SHREVEPORT, La. (KTAL/KMSS) - More parents are considering homeschooling a viable alternative to traditional school.
Driven by concerns of bullying, overcrowded classrooms, and wanting to incorporate faith education into their curriculum, families are reshaping how their children learn.
According to data from John Hopkins University, homeschooling grew across the United States in the 2023-2024 school year.
The data shows a spike in the number of children being homeschooled during the initial stages of the COVID outbreak.
But in Louisiana the number of homeschooled children has grown since the pandemic.
Researchers say they cannot pinpoint the exact reason for the continued growth, but they know it is not driven by the pandemic or a sudden disruption to traditional schooling.
Two local moms who switched to homeschooling cited desires to incorporate faith into their children's daily lessons. They also worried about bullying situations and their children not learning material they thought necessary to be successful adults.
Jyn Lesher, a homeschool mom, has been teaching her children for 15 years. She says when she began the journey with her husband, she was criticized for homeschooling.
"We had people at church tell us, 'You will ruin your kids. They'll never get into college.' All kind of things like that. Well, my eldest is a junior at TCU. She's done really well, and I think all of that has given us the confidence to be like, this is the best choice for our kids," explains Lesher.
She feels that homeschooling was the correct choice for her family, and she highlights the flexibility it has given her children. She says a school day can look a lot different for them.
"I have a son who has ADHD, and so some days school was going outside and kicking a soccer ball back and forth while we were doing schoolwork," says Lesher.
Kris Simpson, another homeschool mom, shares that her daughter also faced challenges in a traditional classroom. She says her daughter got lost in the crowd.
"Oftentimes, she was unsure of what the teacher was getting at but did not want to stop the class and call attention to herself," says Simpson.
Simpson emphasizes that while transitioning to homeschooling can be a major change, children are resilient. She also encourages parents considering homeschooling to recognize their teaching potential.
"I would broadcast that message of hope to any parent out there who is thinking about this and worried maybe about their ability to teach," she says.
Chair and Assistant Professor in the College of Education at LSUS, Dr. Joyce Farrow, discusses the impact of homeschooling.
Farrow says that for some families, homeschooling can be a life-saving choice.
"Depending upon the child's resiliency and ability to cope with different social situation that might occur in the school system pulling them out and homeschool might be in their best interest," Dr. Farrow explains.
She says it is crucial though for homeschooled children to be introduced to social settings and have the opportunity to be around others.
Dr. Farrow also says that if a person is limited in the number of people around them, they can develop interpersonal skills more slowly, and some people may never develop them at all.
For Jyn Lesher's children, homeschooling has allowed them opportunities to be social.
Lesher says her children leave the house every day to participate in physical activity and attend social gatherings.
"They can still go to school dances; we have homeschool equivalent proms and all kinds of things for them to do. So, I think the pluses outweigh the negatives," says Lesher.
Dr. Farrow encourages parents who are considering homeschooling their children to weigh the pros and cons and do their research. She says with the right resources and support, homeschooling can be a successful educational choice for many families.
For more homeschool resources, visit LSUS Homeschool Workshops.
