Yes! For a long time, the most commonly expressed concern about homeschooling was whether homeschooled children would be disadvantaged socially. However, studies have found that homeschoolers do well socially, emotionally, and psychologically.

And opportunities for social enrichment continue to grow! With the rise in homeschooling popularity, there are literally countless ways homeschooling families can achieve socialization opportunities—through volunteering, co-ops, sports, youth groups, community orchestras, part-time jobs, and the list goes on. In fact, for many families, the hardest part is deciding which activities to say no to.

No. In general, homeschooling only becomes an issue in a divorce case when the parents cannot agree with each other about the children’s education, and it is typically only one of the many issues over which parents disagree. HSLDA supports the right of parents to determine how their children are educated and therefore does not choose sides if one parent wants to homeschool and the other does not.

When a divorce occurs after the parents have joined HSLDA as a married couple, and the parents disagree on homeschooling, HSLDA cannot ethically represent either member against the other due to the conflict of interest between the parents.

While HSLDA does not represent families in custody disputes, we can provide a free information packet containing research on domestic and custody cases involving homeschooling. Contact us to request the packet.

No, you don't! While some states have a special homeschooling option for parents who are certified teachers, no state requires that every homeschooling parent be a certified teacher.

In fact, research has found little difference between the academic achievement of homeschooled students whose parents were certified teachers and those whose parents were not. They both scored on average much higher than their counterparts in public school.

However, be aware that some states require homeschool parents to meet certain qualifications (such as having a high school diploma or its equivalent). You can find homeschool laws (including any qualification requirements) for all 50 states and US territories on our interactive legal map.