HOMESCHOOLING
Homeschooling During COVID-19 Here’s what to know about this alternate option for education WORDS ELIZABETH SMITH
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If you do make the move in favor of home learning, you will be far from alone. According to the U.S. Census Bureau’s Household Pulse Survey, homeschooling in Texas last year jumped from 3.3% to 11% of households with school-age children. That’s an estimated 750,000 homeschool families in more than 1,200 Texas school districts. To help families make informed decisions, Stephanie Lambert, the executive director of the nonprofit Texas Home School Coalition (THSC), shares what parents need to know, including factors on the legislative front. 16
2021 / guide to education
FUNDING HALTED FOR REMOTE SCHOOLING Playing a factor in high interest in homeschooling: the failure of Texas House Bill 1468 to get a vote before the legislative session ended. “Without funding in place, some North Texas independent school districts, including Allen and Ennis, notified parents of their decision to forego virtual learning programs this fall,” says Lambert. But check with your local school district to see if other options might have become available. After initially scrapping them, some school districts have
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S THE COVID-19 PANDEMIC STRETCHES INTO the new fall school session and concerns abound about whether masks should be required in schools and child care centers, some families are thinking twice about sending their children back to school. For parents who are weighing the risks and rewards of in-person classes, it’s worth reading up on another option: homeschooling.
