North Carolina among top homeschool states in nation

RANDOLPH COUNTY, N.C. (WGHP) — The number of families choosing to homeschool their kids is growing, making North Carolina one of the top homeschool states in the nation.

“Homeschool affords us the opportunity to explore what we love … For us, it’s our faith. It’s time together. It’s reading aloud,” said Helen Skeen, a Randolph County mom of three.

2020 was a turning point for the former educator. Skeen’s twins were set to go to kindergarten in August of that year.

“I just really love being with my kids, so that was one of the things I was kind of hesitant about,” Skeen said.

Five years later, they haven’t looked back. Her two fifth graders, Anna Kathryn and Phillips, and her first grader, Charlie, learn side by side.

“You get to spend more time with your siblings and be closer instead of going to public school and not knowing your siblings as you grow up,” Phillips said.

Their day starts with Bible study. From there, they do memory work, learning the 50 states, continents and systems of the body. Then they break off into different subjects. Skeen works with Charlie first on core subjects like math, handwriting and reading then moves between her other two daughters.

Their day finishes up around lunchtime. Skeen said that’s because they don’t have any transition time or behavior issues they have to handle. She has the freedom to move through each subject until her children master them.

Experts say the Skeen’s story is one of many. The pandemic pushed many people to think deeply about their children’s education.

“We usually have an uptick when there’s been a school shooting,” said Jessica Frierson with North Carolinians for Home Education. “Bullying is a very big issue, and we have a lot of parents that say, ‘No. My kid is not going back. That’s it.'”

Time spent with family, educational control and safety are just some of the factors Frierson believes could be behind the uptick.

According to an analysis of US Census Bureau data from July 23 to Aug. 19 of 2024, North Carolina ranked fourth out of all 50 states, with just over 10% of kids homeschooled. That’s roughly 400,000 kids out of the almost four million who reported.

Vermont ranks third, Delaware is second then Alaska ranks first for the percentage of children who are homeschooled.

Frierson said North Carolina is a friendly place for homeschool families, which is part of what she believes attracts so many people. FOX8 asked what families need in the Tar Heel state to get started.

“The first thing in North Carolina is you open a homeschool. You go to the NCDOA website, and it’s a pretty simple process,” Frierson said.

Your child’s instructor, whether that be yourself or someone else, must have a high school diploma and submit proof of their education online. Next, you choose a homeschool name, which Frierson said you should take time to reflect on. This will be the name of the school your child enters on job and college applications.

The cost to get started is up to the family.

“I will say it’s a tradeoff. The more money you put into it, the less work for the parent. The less money you put into it, the more work for the parent,” Frierson said. “There’s a lot of free resources. You can go to the library and the internet for almost everything.”

Some families explore hybrid options, co-ops or take on the teaching all by themselves.

The state does require homeschool kids to be tested once every twelve months.

“On the website for the state, it gives you that list of what qualifies as a national standardized test. You administer one of those, and you keep all those records for your school,” Frierson said.

You choose which test and when to give it to your child. You also must keep immunization records if they apply and attendance records.

Frierson was homeschooled when she was young and now homeschools her children as well. She finds power in being able to focus on one topic if her child isn’t getting it or moving on if they’ve mastered it.

“Most homeschoolers look at life as the learning begins at birth, and it doesn’t end,” Frierson said. “There’s more opportunity for kids to develop the skills of learning, not what we learn, but the skill of learning.”

Seeing her children dive into subjects and fall in love with learning outside the confines of traditional education is something that brings Skeen joy.

“We’re getting ready to start the Narnia series, and I just know they’ll build their own wardrobes and things like that,” Skeen said. “I think that’s so precious … Those things sink in when learning, and that’s what I want to instill is the joy of learning.”