Category Archives: Homeschooling

AI literacy courses became a clear priority for New York City high schools after the city announced on September 2, 2026, that high school students would receive required instruction twice per year while younger students faced tighter limits on student-facing generative AI. For homeschool families, the news is more than a public-school policy update. It is a useful signal that families need to teach children how artificial intelligence works, where … Read the rest

Recent New York regulations on literacy teacher preparation deserve attention from homeschool families, even though the rules are aimed at educator preparation programs rather than parent-led home instruction. For parents building reading, writing, history, and civics lessons around the kitchen table, the policy shift is useful because it names several practices worth studying: evidence-based reading instruction, assessment during real teaching, support for students with reading difficulties, and stronger preparation across … Read the rest

Homeschooling Growth Data has drawn renewed attention because one recent estimate placed the weighted mean of homeschooled school-age children at about 4.18% in 2024-25 across 23 state reporting systems. That figure is useful, but it should be read with care. It does not mean every national count agrees on the same number. It does show that home-based education remained a significant part of U.S. schooling after the sharp changes families … Read the rest

Homeschool legal protections moved forward in 2026 through a mix of federal recognition efforts and state-level rule changes. For parents, the practical question is not only whether a bill sounds friendly to homeschooling. The real question is how a law affects graduation records, college aid forms, withdrawal procedures, privacy, and the daily confidence families need to educate children at home.

As a homeschooling advocate, I see these developments as a … Read the rest

Colorado Homeschool Enrichment entered a new phase after the dissolution of Education reEnvisioned BOCES, known as ERBOCES, before the 2026-27 school year. For families, the change is not only a policy story. It affects where children gather for part-time learning, whether programs can be funded, and how parents plan reading, arts, science, language, and community experiences around a home education plan.

As a literacy coach, I look at these changes … Read the rest

The latest federal data on teen reading scores gives homeschool families a clear signal: older students need steady, specific support in both literacy and math. The 2025 NAEP Long-Term Trend assessments, published on June 10, 2026, found that 13-year-olds had no statistically significant change in average reading or mathematics scores compared with 2023. Their average scores in both subjects also remained below 2020 and 2012 levels, except among the very … Read the rest

NASA STEM funding matters to homeschool families because it connects space science, engineering habits, research experiences, educator support, and career awareness in ways that can fit many learning settings. The key is reading each opportunity carefully. Some NASA programs welcome homeschool students directly, while others require affiliation with a school, umbrella program, charter program, museum, or community education partner.

For families planning high school science, career exploration, or dual-enrollment preparation, … Read the rest

The Bilingual Teacher Shortage in California is not only a public school staffing issue. For homeschool families, it is a clear social studies lesson about language access, workforce planning, local partnerships, and how teenagers can be invited into public service before they finish high school.

California’s plan is especially useful for parents who want civics, geography, economics, and literacy to connect in one unit study. The state is trying to … Read the rest

Back-to-school books can do more than decorate a classroom shelf in August. Used well, they help children move from loose summer reading habits into the routines, emotions, friendships, expectations, and stamina of a new school year. For parents, teachers, librarians, and homeschool families, the strongest fall reading choices are not just “school-themed.” They give children language for first-day worries, model classroom belonging, refresh read-aloud routines, and turn summer reading momentum … Read the rest

Let’s talk about the elephant in the homeschool room. When people ask, “But what about socialization?” they often imagine a certain scene. It’s filled with crowded hallways, cafeteria chatter, and the school playground.

Studies show that the home learning environment is key for a child’s social skills. But here’s the catch: real connections aren’t about being in a big crowd. It’s about curated, meaningful interaction.

Think of it like … Read the rest