Where Is Homeschooling Most Popular?

In recent years, homeschooling has become an increasingly popular option for parents looking to provide their children with a quality education.

According to the National Home Education Research Institute, there are now more than 2 million homeschooled students in the United States. While each state has its own set of laws regulating homeschooling, there are a number of states where it is particularly popular.

In this post, we’ll take a look at some of those states and highlight some of the reasons why homeschooling is popular in those states.

States Where Homeschooling Is Popular

Homeschooling is most popular in the following states:

1. North Carolina

Homeschooling is most popular in North Carolina. According to National Home Education Research Institute (NHERI), an estimated 179,900 students were homeschooled in North Carolina in 2021. Parents choose to homeschool their teens in the state due to many reasons. Some parents feel that they can provide a better education for their children at home than what is available at public or private schools.

Other parents may have concerns about the safety or quality of education at their local schools. Still others may simply prefer the flexibility and freedom that comes with homeschooling.

No matter what the reason, parents who choose to homeschool their children in North Carolina must follow certain state laws and regulations. These laws are designed to ensure that homeschooled students receive a quality education and are prepared for college or the workforce. North Carolina’s homeschool laws are as follows:

• Parents are required to notify the local school district of their intent to homeschool. This notification must be made within 30 days of starting to homeschool. Parents who do not notify the school district may be subject to penalties, including fines and jail time.
• Parents who homeschool their children must also keep records of their child’s educational progress. These records must be made available to the local school district upon request.
• Parents who homeschool their children are also responsible for making sure that their children receive a quality education. This includes providing instruction in core academic subjects, such as reading, writing, math, science, and social studies.
• Parents must also ensure that their children have opportunities to participate in extracurricular activities and receive proper health and dental care.

2. Alaska

Homeschooling is also popular in Alaska. Children who are aged between 7 and 16 are required to be in school or conform to the state’s homeschool laws and regulations. Homeschooling families in Alaska are required to adhere to the following laws and regulations:

• The law requires homeschooling families to notify the school district regarding their intention to homeschool. However, they are not supposed to send withdrawal forms in case their children already attend public schools in Alaska.
• Teachers do not have to meet specific qualification requirements except for private instructors who are required to be Alaska-certified teachers.
• There are no required number of hours per day, days per year, or specific academic courses that must be taught at home.
• Parents are not required to keep records of their homeschooling children.
• The law does not necessitate independent homeschoolers to have their children take part in testing.

Due to these lax laws and regulations, homeschooling is booming in Alaska.

3. Idaho

In the state of Idaho, children between the age of 7 and 16 are required to attend school. Homeschool laws in Idaho are as follows:

• In Idaho, parents are not required to notify the school district that they are homeschooling their child, but they are recommended to contact the school to see if a withdrawal form is necessary.
• There are no minimum hours per day or days per year that homeschool instruction must take place, and there is no testing requirement.
• Seven subjects must be covered in the homeschool curriculum: language arts and communication, fine arts, social studies, science, mathematics, health, and physical education.
• Parents are not required to keep records of their child’s homeschool progress.

4. Illinois

In Illinois, children six years old or older must attend school until they turn 17 or graduate from high school. The homeschool laws of the state are as follows:

• Parents who choose to homeschool their children are not required to notify the school district, but they may need to send a withdrawal letter and request their child’s records from the school.
• The homeschool teacher is not required to have specific qualifications.
• There are no minimum requirements for the number of hours per day or days per week that instruction must take place, and there is no requirement for standardized testing.
• Parents must ensure their child receives instruction in six core subjects: language arts, mathematics, sciences, social studies, fine arts, and physical development/health.
• Parents do not need to keep records of their child’s homeschooling activities.

5. Indiana

Children in Indiana must attend school from the age of seven until they either turn 18 or graduate high school. The state’s homeschooling laws require that parents follow certain procedures in order to ensure their child’s educational success.

