To Homeschool or NOT to homeschool?

Throughout my years of bringing up my son with Asperger syndrome/ADHD, I've often debated whether I should have resorted to homeschooling as a better option due to his lackluster experience putting it mildly, while attending our local public schools.  We live in Staten Island, New York, a sort of overcrowded semi-suburb that lies between New Jersey and Brooklyn.  We are one of the five boroughs, the typically least talked about or noticed one in comparison to the other boroughs.  Our Department of Education in New York City was overtaken by Mayor Bloomberg along with the Chancellor.  Their quest was to raise the bar for students, even those with disabilities.  Stress levels increased as a result, and continue to trend upwards, both in teachers, parents, but especially in our students.  All creativity is being essentially stripped away in favor of having our children "College and Career ready" as early on as pre-kindergarten.  Art and music programs are cut from the budget, and teachers MUST teach to a new set curriculum with little room for flexibility.  Teachers here in NYC are mandated to teach a new common core standard curriculum and must repeatedly see via "testing" where students fall on a continuum of skills learned and to predict outcomes for the all to well know state tests, the culmination of many months of pressure and preparation.   With all this going on, it seems my mind drifts more then ever to homeschooling as an increasingly viable option, especially since many of our special kids learn differently then the rod inflexible system allows for.  Many special kids are hands-on, kinesthetic learners and are also highly visual, and demand multisensory approaches with frequent breaks to regroup.  They need that time out from hours of lame sitting and pen/paper work including note taking and other boring, meaningless mechanics that just slow true brain mechanics of learning down.  The homeschooler has options to teach at a unique pace, in a unique place, and to take as many field trips as it requires to get the child to take it all in and learn in meaningful, memorable, fun ways..projects can be fun with no pressure, books can be read via electronic means, and many websites now promote homeschooling programs and colorful resources and tools at our disposal, when we need them.  I think homeschooling options will continue to rise and be more widespread in direct correlation to the downward spiral of public school programs..the reasons homeschooled children can and do succeed is because they are as exposed as much as public school counterparts, if not more so to the outside world through arts venues, historic and scientific museums, nature centers and other community resources.  Sport teams, or music/art activities allow for the necessary socialization component.  Scouting and other groups or volunteering are always an option as well.  Homeschoolers can and do link up to others that do the same.  Plans for meeting state guidelines must be sent in to have it approved but in the end, it may be worth giving a try, though it isn't for just any parent..having a lot of creativity, patience, energy and organizational skills I'd think are pretty much mandatory to be up to this dedicated task.  It's an option to consider and many do choose this when no other community school program can meet their childs' unique needs..so all in all, it is at least food for thought..It will be interesting to see what the future holds for utilizing homeschooling as the chosen option for special needs kids!