of Education of Ohio University In partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree Doctor of Education Gregory A. Jacomet May 2018 © 2018 Gregory A. Jacomet. All Rights Reserved. 2 This dissertation titled The Use of Unschooling as a Potential Solution to the Complex and Chronic Problem of Educating Foster Children by GREGORY A. JACOMET has been approved for the Department of Educational Studies and The Patton College of Education by Charles Lowery Assistant Professor of Educational Studies Renée A. Middleton Dean, The Patton College of Education 3 Abstract JACOMET, GREGORY A., Ed.D., May 2018, Educational Administration The Use of Unschooling as a Potential Solution to the Complex and Chronic Problem of Educating Foster Children Director of Dissertation: Charles Lowery Pedagogical and existential problems of the foster child population were examined including the history of orphan management and current methods for care. Also examined was the increasingly popular practice of homeschooling as well as its most autonomous variant, unschooling. Utilizing the methodology of bricolage, I leveraged the literature spanning both foster care and homeschooling juxtaposed against my own unschooling practice (with my own children) and interviews with other unschoolers to suggest a potential avenue for improvement to the education and subsequent life outcomes of the fostered population. Keywords: foster care, foster children, aging out, emancipation, homeschooling, unschooling 4 Dedication This work is dedicated to rational and constructive thoughts and deeds. 5 Acknowledgments I would like to acknowledge the faculty of the Educational Studies Department at Ohio University, particularly Drs. Lowery and Machtmes for their above board support and encouragement, as well as COLs Hartley and Pinkerton for supporting my pursuit of academic endeavor during deployment. I would also like to acknowledge my parents’ contribution, specifically my Mother’s grammatical aid and my Father’s persistent harassment on the topic of higher education. I would like to acknowledge my best friend and co-conspirator in trying to make the world a better place, Andrea, who patiently listens to my hare-brained ideas, then builds them. Finally, I need to acknowledge my children, who, in a perfect example of the mutually supportive nature of unschooling, went above and beyond in a year when their mother was deployed and their father desperately needed to finish his dissertation. They met this challenging time with forbearance, growth, and, as always, exuberant silliness, and I am indebted to them for that. 6 Table of Contents Page Abstract ............................................................................................................................... 3 Dedication ........................................................................................................................... 4 Acknowledgments .............................................................................................................. 5 List of Tables .................................................................................................................... 10 List of Figures ................................................................................................................... 11 Chapter 1: The Use of Unschooling as a Potential Solution to the Complex and Chronic Problem of Educating Foster Children ............................................................................. 12 Introduction ................................................................................................................... 12 Theoretical Framework ................................................................................................. 24 Significance of the Study .............................................................................................. 25 Research Questions ....................................................................................................... 26 Definition of Terms ...................................................................................................... 26 Research Design and Methodology .............................................................................. 27 Assumptions and Limitations ....................................................................................... 27 Chapter 2: Review of the Literature ................................................................................. 29 Hierarchy of Needs ....................................................................................................... 29 Self-Determination Theory ........................................................................................... 31 Stereotype Threat .......................................................................................................... 32 History and Practice of Orphanages ............................................................................. 33 History, Practice, and Legislation of Foster Care ......................................................... 43 Other Relevant Legislation ........................................................................................... 50 Foster Children Bills of Rights ..................................................................................... 55 Congregate Care ........................................................................................................... 60 Treatment Foster Care .................................................................................................. 69 Foster Parents ................................................................................................................ 74 Adoption from Foster Care ........................................................................................... 76 Costs, Funding, and Financial Considerations of Foster Care ...................................... 85 Foster Children and Education ..................................................................................... 90 Pre-entry issues and disadvantages. .......................................................................... 94 7 Post-entry issues and problems. ................................................................................ 96 Aggregate issue and problem effect on educational outcomes. .............................. 108 Benefits of education and foster children. .............................................................. 110 Solutions to the Educational Deficiencies of Foster Children .................................... 112 Educational liaisons. ............................................................................................... 113 Practical advice. ...................................................................................................... 113 Social capital theory. ............................................................................................... 114 Reform. ................................................................................................................... 115 Aging Out and Emancipation ..................................................................................... 118 Housing/shelter. ...................................................................................................... 120 Higher education/college. ....................................................................................... 123 Employment/career. ................................................................................................ 126 Health and health care. ............................................................................................ 128 Criminality, early pregnancy, and poverty.............................................................. 130 Aging Out – Solutions ................................................................................................ 131 Homeschooling as a Pedagogical Alternative ............................................................ 134 History of homeschooling. ...................................................................................... 134 Homeschooling data. ............................................................................................... 137 Homeschooling approaches. ................................................................................... 138 Homeschooling outcomes. ...................................................................................... 141 Unschooling ................................................................................................................ 152 Unschooling in the literature. .................................................................................. 154 Benefits, challenges, and outcomes of unschooling. .............................................. 156 Parental Involvement in Education ............................................................................. 160 School as a Potentially Traumatic Experience ........................................................... 162 Chapter 3: Methods ......................................................................................................... 167 Research Design ......................................................................................................... 171 Autoethnography .......................................................................................................