Issues@Hand

AFA initiatives, Christian activism, news briefs

September 2018 – Homeschool associations such as the Texas Home School Coalition are seeing increased interest in homeschooling. Many parents are concerned about school safety due to school shootings and bullying.

“Most parents homeschool for more than one reason,” said Brian Ray of the National Home Education Research Institute. “But when we ask families why they homeschool, near the top nowadays is concern about the environment of schools, and that includes safety, pressure to get into drugs, and pressure to get into sexual activity.”

While states are not required to track homeschooling numbers, the U.S. Department of Education estimated 1.69 million homeschool students in the spring of 2016. Ray suggests the number is closer to 2.3 million.

“Homeschooling has been growing at an estimated 2% to 8% per year, and that’s compounded,” he said.

For example, there was a 25% increase in homeschooling between 2012 and 2016.

christianheadlines.com, 6/1/18; washingtontimes.com, 5/30/18