Actions

Will families turn to homeschooling this fall? Groups report surge in interest

Posted at 2:00 PM, Jul 28, 2020
and last updated 2020-07-28 20:54:11-04

APPLETON (NBC 26) -- Local and statewide homeschooling groups said there's been a surge in interest from families considering keeping their kids at home this fall.

Betsy Navin with Valley Home Schoolers, Inc. said there's been a lot of questions to the groups Facebook page, and nearly a dozen families have signed up to join in the past couple of weeks.

“I think a lot of the uncertainty right now is really what’s driving the need to look elsewhere to see what all of the options are," she said.

Navin has been homeschooling her children for years. She and other parents said it's been a great way to educate their kids.

“I felt like there was no better way to educate our children than to keep them in our home and in an environment in which we could present a home based education that was really important to us and our values," Navin said.

“There’s nothing better than watching your kids grow and knowing that you had a part in that education and that they’re learning from you and they’re learning character from you and all that amazing stuff," homeschool parent LoriAnn Trelka said.

Families we talk with also touted the state's homeschool laws. In Wisconsin, families don't have to get certified and have the freedom to choose their own curriculum. They do have to provide a certain amount of hours and teach some basic subjects like math, social studies, and science.

“The freedom in homeschooling is amazing," Navin said.

Navin also said there are a lot of resources out there to help families make their decisions for the upcoming school year.