Tricia and James Woodcox home school daughter, Isabel, left, and son, Nathan. She said one of the benefits of homeschooling is the amount of time they spend together as a family. Photo provided by Tricia Woodcox.

By Phoebe Muthart
InkFreeNews

KOSCIUSKO COUNTY — In 2019, prior to remote learning, approximately 2.5 million students were home-schooled in the United States. This number has risen significantly, with estimates indicating that almost 4 million students are being home-schooled nationwide.

As of the 2021-2022 academic year, approximately 3.1 million students in the U.S. from grades K-12 were home-schooled, representing approximately 6% of school-age children.

Home-schooled students perform much better than their counterparts in formal institutional schooling. Peer-reviewed studies indicate 69% of home-schooled students succeed in college and adulthood.

Indiana ranks No. 13 for states with the highest percentage of home schooling families, with 6.2% of families in the state teaching their children at home.

Locally, in Kosciusko County, some parents are educating their children at home instead of public schools.

According to Kathy Balke, the region’s representative for the Indiana Association of Home Educators, parents are home schooling their children for several reasons.

“It seems when the lockdown was going on, when every parent became the educator of their children, many realized they could actually home-school,” Balke stated. “Some enjoyed having their family at home, some enjoyed having control over the curriculum, while others were worried about their children getting sick.”

Around that time, many parents were not in agreement with the philosophy of the schools when it came to the curriculum, and other social issues the schools were implementing, she added.

“Parents felt like their voices were ignored, and they had no say in how or what their children were taught,” Balke noted.

The reasons parents are choosing home education are some of the same rea

Tricia and James Woodcox of Warsaw home school daughter, Isabel, back left, and son, Nathan, left in front. Photo provided by Tricia Woodcox.

sons that home schooling is enjoying a resurgence, she said.

“In situations where parents are not in harmony with the public schools, but cannot afford private education, homeschooling is a wonderful option,” Balke said. “Parents enjoy the opportunity to focus on what their particular child needs and can work at their level, whether they are above or below the standard implemented in the schools.”

Home education also allows parents to pick and choose the curriculum they feel is best for their child and supports their values, she said.

Many parents also tell of their children being bullied and dreading going to school.

“Parents and children find home schooling to be a peaceful and healing solution where a child can learn without the threat of harm and danger,” Balke said. “Many parents of special needs children find their child isn’t learning, or being properly cared for, so homeschooling is a choice they make to see their children get the support they need to learn and grow.”

The parents who make the choice to home-school find it’s worth any sacrifice made, she noted.

Tricia Woodcox of Warsaw agreed. She has been home schooling for 11 years. Her oldest child, Isabel, just graduated, and she is still teaching her 10-year-old son, Nathan.

“We didn’t consider home schooling originally, but when our oldest was in second grade, we decided that the public school system just wasn’t the best fit for her. Her teachers were great, some aspects of school life were good, but she was advanced in some subjects. We felt like we could give her more of what she needed at home.”

She home-schooled both her children: The oldest starting in the middle of second grade, until she graduated in June, and the youngest from the beginning. He is now in fifth grade.

She said one of the benefits of home schooling is the amount of time they spend together as a family.

“I love being able to be together with my kids, to share in things that interest them, to spend time working and learning together, and to get to know each other really well,” Netzley said.

Todd and Debbie Wilson of Milford also teach their children at home. They’ve been homeschooling for just over 25 years.

Todd has a website, thesmilinghomeschooler.com. He is an author and public speaker on the subject of home education. They are the parents of eight children, six of whom have graduated from home school. They are still educating their last two.

Homeschooling wasn’t their initial plan. But that all changed after having a couple of children.

“It’s been the number one best thing we ever did for our children and for our family,” said Debbie. “It allows us to have more time with our children that we would have lost had we sent them to school. It allows us to teach our children with a Biblical worldview as it relates to everything.”

The Wilson family has home schooled all eight of their children. Shown from left in the front row are Carolyn Wilson, Makenna Wilson (holding Cohen Wilson), Debbie Wilson (mom), Rissa Wilson (holding Anders Wilson), Hudson Wilson, and Kat (Wilson) Petgen (holding Addee Petgen).
In the back row are Jed Wilson, Ike Wilson, Sam Wilson, Cal Wilson, Todd Wilson (dad), Ben Wilson, Renley Wilson, Maggie Wilson, Josh Petgen, and Abe Wilson.
Not pictured: Miles Wilson, Nolan Wilson, Jane Wilson, and Ellis Petgen. Photo provided by Debbie Wilson.