The lasting appeal of homeschooling: What motivated families to continue after schools reopened post-pandemic
- Written by Mark E. Wildmon, Assistant Professor of School Psychology, Mississippi State University
When schools abruptly closed their doors at the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic in the spring[1] of 2020, millions of students unexpectedly started learning at home[2], with or without the help of Zoom lessons.
Many observers – and perhaps some parents – assumed these kids would return to[3] in-person classrooms once the COVID-19 risk decreased. But homeschooling numbers indicate that many families chose to keep their kids home after the pandemic.
Today, more than 6% of school-age children[4] – or 3.4 million students – are learning at home[5].
This is higher than before the COVID-19 online learning period. In March 2020, 5.4% of school-age children[6] in the U.S. were homeschooled.
Growth in homeschooling has been gradual.
About 3.4% of K-12 students in the U.S. were homeschooled during the 2022-23 academic year, according to the National Center for Education Statistics.
More than one-third of the 30 states plus Washington, D.C., that report homeschooling trends hit record enrollment as of November 2025[7]. The growth is particularly strong in Midwestern and Southeastern states.
Homeschooling has a long history[8] in the U.S. and is legal in all 50 states. States have varying requirements for homeschooling families, from close state regulation to none at all[9].
Contrary to what many people thought[10], the pandemic alone didn’t drive this increase. It gave families who were already inclined toward homeschooling a low-risk opportunity to try it.
Families who found benefits from homeschooling continued to teach their children at home. In essence, the forced opportunity to help their kids learn at home during the pandemic let the families experience the benefits of the experience without the permanent risk.
A jumping-off point
We are[12] researchers at[13] Mississippi State University who study why parents want to homeschool. As part of our forthcoming research, we conducted a survey in 2024 with 201 homeschooling parents, primarily those who live in Southern states and were part of national homeschooling networks and educational organizations.
The parents we surveyed were divided into two groups: parents who began homeschooling before the pandemic and those who started homeschooling during the pandemic. While this is a self-selected sample and not nationally representative, it allowed us to look at the differences between people who began homeschooling before and during the pandemic.
The findings tell a very different story than some narratives suggest[14].
Rather than saying COVID-19 prompted them to begin homeschooling, many parents said that they found during the pandemic there were certain homeschooling benefits. This encouraged them to keep their kids learning at home after schools reopened.
For example, 43% percent of the parents we surveyed said there were more benefits to homeschooling than public schooling – such as flexible work arrangements and more family time.
One parent, a former teacher, said her kids thrived during the initial months at home and that she felt equipped to continue. Another parent called homeschooling a gift that let their family slow down and be present for one another and their community. A third parent realized her children didn’t need eight hours in a classroom to get a quality education.
In other words, parents we surveyed said that homeschooling during the pandemic was an unplanned trial to homeschool. Those who said they perceived positive benefits continued to homeschool.
Similar motivations, different journeys
Researchers often refer to push or pull factors[15] to describe how families make homeschooling decisions. Push factors explain why families leave public education for homeschooling. These include a lack of safety or bad experiences at school, or a school that cannot meet a child’s particular needs.
Pull factors are the reasons why families are drawn to homeschooling for its own sake. They include flexibility with school hours, a closer relationship with family and a customized, educational environment.
In our study, parents who were homeschooling before the pandemic began and those who began homeschooling during the pandemic had similar motivations to homeschool.
COVID-19 health concerns were largely dismissed by both groups. More than 60% of the parents from both groups indicated they did not believe that COVID-19-related health issues, such as masking requirements and vaccination mandates, affected their choice to homeschool or continue homeschooling.
Time matters more than money
Our survey results demonstrated that there was a stronger relationship between flexibility in work schedule and motivation to homeschool than there was with family income and motivation to homeschool. In other words, families who had flexibility in their schedule to find the time to teach their own were especially likely to homeschool.
For example, self-employed and stay-at-home parents were more likely to continue homeschooling their kids than those working full time. Specifically, parents who worked outside the home less than 10 hours per week were far more likely than parents who work full time to want to homeschool because of their child’s specific needs.
These findings challenge the idea that homeschooling is primarily a path for wealthy families[17]. In this sample, the families who homeschooled weren’t necessarily the ones with the highest incomes. They were the ones whose work lives gave them the time.
Why policy keeps missing the mark
To be clear, there are many reasons families homeschool[18], but our research indicates that the families in our study made a thoughtful and informed decision to homeschool.
If school districts are relying upon children returning to enroll in public schools when they were previously homeschooled, they may be misjudging the situation. It seems that some families intend to continue homeschooling for the long term. Our research indicates that the pandemic did not necessarily produce a surge in interest in homeschooling, as much as it revealed an existing level of demand – in some cases.
Understanding the reasons behind these demands could provide legislators and educators with a greater opportunity to develop regulations and practices that are consistent with how families are making educational choices.
References
- ^ COVID-19 pandemic in the spring (www.usnews.com)
- ^ unexpectedly started learning at home (nces.ed.gov)
- ^ assumed these kids would return to (doi.org)
- ^ 6% of school-age children (www.primecenter.org)
- ^ 3.4 million students – are learning at home (nheri.org)
- ^ In March 2020, 5.4% of school-age children (nces.ed.gov)
- ^ record enrollment as of November 2025 (education.jhu.edu)
- ^ long history (education.jhu.edu)
- ^ state regulation to none at all (hslda.org)
- ^ many people thought (www.edchoice.org)
- ^ Nelvin C. Cepeda/The San Diego Union-Tribune via Getty Images (www.gettyimages.com)
- ^ We are (scholar.google.com)
- ^ researchers at (scholar.google.com)
- ^ narratives suggest (fee.org)
- ^ push or pull factors (www.edchoice.org)
- ^ Thomas Simonetti for The Washington Post via Getty Images (www.gettyimages.com)
- ^ path for wealthy families (www.freilerner.at)
- ^ reasons families homeschool (nces.ed.gov)
Authors: Mark E. Wildmon, Assistant Professor of School Psychology, Mississippi State University
