Research Outline

Homeschooling Services Increase of Demand

Goals

The goal is to provide between three and five insights that cover the potential rise in demand for homeschooling services due to the impact of COVID-19.

Early Findings

The director general of UNESCO issued the following statement concerning education: "While temporary school closures as a result of health and other crises are not new unfortunately, the global scale and speed of the current educational disruption is unparalleled and, if prolonged, could threaten the right to education."

Forbes: "The World’s Homeschooling Moment"

  • According to an article published three days ago by Forbes, children who are educated at home may receive a better education than those in public schools. It also mentions that access to high-quality K-12 education is more feasible than ever before.
  • Over the past 20 years, the demographics of those who homeschool has changed. "Urban, secular families are among the fastest-growing group of homeschoolers, as parents seek alternatives to an increasingly standardized, one-size-fits-all mass schooling model."
  • The article also states: "Most peer-reviewed studies on homeschooling outcomes find that homeschoolers generally outperform their schooled peers academically, and have positive life experiences." In addition, research has found more entrepreneurs among adults who were homeschooled when younger.
  • Finally, this article briefly discusses how disasters such as Hurricane Katrina and now COVID-19 can trigger fresh looks at the education system and stimulate change.

Press Release: HSLDA Releases 'Quick Start' Guide to Homeschool in Light of COVID-19

  • In response to the COVID-19 outbreak, the Home School Legal Defense Association (HSLDA) has created a Quick Start Guide to help parents homeschool their children.
  • The HSLDA is a nonprofit organization that consists of attorneys who help parents, school officials, and legislators navigate each state's homeschooling laws.

National School Choice Week Team

  • Nearly 15 million students in the US are being affected due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
  • The article points out that many schools are shuttered until at least early April 2020. It also highlights that it is unlikely that the pandemic will force schools to be closed for the rest of the school year.
  • Due to COVID-19 "Kevin Carey, vice president for education policy at New America, has said that the coronavirus could lead to “a vast unplanned experiment in mass home-schooling.”"

Coronavirus has parents looking at homeschooling

  • An article published in the Washington Examiner on March 13, 2020, explains how single-parent families and others with difficult circumstances can still successfully homeschool their children.
  • The article also provides budget-friendly options for families. Included in the suggestions were opportunities for grants, for free curricula and online training, and resources available at community colleges and libraries.