The following is a summary of a recent news article:
- Census Bureau: ‘Significant Increase in Homeschooling’ to 11.1% in Fall 2020
- The U.S. Census Bureau reported in late March that 11.1 percent of K-12 students in the nation are now homeschooling, a significant jump from 5.4 percent when school closures went into effect in spring of 2020, and from the 3.3 percent of families who homeschooled prior to the coronavirus pandemic.
- Of particular note in the Census Bureau data is that homeschooling rates are surging among black families, in which the proportion homeschooling increased from 3.3 percent in spring 2020 to 16.1 percent in fall 2020.
- In an interview with Breitbart News, Kerry McDonald, a senior education fellow at the Foundation for Economic Education (FEE), explained, “The black homeschool population doubled between 2008-2012, though it was still less representation among the homeschooling community than the black population in the K-12 school age population at large.”
- “So, it’s about 16% black students now homeschooling, compared to 15% in the overall K-12 U.S. public school system.”
- McDonald said more families homeschooling may be the start of a push for more school choice policies in general.
- “Now we have active legislation in over two dozen states to expand school choice,” she noted.
- “So, I think that’s a huge win, and something that parents are increasingly supporting.