Rise of homeschooling making a transformative impact on education
In recent years, homeschooling has experienced an unprecedented surge, largely driven by the pandemic-induced shift to the remote learning model.
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While the model worked well in some circumstances, it did face criticism and challenges.
One major challenge was that hands-on learning experiences, such as science experiments and art projects, became difficult to replicate in a virtual environment, impacting students' comprehension and engagement.
The prolonged period of remote learning also took a toll on students' mental health, with increased stress, anxiety, and feelings of loneliness reported.
Parents faced the additional burden of balancing their own work responsibilities with supervising their children's learning.
Ultimately, these challenges served as a catalyst for some families to explore alternative education options.
In 2019, prior to remote learning, approximately 2.5 million students were homeschooled in the United States.
This number has risen significantly, with estimates indicating that almost 4 million students are being homeschooled nationwide.
The homeschooling educational approach allows parents or guardians to educate their children at home rather than sending them to a traditional public or private school.
Homeschooling families typically design their own curriculum or use pre-designed curricula tailored to their children's needs and interests.
In many cases, homeschooling is a choice made by families seeking more flexibility, personalized instruction, or alignment with their values and beliefs about education.
The homeschooling educational approach allows parents or guardians to educate their children at home rather than sending them to a traditional public or private school.
Homeschooling families typically design their own curriculum or use pre-designed curricula tailored to their children's needs and interests.
In many cases, homeschooling is a choice made by families seeking more flexibility, personalized instruction, or alignment with their values and beliefs about education.
A homeschooling father of two teen boys in Florida, shared his reasons for their family choosing the homeschool route.
“My wife and I believe that the curriculum taught in public schools is outdated and fails to address the skills and knowledge necessary for success in the modern world,” said Simon, who declined to provide his last name to protect the privacy of his children.
“By homeschooling, we can tailor our children's education to include subjects that we consider essential, such as artificial intelligence, travel, art, and other areas that are often overlooked in public schools.
Additionally, we feel that requiring children to wake up at 6 a.m. to attend school is inhumane and can negatively impact their growth and health.
By homeschooling, we can ensure that our children get the rest they need to thrive.”
These motivations are underscored by alarming data from the National Assessment of Educational Progress, revealing that two-thirds of U.S. children struggle to read proficiently, with an astounding 40 percent essentially functioning as nonreaders.
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Additionally, 2023 ACT data highlights a concerning lack of college preparedness among recent high school graduates, with only 1 in 5 students demonstrating that they are adequately equipped to succeed in introductory college courses.
This data sometimes makes people question whether traditional schooling is the best approach when it comes to preparing children.
It’s not only education researchers who are paying attention. Alex Clark, a top pop-culture podcaster and commentator, recently dedicated an entire episode of The Spillover to homeschooling.
Unveiling the benefits of homeschooling
Homeschooling allows for a tailored educational approach, catering to the unique interests, strengths, and learning styles of each child.
Cash Daniels, a 14-year-old from Chattanooga, Tennessee, loves being homeschooled because it gives him flexibility to focus on things he really wants to do.
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Daniels launched The CleanUp Kids, a kid-led conservation nonprofit, with the flexibility of homeschooling allowing him to manage his business and schoolwork.
Daniels explained, “The personalized schedule gives me the ability to work on my business and give back to my community.”
Daniels has been able to speak to students in schools across his state because he’s not constrained by a traditional school schedule.
“If I miss school on a weekday because of a trip or speaking engagement,” he says, “I can catch up at night or on the weekend.”
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He also spends several hours a week doing activities with other kids both homeschooled and traditionally schooled, “I’m booked with activities Monday-Thursday and swim on a swim team with 20+ homeschool kids. We have practice twice a week.”
The future of education
Due to dissatisfaction with the traditional school model, parents are choosing alternative education options such as homeschooling, charter schools, or online learning platforms to meet the specific needs and preferences of their children.
Some educators share this dissatisfaction and are leaving the traditional classroom and creating their own schools. Matt Beaudreau, former classroom teacher and now CEO of Apogee Schools, did just that.
Beaudreau left the classroom because of what he calls the “public conveyor belt schooling system.”
Started in 2022, Apogee Schools served as a homeschool program option for families, but will soon launch 50 physical campuses in 2024, bringing the total to 2,000 additional families participating in this new education model.
As homeschooling gains momentum, it underscores the evolving landscape of education and the increasing demand for alternative learning models.
This is a shift toward educational diversity, where families have the autonomy to choose the educational path that best aligns with their values, goals, and aspirations.
Policymakers, educators, and stakeholders must acknowledge and accommodate the diverse needs of families to foster an inclusive educational ecosystem that supports homeschooling alongside traditional schooling options.
By doing so, they can leverage the power of education diversity and cultivate a more dynamic and student-centered approach to learning.