Homeschooling On The Rise Since COVID-19 Pandemic

Homeschooling on the rise since COVID-19 pandemic.

Data from the California Department of Education shows that more families are transitioning to homeschooling, mainly in part due to the pandemic and schools continuing to navigate funding and staffing issues. Martin Whitehead, on the board of the Homeschool Association of California, has homeschooled his children for 20 years. "Our website hits have doubled to tripled the presence and questions on our social media have doubled and tripled versus last year," he said. Whitehead explained there are a few options to choose from when transitioning to homeschooling, and most parents are now finding that virtual learning at-home is as beneficial as in-person.

One way is establishing a private school within a home, which requires filing an affidavit with the state typically between October 1st to October 15th. Data shows that October 2020 filings for these affidavits with five or less students has more than doubled compared to 2019. State officials said that affidavit filings with five or less students is a good measure of homeschooling, and some schools are entirely for those learning from home. These change are happening more frequently as public school systems continue to struggle with enrollment losses tied to the coronavirus pandemic.