Statistics are out, and they reveal a new trend in America’s education system. Homeschooling is rapidly gaining traction and becoming the fastest-growing form of learning, breaking away from its past associations with radical ideologies. In a recent analysis conducted by The Washington Post, data revealed that more families across the States are opting homeschooling.
This trend has been observed since the onset of the pandemic, and it has continued to rise in popularity through the 2022-23 academic year, despite initial predictions that most families would return to traditional schooling once COVID-19 restrictions were lifted. Current counts suggest that 2.7 million kids are homeschooled.
Critics
However, this rise doesn’t come without critics. Critics argue that in most states, homeschooled children don’t have to take any form of testing for academic progress, They argue that even states that require assessments often offer loopholes that make it difficult to accurately assess the progress. Hillsborough County takes the lead as far as homeschooling is concerned. About 10,680 students in Hillsborough County registered for the 2022 academic year. It is so far the largest number compared to other school districts in the country. Compared with 2017 data, this is a 74 percent growth rate compared to the overall public school enrollment increase of just 3.4%.
In Hillsborough County, the education has evolved to the extent that homeschooled students inhabit a scholastic and extracurricular environment comparable to any traditional public or private school. They have access to competitive sports.
Florida Homeschooling‘
Again, It’s worth noting that Florida has been one of the leading states in terms of homeschooled children, with nine out of the top 10 districts being located there. Florida offers a uniqueness for homeschooled students. For example, kids are not required to take state tests as in public schools. But they can partake in the same high school sports that public schools participate in. They can also apply for scholarships at public universities. If you thought Florida grows faster as regards homeschooling, think again. New York has recently rocketed in the growth of this population. About 52,000 kids are now homeschooled in New York City alone. This increasing trend is the highest among all states in The Post’s database.
Reason for Homeschooling
Among the reasons for the rise in homeschooling are safety concerns – with the gun violence trends increasing, parents are choosing to keep their children safe at home and provide them with education there. There is also concern among parents about bullying in schools, which is not being attended to. In comparison to traditional schooling, homeschooling is seen as a safer alternative. Some parents also cite dissatisfaction with the quality of public schools -black history and other subjects are often not taught in public schools. As more students are turning towards homeschooling, Autism has become a growing concern among parents in the education of their children – which makes homeschooling a more viable option.
Autistic children can do better with personalized learning, and homeschooling allows for just that. Therapeutic options can also accompany the child’s education plan, such as behavioral and occupational therapies that can be scheduled at convenient times for parents and children.
For quality therapeutic intervention, Nevada Autism Center takes the lead in providing effective and specialized programs for individuals with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD).
