A Stereotype Debunked
“So one of my biggest fears about homeschooling was my kids just getting accustomed to being at home all of the time, then considering it basically a play day everyday,” says Leroy, a father of two whose family uses Abeka Academy homeschool curriculum to homeschool their kids in Mountain Home, Idaho. “But kids going through this curriculum, with the structure and discipline it instills in them, it’s actually been the complete opposite.”
His family made the switch to homeschool in part to accommodate his career in the Air Force, work that requires them to relocate to a new military base about every two years. Now, when the family moves, they’re not forced to enroll in a new school each time.
Yet, in spite of the initial catalyst, Leroy wonders why they didn’t opt for homeschool sooner. And he’s not alone. Many students who were homeschooled as part of their primary or secondary education have found themselves well-prepared for higher education, often performing at a higher level academically than many of their peers.
“It feels like I was able to explore the things that I was interested in while also gaining this very classical teaching education, where the fundamentals were emphasized over and over again,” says Dr. Jeffrey Cannon, a physician and Abeka alumnus. “Now that I'm beginning my professional journey as a physician, I'm seeing the dividends.”
Homeschool Rising
Now more than any time in recent history, families are educating their children at home. Over 3 million U.S. students are enrolled in homeschool. According to AP News, “Among states with credible data, private schooling grew nearly 8%, and homeschooling grew more than 25% from fall 2019 to fall 2022.”
In a lengthy 2023 report published in The Washington Post, the newspaper called homeschool a once-fringe movement that’s now become “one of the fastest-growing forms of education, outpacing the growth rate of private and public schools.”
A Crowded Playing Field
As with most things, when demand goes up, supply rises to meet it. And with more homeschool curriculums now available, parents must exercise good judgment. The quality of homeschool curriculums available to parents is wide-ranging, from inadequate to accelerated.
In a quick Google search for “worst homeschool curriculums,” one Reddit user and homeschool alumnus helps define “wide-ranging.” He compared his curriculum to the “workbooks they sell at pharmacies.” Another posted that, as a homeschooled teenager, she “ultimately used the internet to try and gain an education.”
Homeschool Brain: It’s a Learning Magnet
So are they actually learning stuff? The answer: a resounding “yes.” Put a young, developing brain in an environment with limited distractions and a top-shelf curriculum that employs smart teaching methods, and the chances of having academic success are quite high. Seventy-eight percent of peer-reviewed studies on academic achievement show homeschool students perform significantly better than those in other school settings, according to the National Home Education Research Institute (NHERI). Even more, a child’s academic achievement is not notably related to a parent’s level of formal education or whether or not the child’s parent is a certified teacher.
Measuring Success
Using data ranging from 2010 to 2024, the NHERI reported that homeschool students typically score 15% to 25% above public school students on standardized achievement tests. The NHERI also cites an above-average performance on SAT and ACT tests taken by homeschool students.
While specific SAT/ACT scoring ranges and comparisons are not provided by the NHERI, Abeka Academy — a homeschool solution featuring streaming lessons and Master Teachers — surveyed its graduates in 2023. Their findings align with what the NHERI has reported.
Abeka Academy’s homeschool-educated students received a larger share of academic scholarships: Thirty-two percent of Abeka Academy grads received an academic scholarship, while 7% of students nationally received an academic scholarship (including public, private, and charter high school students). Among Abeka Academy graduates, 84% reported ACT scores higher than the national average. Homeschool students using Abeka Academy curriculum scored four points higher on the ACT, and 106 points higher on the SAT.
Parent Motives
As with any trend, the rising number of families choosing homeschool can’t be attributed to a single factor. Family time, education quality, faith-based lifestyle choices, and the emergence of remote and hybrid work opportunities are all in play.
The Busy Trap
The busy trap is a habit, a thing modern families fall into as society pulls us along at a quick pace. Kids have lost much of their unscheduled free time, and 40% of school districts have reduced or cut recess in recent decades. Yet, with homeschool, families find they get time back to offset what’s been lost. “Abeka has made us so flexible with our time,” says Angela, a disabled vet and homeschool mom. “With the school day entirely under our control, we can fit in so much family time, something we all cherish deeply.”
Methods Matter
Today, parents have a better understanding of why different learning styles matter, and what teaching methods work best. Yet, unproven approaches are still widely practiced.
The nation’s current reading crisis is but one example: Trendy methods like “look-say” and “whole language” have left millions of kids struggling to read. In another example, parents have voiced concerns about “teaching to the test.” It’s an approach that prioritizes a student’s test-taking ability over learning and retaining new material in school.
Character-Building
In the 1970s, when homeschooling first began to gain traction, families were largely motivated by their Christian faith. While motives to homeschool are now as varied as they’ve ever been, the majority of homeschooling families continue to be Christians. Yet, religious views outside of the homeschooling community are quite different than they once were. According to Pew Research, a growing percentage of the U.S. population — 30% of U.S. adults — are now considered religious “nones” (religiously unaffiliated).
Everybody’s Home
Today, one-third of Americans in the workforce can work remotely and do so all the time. Even more, 41% are at least part-time remote on a hybrid setup. This flexibility makes homeschool within reach for families who once didn’t have the option. Just ask these parents whose kids homeschooled by boat while traveling America’s Great Loop. Or this homeschool dad who works remotely. His children can stream their lessons and work independently, while dad’s in an adjacent room taking care of his own tasks and work obligations.
Time
Homeschool’s student/teacher ratio makes lessons more efficient and effective, plus there is no longer a commute to school or carline wait. So parents and kids often have more daily free time. Plus, high-quality curriculums like Abeka’s give parents the confidence to set their own schedules because they can trust the curriculum will keep kids and parents on track.
Freedom
Homeschoolers have the freedom to focus on learning new concepts and moving effectively through materials and grade levels without being overly focused on testing. Even better, curriculums like Abeka’s are known for helping kids retain what’s been learned thanks to the spiral learning approach.
What’s Next?
Tap into a host of resources available through Abeka. You’ll find the information you need to dig deeper into research-based teaching methods and educational approaches. See how phonics helps young kids read quickly, read about critical thinking, and the importance of asking “why,” or learn more about how spiral learning aids a student’s retention.