By the Numbers
With COVID-19 forcing schools around the world to adopt modified in-person, hybrid, or fully online instruction, the idea of homeschooling is gaining momentum.
While the concept of teaching children at home is certainly not new, a growing number of parents are exploring and evaluating educational options for their children.
![A mother and child do a science experiment at home.](https://brightspotcdn.byu.edu/dims4/default/815829f/2147483647/strip/true/crop/1200x800+0+0/resize/840x560!/quality/90/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fbrigham-young-brightspot.s3.amazonaws.com%2F4a%2F18%2Fd414597641a796ea19c86e34619c%2Fgettyimages-1214226436.jpg)
15 to 30 | The number of percentile points that home-educated students scored higher than public-school students on standardized tests, based on a 2015 study. |
![A close up image shows a hand bubbling in answers as they take a test.](https://brightspotcdn.byu.edu/dims4/default/f676e7f/2147483647/strip/true/crop/1200x800+0+0/resize/840x560!/quality/90/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fbrigham-young-brightspot.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fdb%2F27%2Fe7aa1c8049dbafa0d97c7d4b533f%2Fgettyimages-1157932769.jpg)
Higher scores were achieved regardless of family income or parents’ educational status.
Source: nheri.org/research-facts-on-homeschooling
3 | The number of states—Illinois, Louisiana, and Minnesota—that offer homeschool families a state tax credit on their income taxes. |
![Three images of the states of Illinois, Louisiana and Minnesota colored in blue.](https://brightspotcdn.byu.edu/dims4/default/168169e/2147483647/strip/true/crop/1394x652+0+0/resize/840x393!/quality/90/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fbrigham-young-brightspot.s3.amazonaws.com%2F8c%2F06%2Fe092299d47e09bf40ce68b8cf9c4%2Fwinter2021-bythenumbers1.jpg)
Taxpayers spend an average of $11,732 per pupil annually in public schools, plus capital expenditures; taxpayers spend nothing on most homeschool students.
Sources: southeasthomeschoolexpo.com/tax-deduction-for-homeschoolers and nheri.org/research-facts-on-homeschooling
2 to 4 | The estimated number of hours spent remote learning (although the number varies significantly). |
![A black and white clock, a pencil holder full of colored pencils and a pile of colored notebooks sitting on a white background.](https://brightspotcdn.byu.edu/dims4/default/2b259aa/2147483647/strip/true/crop/1118x900+0+0/resize/840x676!/quality/90/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fbrigham-young-brightspot.s3.amazonaws.com%2F1a%2F00%2F315ed49b418d80aeb68fde3f4f82%2Fgettyimages-177364129.jpg)
The Illinois State Board of Education recommends that kindergarteners spend thirty to ninety minutes a day in distance learning, with time increasing to a maximum of four hours a day for high school kids. While students typically spend six to seven hours a day attending in-person public or charter schools, much of that time is spent on activities other than learning.
Source: sheknows.com/parenting/articles/2218929/how-many-hours-homeschooling-per-day
145 | The number of countries where schools were closed on 20 March 2020 |
![An empty classroom full of wooden desks and a chalk whiteboard with a large window.](https://brightspotcdn.byu.edu/dims4/default/8390d10/2147483647/strip/true/crop/1200x801+0+0/resize/840x561!/quality/90/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fbrigham-young-brightspot.s3.amazonaws.com%2F31%2F63%2Fd25adf3f4a329da4e47b50ebbf8a%2Fgettyimages-492604048.jpg)
The schools were closed to protect children from the spread of coronavirus, affecting the education of more than 900 million children.
Source: en.unesco.org/covid19/educationresponse
2.5 million | The approximate number of students homeschooled in grades K–12 in the United States prior to the COVID-19 pandemic. |
![An overhead view of two people working on math](https://brightspotcdn.byu.edu/dims4/default/05a5c1c/2147483647/strip/true/crop/1200x800+0+0/resize/840x560!/quality/90/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fbrigham-young-brightspot.s3.amazonaws.com%2F8d%2F02%2Feeb3d33b4a31998a59777de6c53b%2Fgettyimages-1216824237.jpg)
That number represents between 3 and 4 percent of all school-age children. The number of children being homeschooled has grown between 2 and 8 percent over the past few years.
Source: nheri.org/research-facts-on-homeschooling
$700-$1,800 | The average cost to homeschool one child per school year. |
![A glass jar full of one and five dollar bills.](https://brightspotcdn.byu.edu/dims4/default/0d6a9ca/2147483647/strip/true/crop/695x900+0+0/resize/695x900!/quality/90/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fbrigham-young-brightspot.s3.amazonaws.com%2Feb%2Fad%2F2c313c474eda95c4fbad0e02b347%2Fgettyimages-603256736-cmyk.jpg)
This cost includes curriculum, school supplies, field trips, and extracurricular activities.
Source: time4learning.com/blog/new-homeschooler/how-much-does-homeschooling-cost