Behind the homeschooling craze sweeping America

Students across the country are increasingly starting their school homeroom periods… at home, in their room. Since 2017, homeschooling has become the fastest-growing form of education in the US by a wide margin, according to a new analysis by the Washington Post.

By the numbers: Homeschool enrollment for grades K-12 increased 51% over the past six school years in states with comparable figures, reaching an estimated total of 1.9 million–2.7 million students nationwide. And this increase “crosse[d] every measurable line of politics, geography, and demographics,” the Post said.

• For context, US private school enrollment grew by 7% over the same period to reach 5.7 million students, while the public school population saw a 4% decrease to 48.1 million students.

Driving the move… The Post and outside experts point to several reasons why many families believe home is where the heart smart is, and are increasingly opting for homeschooling and sticking with it.

• Homeschool enrollment saw a sharp increase during Covid, when many parents grew frustrated with the shortcomings of online-only education.
• Public high schools aren’t required to give credit for homeschool classes, posing a major roadblock for students who wish to transfer after freshman year.
• Since 2021, school vouchers offering parents thousands of dollars/year for children outside the public school system have been made available to home educators in seven states (covering ~40 million Americans).
• Parents who’ve opted to homeschool their children in recent years also cited concerns about bullying, school shootings, and a general decline in public schools’ academic quality and social environment.

🔀 On the flip side: Some education experts express concern with the rising popularity of homeschooling, since, unlike public schools, many states don’t have mandated progress reports for homeschooled students and don’t require them to learn subjects like social studies or civic engagement.