CRHE Research Center

Learn About Homeschooling

Did you know that 11% of homeschooled children don’t have a parent that speaks English? Or that the number of families citing religious reasons for homeschooling is declining? Or that homeschooled students have a math gap? Are you wondering who homeschools—and why? Keep abreast of the latest research with these research summaries.

• What Is Homeschooling?
• Homeschooling by the Numbers
• Homeschool Demographics
• Motivations for Homeschooling
• Academic Achievement
• What about Socialization?
• Homeschool Outcomes
• What Scholars Say
• A History of Homeschooling
• Studies of Abuse & Neglect

Inside Homeschool Policy

Every state regulates homeschooling differently. Some states require parents to submit instruction plans and have their children’s academic progress assessed each year; other states require little or nothing. Go inside homeschool policy to compare states’ requirements and read our analysis.

█ No Notice: No required contact with state or local officials.
█ Notice Only: Notice of intent to homeschool only.
█ Assessment w/ Exceptions: Assessments with various exceptions.
█ Moderate Assessment: Assessments with low thresholds for intervention.
█ Thorough Assessment: Assessments combined with other provisions.

Learn More about Homeschool Policy

• Homeschool Legal Options
• Homeschool Registration
• Parent Educational Qualifications
• Instruction Time & Subject Requirements
• Record Keeping
• Assessment & Intervention
• Homeschool Sports Access by State
• Homeschool Immunization Requirements
• Disability Law & Homeschooling
• Protections for At-Risk Children
• Educational Neglect Statutes

Original Research

by CRHE

• A Meaningful Measure of Homeschool Academic Achievement: Statistical Analysis of Standardized Test Performance in Alaska Public Correspondence Schools, Journal of Other Education, July 2020
• Who “Counts” as Homeschooled?: The Case of Alaska’s Correspondence Schools, Journal of Other Education, July 2020
• 2016 Homeschool Athletics Survey, conducted and analyzed by CRHE
• 2014 Survey of Homeschool Alumni, conducted by Homeschool Alumni Reaching Out, with analysis by CRHE

Research Reviews

by Dr. Chelsea McCracken

• Opacity in Data Reporting: Cardus 2012
• Choosing the Data that Supports Your Agenda: Ray 2010
• Homeschooling Outcomes or Sampling Problems? Ray 2003
• Correcting the Record: A Look at Rudner 1999
• Virginia’s Religious Exemption: Ray 1994

Research Analysis

by Dr. Rachel Coleman

• Left in Limbo: Kentucky’s Report on Homeschooling
• Homeschooling and Child Abuse: A Response to Ray
• Should We Be Concerned about Low Homeschool SAT-Taking?
• The Alaska Data and Homeschool Academics
• The Homeschool Math Gap

Surveys of Homeschool Literature

• Homeschooling: A Comprehensive Survey of the Research (Kunzman & Gaither 2013)
• Homeschooling: An Updated Comprehensive Survey of the Research (Kunzman & Gaither 2020)