Summary:
A growing number of parents are opting to withdraw their children from public schools in favor of alternative education methods, such as homeschooling and private schools. This trend, highlighted in a recent editorial from the Las Vegas Review-Journal, reflects a decade-long decline in public school enrollment, exacerbated by the pandemic and dissatisfaction with public education systems. The Clark County School District, for instance, has seen a 15% drop in enrollment since 2017, despite a population increase. Parents are prioritizing their children’s education, leading to a significant rise in homeschooling rates, which have tripled pre-pandemic levels.
What This Means for You:
- Consider Alternative Education Options: Explore homeschooling or private schools to ensure your child receives a quality education tailored to their needs.
- Stay Informed on Local Education Policies: Keep track of changes in public school funding, curriculum, and performance metrics to make informed decisions.
- Advocate for Educational Reform: Engage with local school boards and policymakers to push for improvements in public education systems.
- Future Outlook: Expect continued growth in alternative education methods, with homeschooling and private schools becoming more mainstream.
Original Post:
It looks as if more and more parents are choosing with their feet. They are doing whatever they can to move their kids from public schools to other alternatives. This is from an editorial from the Las Vegas Review-Journal:
Dwindling enrollment has the Clark County School District considering job cuts. District officials announced last month that 103 employees — 97 support professionals and six licensed professionals, which includes teachers — are without positions.
The problem stems from the fact that families are fleeing district schools at a high rate. Enrollment for the 2025-26 school year stands at 277,803 students, about 3 percent below projections. That continues an almost decades-long trend. Since 2017, the number of kids attending district schools has cratered by 15 percent. Meanwhile, Clark County’s population has grown by an estimated 9.7 percent over the same period.
The pandemic and the remote learning disaster propagated by teacher unions certainly exacerbated the exodus. But the trend continues, and what’s happening in Clark County isn’t unique. Public school enrollments are down across the country, a recent Brookings report noted, particularly among younger children. While the nation’s declining birthrate is a factor, the decline is also from slightly higher enrollments at private campuses and an explosion in home-schooling.
A Johns Hopkins School of Education report released this month found that many parents have taken matters into their own hands.
“In the 2024-2025 school year, homeschooling continued to grow across the United States,” researcher Angela R. Watson wrote, “increasing at an average rate of 5.4 percent. This is nearly three times the pre-pandemic homeschooling growth rate of around 2 percent. Notably, 36 percent of reporting states recorded their highest home-school enrollment numbers ever — exceeding even the peaks reached during the pandemic.”
So the parents are not buying it anymore. Thank God! Who saw that coming? Why wouldn’t parents put their kids first and do whatever it takes to educate their children?
Once upon not a very long time ago, U.S. public schools worked to teach kids to read, write, and do math problems. The bottom line is that we were preparing kids for the real world. I don’t remember hearing 20 years ago that college freshmen needed remedial math. The schools also enforced discipline, an important ingredient to create a functional work environment.
The teachers’ union does not answer any of these questions. They want more money because apparently more money is the answer to every problem. The parents are saying we are tired of paying you money and we are taking the matter in our own hands.
Hooray for the parents. They love their kids, whereas the teachers’ union loves the taxes of the kind they pay in Chicago: “A scathing report from the Chicago Public Schools (CPS) Office of Inspector General (OIG) revealed that the school system spent a staggering $14.5 million in “excessive” travel expenses in FY 2023 and FY 2024 combined.”
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Extra Information:
For further insights into the rise of homeschooling and its implications, visit Education Next. To understand the broader trends in public education, refer to the Brookings Institution.
People Also Ask About:
- Why are parents choosing homeschooling? Parents are opting for homeschooling to provide a more personalized and flexible education for their children.
- What are the benefits of private schools? Private schools often offer smaller class sizes, specialized curricula, and enhanced extracurricular opportunities.
- How has the pandemic affected public school enrollment? The pandemic accelerated the decline in public school enrollment due to dissatisfaction with remote learning and safety concerns.
- What is the impact of declining public school enrollment? Declining enrollment can lead to budget cuts, staff reductions, and reduced resources for remaining students.
- Are there alternatives to traditional public schools? Yes, alternatives include charter schools, homeschooling, and private schools.
Expert Opinion:
The shift away from public schools reflects a broader societal trend towards customized education solutions. Expert Angela R. Watson highlights that homeschooling, in particular, is growing at an unprecedented rate, indicating a significant transformation in how families approach education. This movement underscores the increasing demand for accountability and quality in schooling systems.
Key Terms:
- Homeschooling growth trends
- Declining public school enrollment
- Alternative education methods
- Impact of pandemic on education
- Benefits of private schools
- Parental dissatisfaction with public schools
- Educational reform advocacy
Edited by 4idiotz Editorial System
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