The following are LEARNER OUTCOMES which are being proposed in public school districts in the USA as OBE (Outcome-based education). (1) These goals or requirements could be placed upon home educators. For a full explanation write to Home Education Action Council of Ohio, PO Box 24133, Huber Heights, OH 45424 for a copy of Vol 4 No 1 of their Legislative News. A donation of $3-5 would be greatly appreciated. The twenty five proposed outcomes are discussed below.

In our view, the basic concept of OBE is sound - the outcome of education is important and is reflected by the overall quality of graduating students with regard to academics, citizenship, and character. The problem is that it is impossible to define desired outcomes apart from an agreement on religion, a philosophy of life and death. Thus, whereas an outcome which says "Function as a responsible family member" has one meaning to the Christian, it means homosexual unions and institutional child rearing to the humanist. At a public meeting on February 11, Earl challenged a member of a committee writing the standards as to why they only tell us simple one line descriptions of the 25 outcomes rather than provide at least a paragraph to tell us what they are talking about. (2) The answer was an evasive non-answer ("it is too much to read" and "come to hearings later in the year"). We must be confident and bold to continue to proclaim and practice God's pattern of education which is the FAMILY God wants children to be trained by their parents, not institutions. While many of the outcomes sound good, they cannot be imparted in an institution.

Because humanist interpretations are often radically different (or totally opposite) from Christian interpretations, FHC has placed a scriptural standard with each of the 25 proposed learner outcomes. We pray this information will help your family be biblically sound, prayerfully alert, and a demonstration of the Kingdom of God. In order to fit all 25 outcomes, with Scriptural references in one FHC letter, we have produced the following condensed version with only references and not the entire Scripture quotations. A longer version is available which fully prints out every scriptural reference. We'll be glad to send that to you for $1.

We encourage each family to read all 25 outcomes and the Scripture verses we have proposed as standards. In some cases, it may take a moments' thought to see how the particular verse applies to the "learner outcome" - this is the necessary process of renewing our minds to think in terms of God's word. Many readers will quickly think of other relevant words of Scripture.

1. Participate in civic and community service activities.
   :verse I Peter 4 :10-11.
2. Function as a productive and responsible citizen of a global society.
   :verse Titus 1 :7-9. :verse Romans 13 :1-7.
3. Exercise the basic rights and responsibilities of citizenship in a democratic society. :verse Philippians 3 :17-21.
4. Demonstrate skill in applying technology.
   :verse Proverbs 22 :29. :verse Exodus 35 :31.
5. Function as a responsible family member.
   :verse Ephesians 3 :14-19. :verse I Timothy 5 :7-8.
6. Maintain physical, emotional and social well-being.
   :verse Isaiah 45 :6-7. :verse Isaiah 48 :17-19. :verse Isaiah 53 :5-6. :verse Isaiah 54 :13.
7. Manage personal resources to attain goals.
   :verse Romans 14 :17-19. :verse Joshua 1 :7-8.
8. Identify and access community resources to attain goals.
   :verse Matthew 6 :31-34. :verse Acts 2 :42-47.
9. Monitor progress toward career/life goals and skills.
   :verse Matthew 7 :21. :verse Hebrews 11 :1-2. :verse II Timothy 2 :15. :verse II Corinthians 10 :17-18.
   :verse I Thessalonians 2 :3-4.
10. Establish priorities to balance multiple life roles.
    :verse John 4 :34. :verse John 5 :30. :verse Philippians 4 :6-7.
11. Demonstrate understanding of child development and the role of parenting.
    :verse Luke 2 :51-52. :verse Ephesians 6 :1-4. :verse Proverbs 22 :6. :verse Deuteronomy 6 :4-9.
12. Demonstrate appropriate interpersonal skills.
    :verse I Corinthians 13 :4-8.
13. Demonstrate the ability to find and use information.
    :verse Deuteronomy 32 :6-7. :verse Proverbs 1 :7.
14. Identify and explore needs, opportunities, and resources for life-long learning.
    :verse Matthew 11 :29. :verse I John 2 :26-27.
15. Apply critical and creative thinking skills to solve problems.
    :verse James 1 :5-8. :verse Genesis 41 :37-44. :verse Daniel 5 :11-16.
16. Demonstrate ability to recognize and correct mistakes.
    :verse Mark 12 :24. :verse I John 4 :6. :verse James 5 :19-20.
17. Identify and use a variety of personal and organizational skills.
    :verse John 15 :5-8. :verse John 2 :5.
18. Demonstrate an understanding of the cultural identity of self and others.
    :verse Acts 17 :26-31.
19. Respect individual differences, points of views and the works of others.
    :verse Romans 13 :8-14.
20. Function effectively within multicultural environments.
    :verse II Timothy 2 :23-26. :verse Romans 12 :16-21.
21. Recognize and develop one's creative talents.
    :verse Ephesians 2 :10. :verse I Timothy 6 :18-19. :verse John 5 :30.
22. Produce and value quality products and services.
    :verse Mark 10 :42-45. :verse Luke 16 :10-13.
23. Demonstrate effective listening and communication skills.
    :verse John 12 :49. :verse Mark 4 :22-25. :verse II Timothy 4 :2-4. :verse Colossians 4 :2-6.
24. Work cooperatively with others to solve problems and achieve goals.
    :verse John 17 :16-23.
25. Make decisions that conserve and enhance the natural environment.
    :verse Romans 8 :19-23. :verse II Peter 3 :7-13.

