How Many Kids are Homeschooled?

With most of the world on lockdown, and students stuck doing distance learning, many parents may be wondering if they should consider homeschooling. It’s a big decision for you and your child and you surely have many questions. Here are some common questions about homeschooling and valuable information you should know. 

How Many Kids are Homeschooled?

You may be surprised to learn just how many kids are homeschooled. You may also be surprised to learn that it is a number that is rising rapidly in recent years. During the spring of 2016, researchers estimated that there were 1,689,726 students between the ages of 5-17 who were being homeschooled. 

This number represents 3.3% of all school-age children that year. From 2012 to 2016, homeschooling grew by an average of about 25% in 16 different states. This is a number that continues to rise and is expected to continue to rise as time goes on. 

Is Homeschooling Expensive?

The price of homeschooling will vary depending on the teaching method the homeschool family uses. Prepackaged curriculums can range from a few hundred to a few thousand dollars. Depending on your location, there are local resources such as libraries and learning centers that offer homeschool resources for cheap or even for free. 

Keep in mind, most local public schools receive around $13,000 per child per year from taxes. Unless you are paying for the mac daddy curriculum, it’s highly unlikely that your expenses ever get that high. Of course, you have to keep in mind that your child being home more will likely raise other expenses around your house such as food costs and even your energy bill. 

How Does Homeschooling Benefit the Child?

Of course, there are drawbacks to homeschooling your child, however, depending on your child, the benefits may overshadow the drawbacks. Homeschooling provides your child with a comfortable, quiet, and safe learning environment. They also have more free time since they don’t need to worry about waking up early to get ready for and travel to school. 

Perhaps the biggest benefit of homeschooling is that it affords your child the opportunity to pursue the subjects that interest them for as long as they wish. Now, this doesn’t mean that you should ignore other subjects entirely. It simply means that your child will have more time to explore subjects they enjoy, rather than sitting through material that does not pertain to them. 

Do Homeschooled Students Have to Take the SAT or ACT?

If your homeschooled student does not plan on attending college, there is no need to take the SAT or ACT. However, if they do plan on attending a college, they may have to take the test. Some colleges require certain scores on the tests to even apply while others don’t require the test at all. 

It’s best to determine early on if your child has plans to attend college or not. Even if their early plans are to skip college, you should still plan as though they will apply as they can easily change their mind. This allows your child time to prepare for the test and sign up for either the PSAT or the PreACT. 

Do Homeschoolers do Better on Tests than Their Public-School Peers?

One of the biggest misconceptions regarding homeschoolers is that they receive a more inadequate education than public schoolers. A 2009 study by the Home School Legal Defense Association (HSLDA) found that homeschoolers typically do far better on standardized tests. The important part is, they’re scoring better regardless of their family background, socioeconomic level, or style of homeschooling. 

Homeschooled boys scored in the 87th percentile while homeschooled girls scored in the 88th percentile. The income level of parents did not appreciably affect the results. Even homeschooled students whose parents did not have college degrees still performed at the 83rd percentile. 

Are Homeschooled Children Lonely?

Another misconception about homeschoolers, maybe even the biggest misconception, is that they are often lonely and have next to no social life. This could not be any further from the truth. Of course, it’s up to the parent to ensure their child has ample opportunity to socialize, but that should be no problem. 

One of the most popular ways homeschool children socialize is through sports. There are even sports leagues and teams that consist solely of homeschooled children. This affords your child the opportunity to interact with kids who are similar to them, giving them a close-knit social circle. 

Are All Homeschooled Kids Religious?

Again, here we go with the misconceptions. Many people believe that homeschooling is a religious thing and only those who are super religious homeschool. According to a study conducted by NCES, only 36% of homeschooling parents said that providing religious or moral instruction was the main reason for their choice. 

21% of the parents said that they were concerned about the environment of a public school and 17% said they weren’t satisfied with the instruction. Religion can play a part at times, but there are many different reasons to homeschool. Some of those reasons include long commute times, a non-traditional education, or to ensure a child with special needs receives an appropriate education. 

Homeschooling May Boom in Popularity

Experts suggest that due to the COVID-19 pandemic and the subsequent lockdown, we may soon see a boost in homeschooling. This can be due to several different factors. The biggest reason would be because parents don’t feel comfortable sending their children to school while the virus still exists and the threat of a second wave looms large. 

Another reason may be because parents got a taste of what might go into homeschooling. Most students participated in distance learning, and many of them recruited their parents for help on things they didn’t understand. Parents may feel as though teaching from home provides them with a better option. 

Summer Programs

Summer programs are a great way for your homeschooled child to learn valuable skills while socializing with other students with similar interests. Here at Education Unlimited, we offer in-person summer camps in the East Coast and online programs for students across the country. We offer graphic design, journalism, public speaking, and mock trial classes! Contact us today to find out how we can help your child reach their full potential. 

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