Age of Learning reports that interest in homeschooling is escalating dramatically.

* Searches for “homeschooling online” went up 365% in the past year compared to the previous 12 months.

* Homeschooling interest is greatest in Portland, Atlanta, and Miami based on online search volume.

* 42% of parents felt more capable of homeschooling kids in elementary school, while 70% were least confident in their ability to homeschool high schoolers.

* Providing a safer environment is the No. 1 reason people want to homeschool their children.

Online learning has become integral in every level of education, and clearly, homeschooling is no exception. Tech is taking over schools across the world, and students spend increasingly more time using educational apps. Many parents are considering eliminating the hassle of taking kids to in-person instruction; current home educators already demonstrate how efficient and beneficial this lifestyle change can be.

About a third of parents are interested in homeschooling options. Interestingly the younger the parents the greater the percentage of interest in homeschooling. Twenty percent of Gen X are interested, while 34 percent of Millenials are interested and 47 percent of Gen Z are interested in homeschooling options.

* Montana ranks #7 in the nation for interest in homeschooling (1.58 per 100,000 residents)

* Montana residents are 327% more likely to search for homeschool info than Nebraska residents

* 77% of parents in the West believe homeschooled students should have to participate in state testing (more than any other region)

* Health, Grammar, and P.E. are the most popular homeschool subjects in the West

Wyoming was the state with the most residents searching online for homeschooling information, but the top five cities spread from coast to coast. According to search volume per 100,000 residents, the five most interested major cities were:

1. Portland, OR

2. Atlanta, GA

3. Miami, FL

4. Denver, CO

5. Las Vegas, NV

Considering the spike in internet searches for homeschooling-related terms over the past year, it’s no surprise that the majority of aspiring parents (59%) were more interested in homeschooling than in public or private schooling. The main factor for most parents when selecting schooling preferences was their kids’ ages. Almost half of the parents surveyed (42%) felt more capable of homeschooling kids in elementary school, while 70% were least confident in their ability to homeschool high schoolers.

Since high school curriculum is more advanced, it’s understandable that parents might be hesitant to take it on—but they don’t have to be. Support is available to ensure your teen gets the education they need. Many community colleges even offer courses to high school-age students, giving them a boost if they decide to pursue a degree. When asked about their reasons for looking into homeschooling, the most common responses of current parents were:

* Providing a safer environment (66%).

* Flexible schedule (56%).

* Preventing toxic socialization (55%).

Aspiring parents had similar reasons for considering homeschooling:

* Providing a safer environment (63%).

* Providing individualized instruction (53%).

* Preventing toxic socialization (50%).

School safety means different things to different people. Many parents are worried about their kids’ physical safety at school due to increased school violence in recent years. Parents are also concerned about how school social settings might affect their kids’ behavior and mental health. 

Kids spend over half of their waking hours at school, so it’s no wonder their school environment plays a big role in their mental and emotional development. That’s likely why more than half of current and aspiring parents were considering homeschooling to prevent toxic socialization. And while safety was a top concern, toxic socialization could be considered a safety issue. 

Current northwestern parents largely said they feel seven-hour daily curriculums are ineffective teaching tools. Midwesterners were most likely to name individualized instruction as the primary reason to consider homeschooling, and for southerners, it was the low ratings of their local schools. Meanwhile, westerners were most likely to associate it with their religious or philosophical beliefs.