If you are considering homeschooling your children, you might be feeling a bit conflicted about whether this is the best option for your child. After all, the type of education your child experiences builds the foundation for the rest of their lives.
Many parents are choosing to homeschool their children instead of enrolling them in a traditional school. This is because of a wide range of reasons. A few of these reasons include providing your child with more one-on-one experience, safety, a well-rounded education experience, and more.
The decision to homeschool your child can feel quite overwhelming, and it is important to do your research before making the decision. Luckily, this article will highlight the important statistics of homeschooling to help you decide if this is the best option for you.
Homeschooling statistics to know
Worldwide general homeschooling statics
India and the United States of America have the largest number of homeschooled students.
Homeschooling is most popular in India and the US, with the largest number of homeschooled students. The number of homeschooled students in India ranges between 500 000 and 2.7 million. The number of students that are homeschooled in the US ranges from 2.5 million and 3.7 million.
COVID-19 has led to an increase in the number of homeschooled students
COVID-19 has caused an unprecedented shutdown in several countries. This had led to approximately 90% of students having no access to their school. During this time, about 300 million students around the world became homeschooled.
Homeschooled student’s scores range from 80% to 90%
According to studies, homeschooled students tend to score in the 80% to 90% range. These students are scoring much higher than quite a few of the students who are in the traditional school system.
67% of students who are homeschooled have graduated from college
In 2009 a study was done to investigate the percentage of homeschooled students who graduate from college. This study found that about 67% of homeschooled students graduate from the colleges that they choose to attend.
United States of America general homeschooling statics
3.7 million students are homeschooled in the United States
According to the United States Census Bureau, between 2020 and 2021, there were around 3.7 million students homeschooled in the US. This number of students ranges from kindergarten students to 12th-grade students. Meaning students who are homeschooled are between the ages of 5 to 17 years old.
The estimated number of homeschooled students is growing by 2% to 8% in the United States.
In 2019, the number of students who were homeschooled in the US was around 2.5 million. However, between 2020 and 2021, this grew to 3.7 million. This has shown that the number of homeschooled students is growing between 2% to 8%, which is expected for the next few years.
North Carolina is the state with the most amount of homeschooled students
Out of the 50 States in the US, North Carolina is the state which has the largest number of students that are homeschooled. There were approximately 118 268 students who were homeschooled in 2019. The state with the second largest number of homeschooled students in 2019 was Florida, with about 83 359 students.
41% of homeschooled students are minority students
According to studies, there has been a large growth in the number of minority students who are choosing to be homeschooled. 41% of the students that are homeschooled in the US consist of minority students.
Homeschooled student’s academic statistics
50% of homeschooled students study for 25 to 40 hours per week
Homeschooled students have the flexibility to decide whether they want to spend more hours learning each week. Around 50% of homeschooled students spend between 25 to 40 hours learning each week.
Colleges accept students who have been homeschooled
Colleges are quite open to accepting students who have been homeschooled. A few colleges even look for homeschooled students to accept in their institutions. Ivy league colleges are also open to accepting students that have been homeschooled. 4% of homeschooled students are accepted into Standford.
Homeschooled students score higher by 80.5 points.
Studies have found that homeschooled students test better than students attending private or public schools, with 80.5 points. 24.5% of homeschooled students usually learn at a higher age than their own.
Male homeschooled students score 87% on their reading tests
A few studies have found that male students tend to score higher when homeschooled compared to being in the traditional school system. It was found that male students score approximately 87% on reading tests. This is 44% higher than male students who are in the traditional school systems.
Statistics why parents decide to homeschool
49% of parents believe homeschooling provides a better level of education
According to a survey that is commonly referred to in various homeschooling studies, 49% of parents believe that their children will be provided with a better level of education if they were to be homeschooled.
Special needs students thrive better in a homeschooling environment.
One of the most popular reasons parents decide to homeschool their children is because their child has special needs. Homeschooling allows the child to learn in an environment where they are comfortable while receiving one-on-one attention. Often, traditional school systems can feel overwhelming for certain special needs children. This may be why 38% of homeschooled students are students who have special needs.
34% of parents were concerned about the safety of a school environment
According to the 2016 National Household Surveys Progam, 34% of parents choose to homeschool their children due to their safety concerns with the school environment. However, this survey was conducted quite a few years ago, and this number may have increased.
One of the common concerns that parents have with their children learning in a school environment is bullying, which is becoming more common. Parents who choose to homeschool their children will not have to worry about their children being bullied and quite other safety concerns that may be experienced in a school environment.
Homeschooling is more cost-efficient.
While homeschooling may not be considered cheap, this type of schooling system is a bit more cost-efficient compared to the cost of the traditional schooling system. This is due to the extra costs that come with sending a child to a traditional school. This includes school trips, extra activities, uniforms, and more. According to Investopedia, the annual price of homeschooling ranges between $1,400 to $3,600.
51% of parents want to educate their children about their religion
According to the 2016 National Household Surveys Progam, 51% of parents choose to homeschool their children as it allows them to give religious instruction. It is important to keep in mind that certain schools choose to incorporate religious beliefs that you may not follow.
Statistics why parents decide not to homeschool
25% of parents prefer a school environment
According to a study titled Why American Parents Choose Homeschooling, 25% of parents prefer the school environment their children are exposed to in a traditional school. This includes learning with other students, group activities, and more.
Social concerns for the future
A common concern parents tend to have when considering whether they should choose to homeschool their child is the social concerns their child may have in the future. This is about whether the child will have trouble making friends or interacting with people who are the same age as them.
Usually, this occurs because students who have been homeschooled are not exposed to people their age in a homeschooling environment. This may make it difficult for these children to interact with them.
Traditional schooling systems provide a stable way of learning
One of the main reasons parents are still choosing to follow the traditional schooling system and send their children to either a public or private school is because of stability. While homeschooling provides children with a much more flexible schedule, this could impact their learning if they were previously used to a set schedule.
Key takeaways
- Homeschooling is becoming increasingly popular in recent years and is expected to increase between 2% to 8% globally.
- The number of homeschooled students in the US has increased from 2.5 million in 2019 to 3.7 million in 2021. Students who are homeschooled tend to score better. Specifically, male students score approximately 87% on their reading tests when homeschooled.
- There are several reasons why parents prefer to homeschool their children. However, there are quite a few reasons why parents prefer not to. Whether homeschooling is for your child is really up to your personal preferences and what you want them to take away from their school experience.
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