To study the characteristics and academic achievement of home schooled students, data were compiled for 20,760 students in 11,930 families. Families chose to participate before they knew their children's test scores, reducing the possibility of reporting higher scores while leaving lower scores out of the analysis. All students took the Iowa Tests of Basic Skills (ITBS) for grades K through 8 and the Tests of Achievement and Proficiency (TAP) for grades 9 through 12. Home schoolers do exceptionally well when compared with the U.S. average. In every subject and at every grade level of the ITBS and TAP, home school students scored significantly higher than their public and private school counterparts. Almost one in four was enrolled one or more grades above age level, and test scores were analyzed by the student's enrolled grade rather than by age. The achievement gap seen in grades 1-4 begins to widen in grade 5; by grade 8, the average home school student performs four grade levels above the national average. Parents of home schooled students tended to have more formal education than parents in the general population, and they have a higher median income. Home school families tend to be larger than average, and the home school community contains a smaller percentage of racial minorities (6%) than the public schools nationally (32.8%). The report contains an evaluation and discussion of its findings by Michael Farris, President of the Home School Legal Defense Association. (SLD)