Demand for schooling alternatives is growing.
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As millions of children head back to school this month, millions of other children will not. Homeschooling hit a record high over the past year, doubling in 2020 to more than five million students, or over 11 percent of the U.S. school-age population.
The rise in homeschooling numbers last year was understandable, as many schools remained closed for in-person learning. Now, even as most schools plan full reopenings, families are continuing to opt out of their local district school for other options. Homeschooling advocates in Texas and Virginia, for example, report that interest in homeschooling is higher this summer than it was in 2020 when homeschooling numbers soared.
Overall, public school enrollment dropped three percent nationwide last year, as parents chose…
