Homeschooling limits enrollment in public schools and thus reduces the amounts of money that state governments provide to local schools. Families will be less willing to spend on expensive private schools known for their sports and extracurricular activities. Instead, the priority will be on the availability of flexible learning opportunities with the help of technology. In addition, there will be a greater focus on the health, safety and sanitation of facilities.
Homeschooling allows students to receive an education that works for them. With one-on-one classes and tutoring, students who study at home are much less likely to be left behind. Finally, a disadvantage that most people may not consider is the fact that students who learn at home may lack award ceremonies and recognition opportunities to strengthen their self-esteem. Many families still wanted or needed to send their children to a public school, but they couldn't afford a private school or have a comfortable adult supervising a homeschooling model.
Even if the actual number of students studying at home is more than 500,000, less than the current lowest estimate, there are more children studying at home than in charter schools and public voucher programs combined. With thousands of online homeschooling options available, it's easier than ever to learn in non-traditional settings. With one in five children and teens having a mental health problem, there's never been a better time to homeschool. The National Homeschool Research Institute suggests that students who study at home actually have higher indicators of social, emotional and psychological development than their public school peers.
In addition, contemporary public schools do not meet the aspirations of those who expect them to be incubators for young Democrats. In addition, while many homeschooling students need to purchase their own curriculum, many cyber charter schools offer the curriculum to students as part of their enrollment. Second, homeschooling requires significant commitment on the part of parents, as they are responsible for maintaining a disciplined schedule, covering many different subjects, and ensuring that their child fully understands the curriculum for each of them. Ed Choice defines School Choice as allowing “public education funds to follow students to schools or services that best meet their needs, whether it's a public school, a private school, a charter school, a homeschool, or any other learning environment that parents choose for their children.” These concerns, and the fact that many families began homeschooling after what they perceived as “the absorption of their local public school systems by “progressive academics and left-center parents,” make it unlikely that a large number of homeschooling parents will be able to return to public schools easily.
The first, and possibly the most beneficial, advantage of homeschooling over public school is the personalized, student-paced nature of learning. It's quite possible that public schools will implement some of these digital technologies and tools in the future, even if students return to learn in person. Public schools will continue to exist and, for some students, they are a better solution, if only because of the socialization they offer.
