N.C. reports record number of home schools

More students are opting to attend home schools, according to a state report released Wednesday.

Statewide, a total of 36,068 home schools operated in 2006-07 - an increase of about 7.1 percent over the previous year and the highest number on record - according to the N.C. Division of Non-Public Education.

Home schools are located in all 100 counties in the state, and 67.3 percent of the home schools classify themselves as religious schools, according to the report.

The counties with the highest number of home schools included Wake (3,250), Mecklenburg (2,776) and Buncombe (1,506). Counties with the least number of home schools were Hyde (31), Alleghany (29) and Tyrrell (18).

For more detailed statistical information, visit the N.C. Division of Non-Public Education Web site at www.ncdnpe.org and click on Home School Statistics. Home school statistics are available back to the 1985-86 school year and trace the rate of new school growth as well as the operational longevity of home schools.

North Carolina officially legalized the concept of home instruction, in modern times, starting with the 1985-86 school year. Home school enrollment now constitutes about 4 percent of the state's compulsory attendance age students (ages 7 through 16).

199 Comments

WRAL.com welcomes your comments on this story. All comments are moderated prior to publication based on our posting guidelines. Please review them prior to posting and if your message is not approved.

VIEW ALL 199 COMMENTS

This story is closed for comments. Comments on WRAL.com news stories are accepted and moderated between the hours of 8 a.m. and 8 p.m. Monday through Friday.

Latest Comments

"I suspect we may find that home schooling kids is potentially resulting in better educated parents as a by product. Whoda thought?" elcid

Exactly! I have a BA in Language, Writing and Editing with a minor in Marketing from NCSU and I joke that I have learned more in the last 8 years of homeschooling than I ever learned in earning my degrees!

Another advantage to homeschooling is that as the parent, I know exactly what my children are learning in school, therefore it is easier to apply their academics to practical life. For example, when my son was learning measurements we did a lot of baking. He quickly understood the concept of cups to quarts and also learned division.

This biggest advantage is that I get to raise my own children and teach them how to live life as a wife, mom, neighbor, citizen, etc.

My daughter is starting college this fall and is already working in her career.

The Lord has truly blessed my family, we live life to the abundance!

atozca
August 3, 2007 3:45 p.m.

continued..........Children who are able to converse with both adults and children, who care for those around them, who are learning to cook, clean, run errands, pay bills,etc (become a competent adult!!)..... I'll take that reality over PS reality ANY DAY!!!

wcnc
August 3, 2007 3:13 p.m.

"Public education has long been a tradition and accepted form of education in NC."

So by all means let me send my child to PS so another "worker bee" can be churned out....No thanks, I'd rather my HS children be thinkers instead of what the PS tend to graduate!!

"And remember, no matter how good of a teacher you think you are, unless you have the credentials of a NC Certified Teacher, YOU CANNNOT COMPETE WITH PUBLIC EDUCATION. YOU WILL DO YOUR CHILD A DISSERVICE IF YOU REMOVE HIM/HER FROM PUBLIC SCHOOLS. PUBLIC EDUCATION RULES!!!! Let your children experience reality instead of hiding them from the real world"

Most times HS "compete" with PSers, HSers win!! Test scores, community service, etc. HSers lead it all!! If by "experience reality" you mean bullies, gangs, drugs, teen pregnancy, sex of every kind, violence, "alternative lifestyle" teachings, etc, NO THANKS!! My Homeschoolers reality is Bible teaching, math, spanish, history, science, LA, PE, Community Service....

wcnc
August 3, 2007 3:12 p.m.

I think it is absolutely true that homeschool parents learn right along with their kids!! I get truly excited by history, especially, which I thought very dry and boring when I was in school. Sometimes I do learn material just ahead of my children. Sometimes I get to share my own personal passion for art and my strength in English with them. And by the time a homeschooler reaches high school, the parent is often in the role of facilitator and the book/videos/internet/library becomes the "teacher". This is not a bad thing. If more expertise is needed to help in a given area, we seek it out.

alexh85
August 3, 2007 2:35 p.m.

Thanks, Bozo. I have learned quite a bit through this discussion. One question: did you find as you pursued this journey (I'd guess that has to be the best word for it) that you were learning the material slightly ahead of teaching it to the kids, or was most of it knowledge that you'd more or less retained from the past?

Honestly, no negative connotations intended. I admit to being fascinated by this from a social research standpoint. I suspect we may find that home schooling kids is potentially resulting in better educated parents as a by product. Whoda thought?