California Parents Contributing to the Homeschool Boom
160,000 students have left the public schools here in California
By Katy Grimes, September 21, 2021 12:34 pm
California is experiencing a homeschool boom, and it’s not just a result of school lockdowns during the COVID pandemic. The pandemic may have been the first time parents really and thoroughly saw what their kids were being taught in California public schools. And many were shocked.
Lance Izumi, senior director of the Center for Education at the Pacific Research Institute recently finished writing his latest book, “The Homeschool Boom,” which looks at the increase in homeschooling across the United States, and in California.
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Izumi says at the start of the pandemic, in spring 2020, just over 5 percent of American households reported homeschooling school-aged children, based on data from the U.S. Census Bureau.
By the fall of 2020 – only 6 months later – that percentage had more than doubled to 11 percent. Izumi notes that the Census Bureau used clarifying information on the survey to ensure that households were reporting true homeschooling and not distance or remote learning through a public or private school.
The percentage of homeschooling households in Florida went from 5 percent to 18 percent, while New York went from 1 percent to 10 percent.
“Here in California, we are seeing this homeschooling phenomenon as well. Between the 2020 and 2021 school years, tens of thousands of students have left the regular public schools,” Izumi said. “The latest total shows that 160,000 students have left the public schools here in California. Where have these students gone? Many are now being homeschooled. In Los Angeles, the number of parents filing private school affidavits, which parents must file with the state in order to homeschool their children independently, more than doubled.”
Izumi says the increase in the numbers of minority parents who have decided to homeschool their children is noteworthy. “Among African Americans nationwide, the percentage homeschooling families skyrocketed from 3 percent to an amazing 16 percent—a five-fold increase from spring 2020 to fall 2020. Among Hispanics, the proportion of families who are homeschooling their children doubled from 6 percent to 12 percent. By fall 2020 that percentage had more than doubled to 11 percent reporting homeschooling children.”
Izumi said he believes that the next big wave in education will be homeschooling. His prediction is bolstered by the Census Bureau, which concluded that families are seeking solutions that will reliably meet their health and safety needs, their childcare needs, and the learning and socio-emotional needs of their children. “Further, the Bureau said that from pandemic pods to standalone virtual schools to homeschooling organizations, parents are increasingly open to options beyond the neighborhood school,” Izumi said. “So the pandemic and the ineffectiveness of the regular public schools to teach students during the pandemic have led to a real revolution in how parents are viewing how best to ensure the learning of their children.”
“Before the pandemic, federal survey data found the most cited reason given by parents for homeschooling their children is concern about the environment of schools,” Izumi explained. “These concerns include safety, drugs, and negative peer pressure. The second most cited reason is dissatisfaction with the academic instruction at schools. The academic research on homeschooling shows that homeschooled students perform better, on average, than non-homeschooled children.”
“In my upcoming book, I interview many California parents who have decided to homeschool their children. Their stories are eye opening and dispel many myths that have grown up around homeschooling. I interviewed Magda Gomez, who is an immigrant from Tijuana, Mexico. Magda decided to homeschool her children after they were bullied and attacked at school. For instance, one student allegedly threatened to poke the eyes of one of her daughters with a pencil. Magda is now an activist in the Hispanic community promoting homeschooling and informing parents about the educational choices they have.”
“I interviewed Carrie Carlson, who is homeschooling her son who has autism and dyslexia,” Izumi says. “Prior to her son’s diagnosis, he had very visible learning problems, such as having a hard time reading. His public school’s response was to put him in the lowest performing group in his classroom, which consisted of mostly non-English speaking students. Before the pandemic, federal survey data found the most cited reason given by parents for homeschooling their children is concern about the environment of schools. Carrie asked, ‘How is this even helping him? It doesn’t make any sense?’ Not surprisingly, her son was very miserable and would pretend to have sicknesses to avoid going to school. Carrie finally decided to homeschool her son and she was able to follow their neurologist’s advice in teaching him. Because her son had trouble decoding, she transitioned him to audio books and he devoured books on tape. Carrie says that he is now one of the most well-read dyslexic kids out there. Also, she was able to adjust his learning to fit his individual pace. A slower pace, taking things in smaller chunks, and taking breaks worked. Carrie believes that if her son was in a regular public school, he would have suffered depression and anxiety.”
“The Homeschool Boom” will be out in early October.
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No mention of Critical Race Theory, hyper-politicized, agenda-driven teachers, anti-Christian bias, trans/gay/whatever agendas, obsession with sexual topics, often WAY out of appropriate ranges for students’ ages/grades, sexual perversity in the curriculum, anti-American bias, disdain, or at best, indifference toward religion and traditional values … the list goes on and on, and none of THAT mentioned here. The author seems to be willfully ignorant. (I have been a homeschool resource teacher for 28 years.)
You deserve a slow clap for your response which is totally on point.
THIS COMMENT RIGHT HERE!
“Journalism is dead”…everything P. Jean Horn is what SHOULD be reported on. Our media in the US is a joke.
And to add to the 1st comment….. Forced vaccination for the whole vaccine schedule, killing personal belief and medical exemptions (doctors can only write 5 vaccine exemption before having threats on their license and said exemption need to be approved by the state, one of the only reason to be exempt is to have had a previous allergic reaction) (SB277/276/714).
Forcing masks on children in school under coercion, not pushing character at school, subpar teachers (more and more) etc etc…
That’s what pushed us to homeschool. Loss of medical freedoms. Although it became a wonderful blessing. Homeschooling highlights your childrens strengths huilds confidence and allows time and variety of strategies to build on weaker areas.
PLUS, doesn’t homeschooling divert per-capita FUNDING to the public indoctrination centers???
The American dream incomplete without quality education availability in mass for every American…..this is not a stinking Globalist cliche…..
Most of these comments are ignorant conservatives. Surprised. CRT is NOT taught in K-12. That’s graduate level work in a specific field. Masks are scientifically proven preventive measures and vaccines have been mandated in schools for decades. If you have a special needs child, that makes sense to be home schooled as she/he can’t keep with the pace. Also, why would public schools promote religion? Are you guys dumb? It’s separate of church and state. There is no anti-American sentiment considering all American holidays and heroes are celebrated. You just hate that the USA did horrible things in history as well and want that sweeped under the rug. The only major truth is that homeschooling rose the last two years due to covid. Kids had a hard time learning and many have no access to technology and a lot were too lazy to go online. The second reason is just ignorant republicans who follow propaganda on FOX. I mean the first post is supposedly an educator and can’t figure out propaganda from facts. Critical Race Theory is not even taught in K-12. Even so, CRT is about systemic racism that is clearly obvious from anyone who is educated. Just looking at the US housing laws prove it or what about the benefits not given to minority veterans after WWII. It goes on. But anyways, it’s good to keep ignorant parents away from school with your poison. Now you’ll raise more stephen millers and Rush Limbaughs.