Earlier this month the North Carolina Office of Non-Public Education released annual statistics on enrollment in North Carolina home schools and private schools. While enrollment in private schools has remained largely flat, home school enrollment in North Carolina continues to grow at a healthy pace. In fact, since 2013-14 enrollment in North Carolina home schools has surpassed enrollment in North Carolina private schools. In 2015-16 home school enrollment in North Carolina increased 10.6 percent, while private schools grew less than one-half (.4) of one percent.
What explains the recent changes? Parental opposition to Common Core certainly accounts for some of the growth. In addition as more and more see that really can do a good job of educating their children, home schooling is being embraced by more parents as a viable educational option.
While the gains are certainly noteworthy, collectively home schooling (118,000) and private schools (98,000) represent about 216,000 students. Last year the public schools enrolled about 1,538,000 students.
So…parents felt common core was too rigorous for their children….?
No,Drive by George they thought it was too stupid for their children.