Homeschooling is on the rise in South Carolina, and it’s changing the way many kids and teens in the state are learning.
Technology and the internet have made homeschooling more accessible and varied, offering courses and learning experiences that might not be available in traditional schools.
Homeschooling on the Rise
Homeschooling means getting your education at home instead of going to a traditional public or private school.
In the US, homeschooling may be the fastest growing form of education.
The Washington Post set out to find answers on why this boom has taken place. The Home-School Nation project is based on data from 32 states and the District of Columbia. The data represents over 60% of school age children in the US.
In 390 of the districts surveyed: For the 2021-22 school year, out of every 10 children in public schools, there was at least one child being homeschooled. “That’s roughly quadruple the number of districts that had rates that high in 2017-18.” (WashingtonPost.com)
The National Home Education Research Institute’s (NHERI) latest data shows that in 2019, there were approximately 2.5 million students being homeschooled. But in 2021-22, there were closer to 3.1 million children being homeschooled. “The homeschool population had been growing at an estimated 2% to 8% per annum over the past several years, but it grew drastically from 2019-20 to 2020-21.” (NHERI.org)
Why Do Parents Choose Homeschooling?
A Washington Post-Schar School poll asked homeschooling parents the question, “Thinking about some specific reasons, did your family choose to home-school this child because…”
The top five reasons were:
- Concern about school environment
- To provide moral instruction
- Dissatisfaction with academic instruction at schools
- Concern about school shootings
- Concern about bullying
Some of the other reasons ranged from the child having special needs (behavioral or otherwise) that couldn’t be met at a brick-and-mortar school, to parents wanting to provide religious instruction.
Homeschooling on the Rise in South Carolina
In South Carolina, families have been choosing homeschooling more and more for its flexibility and the ability to tailor the learning to each student’s needs.
We have seen a huge increase in the number of families choosing to homeschool in the last few years. “Out of the 32 states and the District of Columbia from which The Washington Post was able to collect data, South Carolina ranked 18th for the growth rate of home schooling.” In The Palmetto State, the number of children being homeschooled since the 2017-18 school year has increased by 49%! In Anderson, SC there was a 373% increase! (TheState.com)
3.6% of all students in SC are homeschooled, according to the National Home Education Research Institute.
How Does Homeschooling Work in South Carolina?
In South Carolina, homeschooling doesn’t mean you’re just on your own. There are laws and guidelines to make sure homeschooled students get a solid education. For example, you need to learn certain subjects and get a certain amount of instruction each year. But within those rules, there’s a lot of room to customize how and what you learn.
Families might use online courses, textbooks, community resources, or even get together with other homeschooling families to share experiences and lessons. It’s a bit like building your own adventure in learning.
The Benefits and Challenges of Homeschooling
Homeschooling can be pretty awesome. Students often get one-on-one attention, can learn at their own pace, and explore subjects they’re really interested in. They might also have more flexible schedules, which can be great for traveling or pursuing hobbies and sports more seriously.
But it’s not all easy. Homeschooling can be a lot of work for parents, who are often the teachers, too. And some students might miss the social side of traditional schools, like extracurricular activities or just hanging out with a big group of friends at lunchtime.
What’s Next?
As homeschooling continues to grow in South Carolina, we might see even more resources and support for families who choose this path. Technology will likely play a big role, with more online classes and learning tools becoming available. And who knows? The way we think about school and learning might keep changing in exciting ways.
So, whether your children are homeschooled, in public school, or private school, remember learning can happen anywhere and everywhere. It’s all about finding what works best for you!
Whether your child is homeschooled, in Montessori, public or private school, the need for emergency rooms and hospitals that are specifically geared to handle children is critical information for all families in South Carolina. To learn more, check out our blog Pediatric Emergency Care is Lacking in America.
Contact The Law Offices of David L. Hood for a Free Medical Malpractice Consultation
If your child is the victim of a tragic accident which wasn’t their fault, contact The Law Offices of David L. Hood for your free, confidential initial consultation. We also focus on medical malpractice and wrongful death cases. With 18 locations across South Carolina to serve you, we’re never too far away. Contact us today. To get in touch with us, you can call our offices at (843) 491-6025 or email us here. There’s no obligation – You have questions, we have answers!
