If you’re into studying math in your pajamas, you’ll appreciate others who do in the states that have the most homeschoolers.
I always thought homeschooling was kind of cool. You can wake up five minutes before your work is supposed to begin and you hang out at home for it. At least that’s how I view it in my head and I’m sure anyone who’s experienced homeschooling is rolling their eyes at everything I’m writing, but it’s fine. I like the idea of not having to go to a real school and get a more individualized education. Anyone who’s been to a public school knows that the classes are often large and it’s hard to get the help you need if you’re not at the same level as other students. Homeschooling offers the opportunity to work at your own pace and take more time on subjects that are a bit of a challenge.
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There are obvious benefits to enrolling in a public or private school, as it’s easier to be social, but I think there are events for homeschoolers and also group classes, so it might not be that big of a deal. Homeschooling is rising in popularity though, as people prefer to personalize their education to each student. It’d be interesting to see if anyone who homeschools uses one or more of the 6 Best Google Apps for Education.
When looking for the states with the most homeschoolers, we took a look at some research for each state. We sourced this data from the Coalition for Responsible Home Education, an organization that conducts research on homeschooling and why it’s a strong way to educate the youth of today. The site also provides policy guidelines and raise awareness on the much-needed reforms for this platform. Other information included came from the National Home Education Research Institute, which is dedicated to facts about home education and why it’s the fastest growing mode of education in the US.
The criteria for ranking was simply the number of homeschoolers per state. Naturally, the states with the highest number of homeschoolers are ranked higher than others. Sharpen your pencils for the states that have the most homeschoolers.
10. North Carolina
Homeschoolers: 58,023
North Carolina’s government is dedicated to making homeschooling a great alternative to the traditional education system. Parents, legal guardians, and other members of the family can determine the academic scope of their lessons. The government support is reflected in the high number of homeschoolers.
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9. Michigan
Homeschoolers: 59,900
Michigan, like North Carolina, supports homeschooling. It has laws about parents having the right to homeschool their children. The state doesn’t require parents or guardians to have teaching certificates before they can homeschool. Michigan allows homeschooling up to high school level where parents can issue a certificate if needed.
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8. Georgia
Homeschoolers: 63,224
Georgia fully backs home education and also conducts state graduations for homeschoolers. The Georgia Department of Education doesn’t control curriculums, but requires five content areas to be focused on: math, language, science, social studies, and reading.
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7. Ohio
Homeschoolers: 69,576
Ohio requires that parents are fully responsible for the curriculum and materials to be used. In the case that a homeschooled child goes back to the traditional school system, the child will be assessed to find out the level they belong to. However, parents and guardians are required to have at least 900 hours of home education every school year.
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6. Pennsylvania
Homeschoolers: 71,305
Pennsylvania views home education as private tutoring. The state has various programs available for homeschooling and also has private homeschooling organizations that help parents and legal guardians with curriculums and materials.
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5. Illinois
Homeschoolers: 79,447
Illinois has made its way onto the list of the 10 states that have the most homeschoolers because the law supports it. Homeschool laws don’t require students to spend many hours a day sitting at home, as Illinois recognizes home education to have more variety than traditional schooling.
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4. Florida
Homeschoolers: 102,186
Homeschooling in Florida is made easy by the government’s support. There are tons of materials freely available to use on the internet.
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3. New York
Homeschoolers: 109,285
More and more parents in New York choose to homeschool mainly because it’s cost-effective. The state is a little stricter with guidelines, but there is still a very high number of homeschoolers.
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2. Texas
Homeschoolers: 175,040
The number two in our list of states that have the most homeschoolers is Texas, where law has three basic requirements before you can homeschool your child. You must provide bonafide instruction, cover all five major subjects (math, language, reading, science, and social studies), and have visual instruction materials.
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1. California
Homeschoolers: 235,660
California has high support for homeschooling and there are a lot of online materials for getting started, which is probably why it tops our list with the most homeschoolers.
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That concludes our list of the states that have the most homeschoolers. Take a cue from these states if you’re interested in starting home education, as these places provide lots of materials and assistance for those who prefer to stay away from the traditional school system.
