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The Schools Our Children Deserve
Moving Beyond Traditional Classrooms and "Tougher Standards"
by Kohn, Alfie
Teacher-turned-writer Alfie Kohn takes on traditional-education
giants like E.D. Hirsch, along with practically every state government
"raising the bar" and toughening standards, in this
attack on the back-to-basics movement. 1999 Hardcover
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Number of Homeschoolers in the USA
Updated February 27, 2011
How many children are home schooled in
the United States? This the most current information on homeschooling
families in the U.S. The list of homeschooled kids by state is a work in
progress and is updated annually with additional home education statistics
as they are found. Home school statistics can be fraught with errors. A
discussion of the miscounting of homeschoolers is included below.
I used the census 2009 data from Kids
Count Census Data Online for the number of children in each
state under 18, and the percent of those children ages 5-17 to
calculate the number of school-aged children in each state.
I then used what data I had on registered homeschoolers from
those states that require registration to figure out what percentage
of the school-aged population in those states were homeschooled
and that the average percentage of those states was 2.53%. See my
Demographics page for what exact
data I do have.
I can get the numbers online of homeschool students in only eleven states, so I am using their average growth rate, and assuming it applies in other states. This probably isn't accurate to assume, but is all I have to use. If you would like to "play around" with these numbers, add new data, etc., here is my Excel Spreadsheet, DemographicStateComparison-2011.xls, 242 KB.
These numbers are just a statistical estimate. Many
things seem to influence how many homeschoolers there are in each US state,
and influences may make these numbers too high or too low:
- Perception of whether or not schools in state are good or
bad;
- Ease of complying with homeschool
laws in a state;
- In a number of states homeschoolers do not register, either
because they need not or will not. California and Texas are two
of them;
- I include all students ages 5-17. Many families homeschool children younger or older than the compulsory age range in their states. These students would not be counted on official homeschool demographics reports.
- Some states and cities have better support organizations
and more outreach than others.
- The relative population of children to adults in a state.
- I cannot say that this data will age well. Homeschooling
grew during good economic times. Whether or not this will continue to
hold true during the economic downturn remains to be seen.
- A 2.53% growth probably does not hold true for each grade level.
- We cannot all agree on what constitutes a "real"
homeschooler! What sort of homeschoolers are tracked by each state may vary.
You can find the approximate number of homeschooled kids in your state here:
| State |
Kids Aged 5-17 From
2009 Census |
2010-2011 Homeschoolers
(Estimate) |
| Alabama |
812,782 |
21,013 |
| Alaska |
128,482 |
3,322 |
| Arizona |
1,212,413 |
31,345 |
| Arkansas |
504,077 |
13,032 |
| California |
6,699,334 |
173,199 |
| Colorado |
859,434 |
22,219 |
| Connecticut |
597,909 |
15,458 |
| Delaware |
146,965 |
3,800 |
| District of Columbia |
76,404 |
1,975 |
| Florida |
2,881,019 |
74,483 |
| Georgia |
1,834,492 |
47,427 |
| Hawaii |
200,349 |
5,180 |
| Idaho |
293,433 |
7,586 |
| Illinois |
2,287,711 |
59,144 |
| Indiana |
1,144,343 |
29,585 |
| Iowa |
506,340 |
13,090 |
| Kansas |
500,515 |
12,940 |
| Kentucky |
730,313 |
18,881 |
| Louisiana |
808,838 |
20,911 |
| Maine |
200,670 |
5,188 |
| Maryland |
973,393 |
25,165 |
| Massachusetts |
1,046,091 |
27,045 |
| Michigan |
1,738,920 |
44,957 |
| Minnesota |
895,166 |
23,143 |
| Mississippi |
545,097 |
14,092 |
| Missouri |
1,030,563 |
26,643 |
| Montana |
158,276 |
4,092 |
| Nebraska |
316,149 |
8,173 |
| Nevada |
476,723 |
12,325 |
| New Hampshire |
213,913 |
5,530 |
| New Jersey |
1,493,469 |
38,611 |
| New Mexico |
357,167 |
9,234 |
| New York |
3,185,340 |
82,351 |
| North Carolina |
1,617,357 |
41,814 |
| North Dakota |
100,780 |
2,605 |
| Ohio |
1,981,469 |
51,227 |
| Oklahoma |
643,194 |
16,629 |
| Oregon |
628,424 |
16,247 |
| Pennsylvania |
2,025,846 |
52,374 |
| Rhode Island |
