West Texas A&M University has set a goal to become the most homeschool-friendly University in Texas. Michelle Quirk, writing on the Psychology Today website, shared thoughts regarding the value of homeschooled settings for many students, including her children. She is a public university professor. She revealed education inadequacy, over-exposure to a drug culture, bullying and exposure to early sexual debut drove her concerns regarding traditional educational settings. Like other parents who homeschool, 83% are concerned about the environment of traditional schools, according to a study by the National Center for Educational Statistics (NCES) in 2024. She cited the value of family connections, a love of learning and the control of time, which presented opportunities for her and her children that were not always available in a traditional school setting. The growth of homeschooling has been dramatic. “The percentage of students homeschooled first increased from 1.7 percent in 1999 to 3.4 percent in 2012, according to another NCES study. Quirk’s recognition that homeschooling is not for everyone is consistent with the majority of commentators on homeschooling education. While true, so too is the counter argument “…neither is Public School,” According to Kevin Williamson in a National Review essay.
Homeschooled high school graduates compare favorably to students educated in traditional settings. At St. John’s College, the third oldest college in the United States established in 1696, 10% of freshmen are homeschooled. In contrast, MIT enrolls about 1% of its freshmen from homeschool environments. Some studies indicate homeschool graduates are better prepared for college. As with students in traditional public and private high school settings, many confounding considerations exist. Homeschooled students often perform better academically in college and tend to score higher on standardized tests, such as the SAT and ACT. ACT reported the average ACT scores for homeschooled students increased between 2001 and 2019. During the same time, ACT scores for public school students decreased. In 2023, the national average on the ACT for public school students was less than 20 and the average for homeschooled students score was nearly 23. The difference may be attributed to individualized learning plans and the flexibility of homeschooling which allows for tailored educational approaches. There were approximately 3.1 million homeschooled students during 2021-2022 year in all grades in the United States which reflects a growing trend and accounts for approximately 6% of school-age children. Numbers have been growing between 2% and 8% annually depending on the studies cited. Research indicates homeschooled students excel in college with higher GPAs, higher graduation rates, strong study skills and self-discipline. Michael Cogan at the University of St. Thomas studied homeschool student college graduation rates and found they graduate with bachelor’s degrees at nearly 67%, 10% higher than traditional high school student graduation rates.
The Washington Post conducted a district-by-district look at thousands of districts by five writers finding homeschooling, “far outpaced the rate at private and public schools,” among several other important findings. Washington DC’s school district saw an over 100% increase in homeschool enrollment since the 2017–2018 school year. States where data is available show the number of homeschooled students increased by 51% over the past six years, compared to a 7% growth rate in private school enrollment. Homeschooling represents 10% of total enrollment in 390 school districts nationwide.
Critics of homeschooling often point to costs and burdens not every family can afford, along with concerns about socialization, a concern shared by Dr. Monique Winnett, a licensed clinical psychologist at St. Joseph’s Health in Syracuse. However, homeschooled students engage in extracurricular activities, community service and social groups which provide ample opportunities for social interaction. Some studies suggest that homeschooled students develop stronger communication and interpersonal skills. Forbes insights suggest homeschooling allows for a personalized education catering to individual learning styles and paces which lead to a deeper understanding of subjects and a love for learning not always possible in traditional classroom settings.
The experiences of homeschooled students are diverse and are influenced by factors such as parental involvement, curriculum choice and community resources. Outcomes vary widely among homeschooled students as with traditionally educated students. The Texas Homeschool Coalition provides a great deal of insight into the challenges and opportunities of homeschooling.
At West Texas A&M University, we purposefully pursue homeschooled students as we recognize the unique educational and social strengths they bring. The data speaks for itself, Homeschooled students perform well in college.
Walter V. Wendler, President of West Texas A&M University. His weekly columns, with hyperlinks, are available at https://walterwendler.com/.
