Numbers For Homeschooling Rise Since COVID

More parents are homeschooling since the pandemic.

Parents said they choose to homeschool for lots of reasons, from belief systems to having more flexibility and time with their kids.

A study said the increase is about 50% nationwide since COVID.

Parents say there are lots of resources to homeschool that are accessible to everyone.

Kathryn Johnson’s kitchen table is Thursday's classroom, where her daughter Norah and son Pax work on their handwriting skills.

Class can happen anywhere in Kathryn’s home, with lots of time to read and play.

She's been a homeschool mom since 2018.

“We love having a slower pace in life," Kathryn said. "We don't have to rush in the morning and pack lunches and do all of that.”

Kathryn said she likes the flexibility, like sending Norah to gymnastics in the morning or piano in the afternoon.

But she said the best part is the family time and seeing her kids reach milestones.

Research from the Washington Post shows a 50 percent jump in homeschooling nationwide since COVID.

Here in Oklahoma, numbers aren’t available since the state doesn't require families to report when they homeschool.

“The numbers of homeschoolers have grown really astronomically," said Maghan Spring.

Maghan Spring has 5 kids, and all have learned or are learning through Classical Conversations.

It’s a Christian education homeschool program where kids learn 4 days a week at home and spend a day in a classroom setting with other students.

“The students meet together with a trained and licensed tutor and go through what they learned at home," Spring said.

She said homeschooling has a lot of misconceptions, but with so many different options out there now, she understands why more parents are choosing it. 

“The beauty of homeschooling is you get to choose what is good for you and your kid," Kathryn said.

There are very few requirements for homeschooling in Oklahoma; only that students have to be taught 180 days of the year and be between ages 5 to 18.