The Biblical standards outlined above can serve as an encouragement that in fact, Christian home educating families are adhering to impressive standards. The Biblical standards can also serve as a challenge and as a check against intrusions of worldly thinking into the lives of our families.

After reading these standards, we encourage readers to check yourself about how many of them you tended to interpret in terms of an institutional school rather than in terms of the family. We find that we all need encouragement to provide home education and not "school" in the home. Most of us parents went to schools and need the washing of the Holy Spirit to think in terms of God's plans for families.

The Lord is beginning to challenge us to a careful re-consideration of of what constitutes the "basics" in a curriclum. We are convinced of the importance of reading because God has given us the written Word. Writing is important for communicating the Gospel. Beyond these, we are challenged to refine our traditional curriculum design in light of Godly priorities. We are also challenged to continue work which has begun in our day to truly make entire courses of study "Christian" rather than use secular coursework with a "Bible" subject added. We are convinced that this rethinking is necessary in order to train a generation who have the spiritual power of Daniel or Paul.

One popular standard pervading public education which we believe should be avoided by Christians is to be well informed about and have active participation in every form of entertainment available. This applies to how we spend free time (pro sports or service to others), what we convince ourselves is a highlight of our year (an expensive trip to Disneyworld or Cedar point to be tempted by every carnal thing or a week of biblical encouragement by a visiting missionary resting in our home), what we make time to do (regular family Bible reading or children's art lessons), and how we approach the times we live in as we talk in our families (complaining or turning to desperate prayer).

In light of the above discussions, we offer the following encouragement to Christian families.

Almost every Christian publication warns against the breakdown of the family, the onslaught of secular humanism in the media and in government to undermine and destroy the family, and almost every day our new president seems to do something that substantiates the warnings we are receiving. We would like to share with you something we feel the Lord gave us in the spring of 1990. We feel it applies to Christian families, especially those who are homeschooling.

Every home must be a lifeboat. Every family must be open to release their homes, their time, their possessions into the control of His hands. Every member must be willing to share their lives with those whom the Lord of the harvest will send. There are no buildings large enough to hold this next move of the Spirit. There will be enough room if all homes, all the hearts are open to receive Him and those whom the Lord will bring to repentance. Every home a safe, secure place where My lambs can be fed.

In spite of the enemy's attack on the family, we must remember that he is fighting a lost cause. The feminists, the socialists, and the media have also aligned themselves on the wrong side.

Romans 8:37
38. But in all these things we overwhelmingly conquer through Him who loved us.

I John 4:4
5. You are from God, little children, and have overcome them; because greater is He who is in you than he who is in the world.
6. They are from the world; therefore they speak {as} from the world, and the world listens to them.
7. We are from God; he who knows God listens to us; he who is not from God does not listen to us. By this we know the spirit of truth and the spirit of error.

We believe they will never win this battle because the family represents God Himself. Paul said this,

Ephesians 3:14
15. For this reason, I bow my knees before the Father,
16. from whom every family in heaven and on earth derives its name,...

If God our Father and Creator of all has placed His name over the family, then His plan or pattern of the family will continue to exist in spite of the forces of hell that are arrayed against it.

If God has described Himself as Father and Jesus as His Son, then nothing will change that fact. It matters not that those who wish to worship Mother Earth think that some feminist force created the whole universe and demand that we call their god, "she". We must not worry or fret over the deeds of those who are without Christ. Even if society accepts homosexual/lesbian marriages and actively promotes artificial insemination for those alliances to have children, we are not to worry. Even if the government taxes legitimate families to pay for all of these anti-God lifestyles, we are not to fret.

Proverbs 24:19
20. Do not fret because of evildoers, Or be envious of the wicked;
21. For there will be no future for the evil man; The lamp of the wicked will be put out.

Remember what Pharaoh said about the Israelites,

Exodus 1:9
10. And he said to his people, "Behold, the people of the sons of Israel are more and mightier than we.

In the New Testatment we are told what to do under similar circumstances of evil,

Philippians 2:12
13. So then, my beloved, just as you have always obeyed, not as in my presence only, but now much more in my absence, work out your salvation with fear and trembling;
14. for it is God who is at work in you, both to will and to work for {His} good pleasure.
15. Do all things without grumbling or disputing;
16. that you may prove yourselves to be blameless and innocent, children of God above reproach in the midst of a crooked and perverse generation, among whom you appear as lights in the world,
17. holding fast the word of life, so that in the day of Christ I may have cause to glory because I did not run in vain nor toil in vain.