Here are homeschool laws in Indiana:

• In Texas, parents who want to homeschool their children are not required to notify the school district or send a withdrawal letter.
• There is no set Qualification that instructors need to meet.
• Homeschooling students must be taught for a minimum of 180 days per year and receive instruction equivalent to what public schools offer.
• Parents are responsible for keeping records of their child’s attendance and progress. Homeschooled students are not required to participate in state testing.

6. Michigan

In order to homeschool in Michigan, children must be six years old or younger as of December 1st. After that, they are required to attend school until they turn 18 years old.

Parents who wish to homeschool their children must comply with the following state regulations:

• There is no need to inform the school district that you are homeschooling your child, but sending them a withdrawal letter might be a good idea.
• The instructors teaching your children do not need to be certified teachers, but they must have a teaching permit or hold a Bachelor’s degree.
• There are no minimum hours per day or days per year that you need to spend on homeschooling, and there are no testing requirements.
• You must cover eight subjects: English grammar, writing, literature, civics, history, science, mathematics, spelling, and reading.
• You do not need to keep records of your child’s homeschooling progress.

7. Missouri

In Missouri, students must be enrolled in school from ages seven to 17. Here are the state’s homeschooling laws:

• Homeschooling laws in Missouri state that parents are not required to notify the school district of their decision to homeschool, but they may need to send a withdrawal letter to their superintendent.
• There are no specific qualifications for home school instructors outlined in the law.
• Homeschooled students must receive 1000 hours of instruction per year, with 600 of those hours being taught in the required subjects. 400 of those hours must be taught at the regular homeschool location.
• Parents of homeschooled children under 16 years old must keep records of subjects taught, evaluations (test results), and samples of student’s work

8. New Jersey

In New Jersey, students must be enrolled in school from the ages of six to sixteen. To comply with homeschooling regulations in New Jersey, parents must follow these guidelines:

• If you choose to homeschool your children, you are not required to notify the school district. However, you may need to send a letter of withdrawal to your superintendent.
• There is no one-size-fits-all answer to the question of what qualifications are needed to homeschool effectively. However, to ensure that your child receives an education equivalent to that they would receive at a traditional school, you should consider offering instruction in core subjects such as science, writing, reading, and math.
• Although you are not required by law to keep detailed records of your homeschooling activities, it may be beneficial to do so in order to be able to show evidence of your child’s progress over time.
• While homeschooled students are not required to participate in standardized testing, some parents choose to do so in order to assess their child’s academic progress.

9. Oklahoma

In Oklahoma, children aged 5 to 18 must be enrolled in school. The homeschooling laws in Oklahoma state that:

• It is not necessary to tell the school district that you will homeschool your child, but some parents choose to do so. Some families notify their school district out of courtesy, while others want to ensure their child’s absences are correctly accounted for.

Still others may notify the district in order to take advantage of certain services or programs.

• There are no specific qualifications or requirements needed to homeschool your child.
• You do not need to follow a certain curriculum, teach for a certain number of hours per day, or give your child standardized tests.
• You may keep records if you wish, but it is not required.

10. Texas

In Texas, children aged 6-19 must be enrolled in a school program until they graduate or earn a GED.  Texas compliance for homeschooling is as follows:

• Homeschooling in Indiana does not require you to notify the school district or superintendent, but you may need to send a withdrawal letter.
• No minimum hours or days are required per year, and no testing is required.
• Although it is not necessary, it is encouraged that you keep records of your child’s homeschooling progress.
• The five required educational subjects are reading, grammar, spelling, math, and good citizenship.

Final Thoughts!

Homeschooling is popular in the above states for a variety of reasons. Each state has different requirements, but homeschooling is a flexible option that allows parents to tailor their child’s education to their individual needs and interests.

Although there are some requirements, such as teaching certain subjects and keeping records, homeschooling provides a great deal of freedom for both parents and students.

If you’re interested in homeschooling your child, it’s important to research the states with the most relaxed homeschooling laws. And if you want help getting started, don’t hesitate to contact High School of America today!

We have many years of experience helping families like yours transition to homeschooling and provide a high-quality education for their children.