Parents are recognizing that they have many more options for their children’s education and are continuing to abandon government-assigned district schools.
Author: Kerry McDonald
Kerry McDonald has a B.A. in economics from Bowdoin College and a Master’s degree in education policy from Harvard University. She lives in Cambridge, Massachusetts with her husband and four never-been-schooled children and writes about education choice, parental empowerment, homeschooling, and self-directed learning. Follow her on Facebook, Twitter, and at her blog, Whole Family Learning.
Why so Many Families Are Uprooting and Fleeing to Freer States
Emily Burns had every intention of staying in Massachusetts. A longtime Boston resident, she and her husband left the city to settle in the upscale suburb of Newton in January 2020 so her three children could attend highly-rated public schools. What followed were two years of ongoing disruption and frustration.
Teacher and Mom of Four Launches Mask-Free Learning Center in Response to Parent Demand
In the fall of 2021, mask mandates were still in place in her local district schools, and the Montessori school that her younger children attended grew stricter with its mask policy, so Perez decided to homeschool all of her children and turn her learning pod into an established schooling alternative.
Compulsory Schooling Laws Under Scrutiny in Michigan Following Deadly Tragedy
In the wake of the devastating school shooting in Oxford, Michigan this week that claimed the lives of four teenagers and injured seven others, state board of education member Tom McMillin called for an end to Michigan’s compulsory schooling laws.
New Harvard Study: Homeschoolers Turn Out Happy, Well-Adjusted, and Engaged
“The picture of the home-schooled student that emerges from the data doesn’t resemble the socially awkward and ignorant stereotype to which Ms. Bartholet and others appeal. Rather, home-schooled children generally develop into well-adjusted, responsible and socially engaged young adults,” they wrote.
Parents Have Every Right to Shape Their Kids’ Curriculum
We shouldn’t be too surprised that the ongoing exodus from public schools is leading those loyal to government-run schooling to go on the offensive. A new Washington Post Op-Ed is leading the charge, boldly declaring in its headline: “Parents claim they have the right to shape their kids’ school curriculum. They don’t.”
Cities Lead the Way in (Another) Massive Fall Exodus from US Public Schools
With most schools open for full-time, in-person learning this year, it seemed reasonable to assume that parents would eagerly re-enroll their children in their local district school, tabling last year’s alternative education plans. That doesn’t seem to be the case.
Homeschooling Numbers Are Skyrocketing in Some Parts of the Country
The homeschooling rate in the US doubled in 2020, and tripled from its pre-pandemic level, as parents sought other options when confronted with prolonged school closures.
Locke Vs. Lockdowns: Has America Lost Its Way?
In my 2019 book, “Unschooled: Raising Curious, Well-Educated Children Outside the Conventional Classroom”, which gained even more traction throughout 2020 and 2021 as schools closed and homeschooling soared, I trace the roots of non-coercive, self-directed education back to the Enlightenment and, particularly, to the writings of philosopher John Locke.
How to Get Around Outrageous Back-to-School Mask Mandates
Mandates are emerging even though children are, thankfully, not at severe risk from the coronavirus.