165,582 |
4,281 |
| South Carolina |
767,320 |
19,838 |
| South Dakota |
139,731 |
3,612 |
| Tennessee |
1,075,141 |
27,796 |
| Texas |
4,827,178 |
124,798 |
| Utah |
590,800 |
15,274 |
| Vermont |
93,444 |
2,416 |
| Virginia |
1,311,499 |
33,906 |
| Washington |
1,114,410 |
28,811 |
| West Virginia |
282,108 |
7,293 |
| Wisconsin |
943,380 |
24,389 |
| Wyoming |
91,097 |
2,355 |
|
|
|
| Total |
53,254,852 |
1,376,804 |
Does this mean families are less interested in homeschooling than before? No, only that there are fewer school age children than in previous years. Here is a graph showing the past and future school enrollment figures from the US Department of Education:
Notice how the number of children in elementary school starts to dip in 2005, and how the total number has rather leveled off in recent times? That homeschooling is growing when there are even fewer children, is in itself amazing! Our growth rate in 2009 (from 2008) averaged around 2.3%, while public school enrollment was declining.
Home schooled numbers change in the rate of growth, however, has been declining, right along with the birth rates. But it took a sudden turn upward when the economy tanked. Many families can no longer afford private schools, and so have turned to homeschooling. Others may have decided to home school when one parent lost their job and could stay home
and teach.
A
Model of Homeschooling Growth
Don't like these home schooling statistical numbers? Generate your own! A shockwave graph
you can manipulate from The Homeschool Media Network. Homeschool
demographics from AtoZ/a2z.
Estimated
Number of Homeschooled Students in the United States
1.5 Million Homeschooled Students in the United States in 2007. Estimates of homeschooling in 2007 are
based on data from the Parent and Family Involvement in Education Survey (PFI) of the 2007 NHES.Data from the 2007 NHES. Interviews were conducted with the parents of 10,681 students, including 290 homeschooled students.
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- Recommended books to help you Homeschool
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- Top 10 and Recently Published
Homeschooling Books
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- 100 Top Picks For Homeschool Curriculum:
- Choosing The Right Curriculum And Approach For Your Child's Learning Style
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- Homeschooling : The Teen Years:
- Your Complete Guide to Successfully Homeschooling the 13- To 18-Year Old
- by Cafi Cohen
- This book reveals the adventure and rewards as well as the special challenges of working with this age group.
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- First Year of Homeschooling Your Child:
- Your Complete Guide to Getting Off to the Right Start
- by Linda Dobson
- Many of today's families are opting to teach their children at home. The first hurdle these families face is getting started.
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- The Ultimate Book of Homeschooling Ideas:
- 500+ Fun and Creative Learning Activities for Kids Ages 3-12
- by Linda Dobson
- Kid-tested and parent-approved techniques for learning math, science, writing, history, manners, and more for your homeschooling needs.
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- The Unschooling Handbook:
- How to Use the Whole World As Your Child's Classroom
- by Mary Griffith
- Unschooling is a homeschooling method based on the belief that kids learn best when allowed to pursue their natural curiosities and interests.
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- Home Learning Year by Year:
How to Design a Homeschool Curriculum from Preschool Through High School
- by Rebecca Rupp
- A structured plan to ensure that your children will learn what they need to know when they need to know it, from preschool through high school.
- kindle edition
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- The Unschooling Handbook:
- How to Use the Whole World As Your Child's Classroom
- by Mary Griffith
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- The Complete Home Learning Source Book:
- The Essential Resource Guide for Homeschoolers, Parents, and Educators Covering Every Subject from Arithmetic to Zoology
- by Rebecca Rupp
- This ambitious reference guide lives up to its name. It is packed with titles, ordering information, and Web site addresses.
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