How many people are homeschooled in the United States?

Question

Please give sources if you have any. Thanks.

Answer 1

Hi,

According to the National Home Education Research Institute (NHERI), there were an estimated 1.9 to 2.4 million children home-schooled in the United States in 2005/2006. Although they have not released more recent figures, they do report that growth of between 7% and 12% per year.

Your local library would be able to find out more for you on this, and many other topics!

I hope that helps!

Louise

Reference Librarian

Answer 2

There are no firm numbers, only vague estimates, because many states do not require homeschooling families to register.  The state I live in, for example, does not require any notification.  I do know that there are at least a thousand homeschooling families in my area (45-minute radius or so).  This figure is taken from homeschool support group membership, and I know that there are several families who do not belong to a formal support group - they co op and field trip with friends.

I also know that the population of homeschoolers in this area is growing by 10-15% per year.

Nationwide, I would estimate well over 2 million, probably reaching 3 million or more.  Even states that require notification often have 2 or more options, and one of those options may not require notification to the state (i.e., the parent or tutor is a certified teacher).

Long answer short...nobody knows, except that there are a lot and the number grows annually.  :-)

Answer 3

It's really difficult to know because in many state, homeschool families register as private schools... thereby making them technically private school students.

And some just never register because they feel that the government doesn't have a right to know anything about their children.  They just fly under the radar.

Also, there are online public schools and some of them consider themselves homeschoolers.  This is the fastest growing too.  

I've read it's somewhere between 1- 2 million children.  USDE calculated 1.1 million in 2004, but Brian Ray of NHERI think's it's closer to 2.  

:D