Sparked by pandemic fallout, homeschooling surges across US

Some U.S. parents say they’re planning to continue to homeschool their children, even as schools resume in-person classes.

Danielle King of Randolph, Vermont, says requiring homeschooling for her 7-year-old daughter was a “silver lining” in the pandemic.

Some families who spoke with The Associated Press have children with special educational needs. Others seek a faith-based curriculum or say their local schools are flawed.

The common denominator: They tried homeschooling on what they thought was a temporary basis, and found it beneficial to their children.

The U.S. Census Bureau has confirmed the surge. It says the rate of households homeschooling their children rose to 11% by September 2020, doubling from 5.4% six months earlier.