Florida has been leading the way in expanding school choice, and one of the options parents have been taking advantage of is homeschooling. The popularity of homeschooling has grown since the COVID-19 pandemic, with remote learning proving convenient for students for several reasons.
In 2023, the GOP-controlled legislature expanded a school choice bill that allowed families to use education funds for programs such as school choice.
According to the Florida Department of Education, more than 155,000 students were homeschooled during the 2023-24 school year. This is 46% higher than in 2019-2020.
Despite that increase, the latest census numbers show Florida ranks 4th among the states with the fewest homeschooled students.
Although a significant spike occurred during the COVID pandemic, the overall percentage of parents homeschooling their children is declining.
In 2021-2022, homeschooling grew just over 6% but since then, it’s seen smaller increases. The 2022-23 year saw a 1.4 percent increase and a 0.8 percent in 2023-24.
States such as Alaska, Idaho, Alabama, Arkansas, West Virginia, and North Carolina had some of the highest homeschooling rates. In contrast, states like New York, Illinois, Connecticut, New Jersey, and Minnesota historically saw far lower rates.
Joshua James, director of Find a Super Tutor, an online education platform, says the trend of increasing homeschooling can be explained by factors such as location, local regulations, and underfunded or less-trusted public education systems.
“In places like Alaska and Idaho, for example, homeschooling is not only culturally normalized but often logistically necessary due to remote communities and long distances to schools,” said James.
