Defining Hybrid Homeschools in America: Little Platoons By Eric Wearne

Abstract

Interest in homeschooling has reached new heights. In fact, in the United States, ten percent of American families are choosing to homeschool this year, up from five percent one year ago (Gallup, 2020). Of course, we will see whether this number changes post-pandemic. However, one thing is clear: more families are pursuing educational options than ever before. Enter the model of hybrid homeschooling, a model where children split their time between homeschool and a more traditional educational environment. This could mean two three days at home and two days at school, or part of the day at home and part of the day in school. Defining Hybrid Homeschools in America by Eric Wearne explores this option, supporting the model by vignettes as well as research.

When a family embarks on a traditional homeschooling model journey, key concerns they usually have include time commitment involved, financial impact, and the issue of socialization. Hybrid homeschooling, however, provides the best of both worlds. Parents can have time to work outside the home if they wish, while still being able to homeschool their...