Although homeschool anecdotes are a dime a dozen, hardcore statistics on this emerging education trend are often few and far between.
But on Tuesday, the U.S. Department of Education released the latest official numbers on homeschooling in America. Not surprisingly, they continue to rise.
The study, conducted on statistics from 2012, shows that roughly 1.8 million children are being educated at home. This number rose slightly from 1.5 million in 2007, 1.1 million in 2003, and 850,000 in 1999.
When asked to give their reasons for homeschooling, parents named the following three areas as the most important:
* Concern about safety and school environment (91 percent).
* A desire for moral instruction (77 percent).
* Dissatisfaction with academic instruction (74 percent).
Unfortunately, these statistics may already be outdated, as circumstances since 2012 may have escalated the number of families pursuing homeschooling.
Consider, for example, the rising incidence of chaos America’s public schools have witnessed in just the last few years. The fact that teachers are “powerless to discipline” certainly can’t sit well with parents who want their children in a safe environment.
Consider also the rising concern over Common Core. In 2012, Common Core was hardly a blip on the radar screen of most Americans. Four years later, many American parents are vehemently opposed to it, and the Common Core Standards are described as a key reason why homeschooling has increased by 11 percent in the last year in North Carolina.
If conditions such as these continue in the public schools, should we really be surprised when more parents decide to take their children’s education back into their own hands?
Written by Annie Holmquist and published by Intellectual Takeout ~ November 2, 2016
~ The Author ~
Annie is a senior writer with Intellectual Takeout. In her role, she assists with website content production and social media messaging.
Annie received a B.A. in Biblical Studies from the University of Northwestern-St. Paul. She also brings 20+ years of experience as a music educator and a volunteer teacher – particularly with inner city children – to the table in her research and writing.
In her spare time Annie enjoys the outdoors, gardening, reading, and events with family and friends.
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