To think that there is a higher percentage of homeschool parents on MN?

[misshelena]

I read that only 3.4% of American kids are homeschooled and assume similar in UK. But on MN it almost seems 50-50... or am I confused?

Are you joking? Where on earth have you got that from?

Sorry, that might have sounded harsh. I guess there will seem a higher percentage on parenting sites as no doubt it's good to talk to other parents in a similar situation but it really is a small minority - I would guess most of us rarely even mention how our kids are educated.

There's probably a greater percentage of home school parents on here than in the general population because of the demographic, but it's nothing like 50%.

Definitely more here than in the mums I meet on the school run.

Actually homeschooling has experienced a resurgence in the last 5-8 years, partly driven by shifts in education policy making parents reconsider schooling, partly by social media meaning those considering homeschooling can more easily connect to others who are and partly due to increasing class size/ testing etc. It is estimated to have almost quadrupled in the past 8 years with children in KS1 being the fastest rising group (i.e. those who never start school), however true figures on it are very difficult to obtain due to how records are kept - i.e. if you never register your child for school they are almost invisible - of course there are records elsewhere for them but systems aren't sophisticated enough to match these all up!

However 50/50 is way off - 1/15 is a closer estimate...

I home ed. I think you're right OP. Not 50/50 but certainly above average. That said there seems to be a great many parents of children with additional needs on MN too and many home edders are doing so because their children have additional needs and are not catered to, to an acceptable level in our main stream school system. MN is in general a supportive place for parents of children with additional needs and tends to attract them here for advice so that might go some way to explaining it.

Nowhere near 50-50 on here!

But I too would not be at all surprised if the % is higher on MN than in real life.
Just as the % of private school parents is/seems higher,
and the % or parents with high achieving children.

It's certainly not 50-50 on MN. Obviously on homeschool topics you're going to attract more homeschool parents (as it's clearly a subject they're interested in) but even then it's a minority.

50% ?

I've never met anyone home schooled or who schools kids at home in my life!

I do think it comes down to your networks as well. I would say probably 30 or 40% or my friends home-school. On MNs it does well represented but I think that is just that certain threads will bring out those who do.

I home educated one of my children (I didn't 'home school' as it wasn't school at home).

I came across quite a number of home educators but it's definitely a minority thing and people do it for all different kinds of reasons.

The child I home educated is currently doing a postgraduate degree abroad and is very happy with how their education has panned out.

I suppose when people Google home education, they might come across threads on here and join the site because there are other home educators on here. That could account for the greater presence of HE families, perhaps.