Common Core Still Causing Homeschool Growth

Homeschooling in Florida has jumped nearly 10% in the last year with many parents still citing Common Core as a major reason to educate their children at home.

"We see all the emails from parents: 'I just don’t want my kids exposed to Common Core,'" said Karen Harmon, chairwoman of a homeschool support group, in an interview with the Florida Times-Union. "Their thought process is that it’s dumbing down the school systems and making all students average, but a lot of parents want their child to excel."

In addition to Common Core, parents have also chosen to homeschool due to religious reasons, dissatisfaction with government-run schools, underperforming schools, and bullying.

The increase is reported to be the largest in the state in at least a decade. The most rapid growth has occurred in Duval County, whose county seat is Jacksonville.

Both the first and the third most populous states in America have now had homeschool-related headlines in recent months. California is expecting a rise in homeschooling due to a new vaccination law.