(NewsNation) — The end of the COVID-19 pandemic doesn’t appear to have hindered the rise in the number of families choosing to homeschool their children, according to a new study.
The study found that 90% of states that report homeschooling enrollment found increases for the 2023 to 2024 academic year. In Louisiana, for example, the state saw a steady increase in homeschooling before the pandemic that continued afterward.
The growth trend ranges from 8% in Wyoming to nearly 70% in Rhode Island.
“This is something that’s occurring all across the country. It’s not a red state, blue state issue,” said Johns Hopkins University professor Dr. Angela Watson. “So we’re really looking to dig into what exactly is causing not only families not to return to the traditional public schools.”
While reasons vary, parents of children with special needs are increasingly opting for homeschooling.
“Families with students whose needs may not be met in the traditional public setting … they are choosing homeschooling,” Watson said.
Watson pointed to a growing community of homeschooling parents and advances in technology that have made the practice a little easier in recent years.
“The old homeschooling community had to be really dedicated because there wasn’t a lot of support for them,” Watson said. “Now, though, we see all kinds of technologies and artificial intelligence and curriculum companies marketing and tailoring things specifically for the homeschool community. So that’s something that has been very different.”