The Rise of Homeschool
Is homeschool the best choice? Is it better than public school?
There was only a brief period in my life when I was homeschooled. I lived in Honduras, and after some issues at school, my mother decided my education was going to be done at home. She took it upon herself to teach certain subjects to me, while also hiring a tutor to ensure that the areas she lacked were covered, too. It was on and off between public school and homeschool; however, it was predominantly home where schooling took place. Here’s the kicker: little did I know that by the time we moved back to the United States, she had given me more than a public school requires for the first grade. Not to toot my own horn, but I was better off than most of my classmates. This experience, though brief, is relatable, and is one of the reasons homeschooling has become more popular.
Homeschool is becoming increasingly popular, especially within the conservative circle, given the recent controversies surrounding public schools. I consider myself a product of the public school system, despite my one broken year of being homeschooled; but homeschooling my children is on my radar, too. I am forever grateful for the relationships God presented me with during my time in public school, as well as the educational opportunities. There has been a shift in schools, however, that even I cannot defend. I do not believe that we need to abolish the public school system or leave it for dead, yet parents have every right to decide the kind of education their children should have, even if that means homeschool becomes the new norm. I adamantly support school choice.
History and Reasons for Homeschool
Homeschool is nothing new, neither in America nor globally. Up until the 19th century, it was expected that parents would assume the position of giving their children basic education. Public school didn’t become mainstream until the end of the 19th century—by the end of the 1960s, about 90% of Americans from the ages of 5-17 attended public schools. The trend wouldn’t change until the mid to late 1980s, when parents became concerned with the secularization of public schools (predominantly religious institutions before the 21st century). In 1999, 1.7% of children were homeschooled; by 2012, the number had increased to 3.4%. And as of 2021, 11% of K-12 students are homeschooled. Those who are not religiously affiliated have become attracted to this option, too. What makes homeschool an attractive choice? Here are a few reasons to consider.
Flexibility: Parents can decide what schedule fits best, not just for their children, but also themselves. Homeschoolers have modified schedules that are not under the restraints of state governments. They can have from a couple to a few hours of instruction, while having the rest of the day to commune with their families and community.
Social Maturity: Despite the stigma, homeschooling parents make a concentrated effort to ensure their children are socialized. There are data to suggest that homeschoolers are higher on social development rating scales than state-educated kids. One study used the Vineland Adaptive Behavior Scale, a well-tested diagnostic tool for measuring communication and daily living skills, and found that homeschooled students scored higher than public schooled students. The average overall score for the homeschooled children on communication, daily living skills, socialization, and social maturity subscales was at the 84th percentile, compared to the 23rd percentile for the traditionally schooled students.
Academic Results: Following the trend of data, homeschooled students far outperform those in public school. The average test scores across the board had homeschoolers at around 80%, versus public schoolers’ measly 50%. Higher results lead to better opportunities for higher education, which translates to better career opportunities. Better jobs mean higher income potential, or financial stability—something necessary for a healthy household.
These are non-political reasons why homeschooling has become more popular. There are more non-political reasons to homeschool your children, but the politicization of our public school system has parents fleeing to homeschool.
Aside from the findings on socialization, I cannot argue with the data. Everything points to homeschool being the better option between the two. That’s not to say that everyone who is a product of homeschooling is guaranteed to be academically more advanced than public schooled children—in fact, there are plenty of children who are homeschooled because they do not have the capabilities to keep up with the pace in a state school (or any school environment), thus needing the extra attention. And the reason why I push back on the socialization data is because there is no concrete way to measure maturity. The idea of what classifies someone as being socially mature is abstract, varying on who you ask. There are some socially mature people whose education was done at home, but I’ve met more individuals in that world who are socially immature/sheltered. However, this is based on my idea of social maturity; homeschool advocates would probably see my circle of friends from public school and conclude we’re socially inadequate. It’s a debate I’m willing to have, yet let’s keep things in perspective.
Regardless, it is my prediction that within the next 20 years, sending kids to public school will become the new minority choice. I cannot blame people for wanting to leave our public education system for dead. Hell, we can thank COVID for that, too. Nonetheless, my hope is that we do not judge those who send their children to public school. We must keep an open mind with our options, put aside presumptions and biases, and give grace; we cannot know the situation of the family, or even the child. It may be a healthier environment for the juvenile to be out of the home for eight hours of the day due to an abusive situation. Families may not have the social or financial support to send their children to a charter or private school, which is something we didn’t even compare in this article. There are A LOT of public school teachers who don’t agree with what’s transpiring in the schools, but choose to stay within the system to fight the Marxist indoctrination. And there are parents who have legitimate concerns about the direction of the schools, thus feeling it’s best to take their sons and daughters out until the state education system does some soul searching. There are many moving pieces when it comes to figuring out what’s best for our posterity, but ultimately, we must take everything with a grain of salt and take our emotions out of it. Is homeschool the best option over public school? If so, how does it compare with other options, such as public charter, private charter, non-religious or religious private school? Do your research, but don’t turn a blind eye if the results point in a different direction.
Author’s Note: Anything underlined is a link for you to click on if desired. Readers are encouraged to educated themselves and seek other sources for information.