The Reasons Why Home Schooling Continues to Rise

Evanne Evans, 14th Jun 2025

Homeschooling for families around the globe was considered the ‘new norm’ during the COVID-19 pandemic. However, recent studies in the U.S., where homeschooling is legal in all 50 states, show that homeschooling is a growing trend for parents wanting more control over their children's education. But is it all about education? Recent statistics show a growing concern not just about academics but also about children's safety.

According to the National Home Education Research Unit's Fast Facts on Homeschooling (January 27, 2025), the number of homeschooled students in the United States has been steadily increasing over the past two decades.

In the 1999-2000 school year, it was reported that approximately 850,000 students were homeschooled. In 2016-2017, the number of homeschooled students was 1.7 million, and in the latest 2022 statistics, the figure now leans towards over 3 million students being homeschooled, which equates to around 6% of the school-age population. “Homeschooling in the USA has become a viable alternative. 70% of American parents now feel more comfortable with the idea of homeschooling, according to a recent 2020 Education Choices study.” (My Homeschool, 2025)

The primary reasons for homeschooling in 2012 were religious education and moral instruction, whereas during and post-pandemic, concerns about safety and individualized needs are more prevalent.

Similarly, parents across Australia are turning their backs on mainstream education and choosing homeschooling not simply for academic purposes but to protect their kids from bullying, which has led to a rise in young people taking their own lives. The number of Australian students currently being homeschooled is at a record high of 45,000.

These recent findings have caused alarm to professional educators who know firsthand the implications of bullying and its link to anxiety and self-harm in conjunction with the power of social media.

Many parents are reported to say that they would want to pull their children out of a school that doesn't reinforce their anti-bullying policies, but it's not always as straightforward as it sounds. Schools teach more than just literacy and numeracy; they also impart key social skills that can be developed over time, supporting children's abilities to interact and relate as individuals as they enter adulthood and become part of larger, broader communities.