We want to encourage homeschooling families that simply by being a family and by functioning as God designed the family to function, we are a light shining in the darkness. As the news reports of each day get more absurd, our lifestyle becomes a greater witness to Father God and His kingdom! Don't get weary in your well-doing. Paul encourages us

I Thessalonians 4:11
12. to make it your (our) ambition to lead a quiet life and attend to your (our) own business and work with your (our) hands, just as we commanded you;
13. so that you may behave properly toward outsiders and not be in any need.

This is a very interesting exhortation. The prosperity of homeschooling families, the way in which we lead quiet lives and the way in which our needs are met by God's abundant provision - are all necessary to behave properly towards those who are still outside Christ and His kingdom. Those whom God brings to repentance will be willing and ready to be taught by our example. Like Paul we will be able to say,

Philippians 3:17
18. Brethren, join in following my example, and observe those who walk according to the pattern you have in us.

In his prayer in Colossians 3 Paul asked Father God to strengthen us in our inner man with the power of His Holy Spirit for the purpose of giving Christ a dwelling place through faith, and this process is the way we will be rooted and grounded in love. If we keep these things as our vision, the foolishness of the world won't derail us from being "filled up to all the fullness of God."

Americans have lived so long with mixture and deceit that homeschoolers must be very careful that the truths of the kingdom of God of which we are ambassadors aren't forsaken. There are only two kinds of people on the earth at any given moment - those who have been born from above and those who are not. We are not to look to the uncoverted for wisdom. Wisdom begins with the fear of the Lord. If a person is not born from above and functioning in the fear of the Lord, that person's wisdom is really foolishness. There are only two kinds of wisdom on the earth at any one time, and the writer of James makes this very clear.

James 3:13
14. Who among you is wise and understanding? Let him show by his good behavior his deeds in the gentleness of wisdom.
15. But if you have bitter jealousy and selfish ambition in your heart, do not be arrogant and {so} lie against the truth.
16. This wisdom is not that which comes down from above, but is earthly, natural, demonic.
17. For where jealousy and selfish ambition exist, there is disorder and every evil thing.
18. But the wisdom from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, reasonable, full of mercy and good fruits, unwavering, without hypocrisy.

In our nation at this moment we are seeing disorder and every evil thing. We should not be surprised at the chaos and foolishness we are observing. We should not expect men and women who are not born again to display any kind of wisdom other than what the word of God describes. We are a nation that is being governed by people who are selfishly ambitious and display "earthly, natural and demonic wisdom." That which they propose is not reasonable, logical, peaceful or pure. Most of the world's wisdom promotes evil thoughts and evil deeds.

We, however, have been born again to a living hope as Peter exhorts us.

I Peter 1:3
4. Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who according to His great mercy has caused us to be born again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead,
5. to {obtain} an inheritance {which is} imperishable and undefiled and will not fade away, reserved in heaven for you,
6. who are protected by the power of God through faith for a salvation ready to be revealed in the last time.
7. In this you greatly rejoice, even though now for a little while, if necessary, you have been distressed by various trials,
8. that the proof of your faith, {being} more precious than gold which is perishable, even though tested by fire, may be found to result in praise and glory and honor at the revelation of Jesus Christ;

Homeschooling families must remember that our wisdom comes from above and even though our standards, our conduct and our faith are being tested in all sections of our society, we must be confident that our lifestyle of holiness and right standing with our Heavenly Father through Jesus Christ is bearing good fruit. We must be patient like God and pray for our leaders to come to repentance and the saving knowledge of the truth who is our Lord Jesus Christ. (I Tim 2 :1-4) However, until they do, we are not to be anxious about the foolish, demonic decisions that are being arrayed against us. We must know that "family" according to God's pattern will survive, and even if it is just a remnant, those who have faith as tiny as a mustard seed will move mountains into the sea!

For great encouragement from the Holy Spirit meditate upon Psalm 37.

1. This discussion is based upon the specific proposals in Ohio. However, similar proposals are in place in many states and some states have begun implementing OBE with poor results and high costs. Thus we believe that the information is of general interest, even to our Australian friends. At the public meeting Earl attended, he challenged the man who is involved in creating the standards as to why they plan a massive implementation with no "pilot" or test period in a small number of schools. The answers were that a) the federal government will make us do it?? and b) other states are ahead of us!. Of course, the correct way to approach such massive social change is to run a pilot program for 10 years in order to evaluate the results.
2. Earl tried to be consistent in discussions at the meeting to emphasize the importance of the family. In the written survey we were given, Earl said that none of the OBE standards should be used and in the write in section pointed out that none of these can be taught in an institutional setting but in families.