Eliminating state oversight of home education will go away with compulsory attendance laws.
- State oversight of home education has decreased, but
- The percentage of school-aged children enrolled in public schools has increased.
- The average rate of increase is the same in states with substantive oversight as in states without substantive oversight.
From 1980-1996, the percentage of school-aged children who were enrolled in public schools grew by 5.41% in the U.S. (from 86.2% to 90.9%).
Of the 26 jurisdictions with no substantive oversight of home-educated children:
- 11 states had a public school enrollment percentage growth greater than the U.S. average
- 15 states had a public school enrollment percentage growth less than the U.S. average
- Collectively, the states had an average enrollment percentage growth of 5.08%
Of the 25 jurisdictions with substantive oversight of home-educated children:
- 11 states had a public school enrollment percentage growth greater than the U.S. average
- 14 states had a public school enrollment percentage growth less than the U.S. average
- Collectively, the states had an average enrollment percentage growth of 4.76%
The degree of state oversight of home-educated children does not correlate with the rate at which school-aged children enroll in public schools.
Absence of state oversight of home-educated children does not do away with compulsory attendance.
SOURCE
“Estimated school-age population and public school enrollment, by state: 1980 to 1996”,
National Center for Education Statistics, U.S. Department of Education
Public school enrollment as a percentage of school-aged population, by state: 1980 to 1996 [Numbers in thousands] | |||
State | 1980 | 1996 | Percent Change |
United States | 86.23% | 90.89% | 5.41% |
States with NO substantive oversight of home educated students | |||
Alabama | 87.61% | 95.12% | 8.57% |
Alaska | 94.04% | 93.34% | -0.74% |
Arizona | 88.89% | 92.91% | 4.52% |
Califoia | 87.08% | 90.27% | 3.66% |
Colorado | 92.24% | 92.51% | 0.29% |
Connecticut | 83.30% | 90.97% | 9.20% |
Delaware | 79.52% | 87.74% | 10.33% |
District of Columbia | 91.79% | 105.55% | 14.99% |
Idaho | 95.42% | 95.06% | -0.38% |
Illinois | 82.61% | 87.52% | 5.94% |
Indiana | 87.97% | 90.41% | 2.78% |
Kansas | 88.74% | 91.74% | 3.39% |
Kentucky | 83.72% | 93.39% | 11.54% |
Louisiana | 80.24% | 85.82% | 6.96% |
Maine | 91.56% | 95.86% | 4.69% |
Michigan | 86.94% | 89.12% | 2.51% |
Mississippi | 79.64% | 91.33% | 14.68% |
Missouri | 83.79% | 86.01% | 2.64% |
Montana | 92.93% | 94.30% | 1.47% |
Nebraska | 86.55% | 88.79% | 2.59% |
Nevada | 93.43% | 96.29% | 3.07% |
New Jersey | 81.55% | 86.29% | 5.82% |
New Mexico | 89.50% | 90.55% | 1.17% |
Oklahoma | 92.90% | 95.00% | 2.27% |
Texas | 92.45% | 98.43% | 6.47% |
Wisconsin | 82.12% | 87.95% | 7.09% |
Total: No substantive oversight | 87.56% | 92.01% | 5.08% |
Public school enrollment as a percentage of school-aged population, by state: 1980 to 1996 [Numbers in thousands] | ||||
State | 1980 | 1996 | Percent Change | |
United States | 86.23% | 90.89% | 5.41% | |
States WITH substantive oversight of home educated students | ||||
Arkansas | 90.26% | 94.44% | 4.63% | |
Florida | 84.42% | 90.81% | 7.57% | |
Georgia | 86.82% | 94.31% | 8.63% | |
Hawaii | 83.37% | 87.67% | 5.16% | |
Iowa | 88.39% | 93.95% | 6.29% | |
Maryland | 83.87% | 88.34% | 5.33% | |
Massachusetts | 88.63% | 90.86% | 2.52% | |
Minnesota | 87.20% | 89.87% | 3.06% | |
New Hampshire | 85.32% | 88.45% | 3.66% | |
New York | 80.85% | 87.73% | 8.52% | |
North Carolina | 90.06% | 90.84% | 0.86% | |
North Dakota | 85.94% | 93.25% | 8.50% | |
Ohio | 84.85% | 88.13% | 3.87% | |
Oregon | 88.50% | 0.08% | 1.79% | |
Pennsylvania | 80.36% | 84.73% | 5.44% | |
Rhode Island | 80.08% | 87.90% | 9.75% | |
South Carolina | 88.08% | 94.88% | 7.72% | |
South Dakota | 87.42% | 93.41% | 6.85% | |
Tennessee | 87.82% | 93.02% | 5.92% | |
Utah | 98.18% | 97.57% | -0.62% | |
Vermont | 87.90% | 96.04% | 9.26% | |
Virginia | 90.70% | 93.13% | 2.68% | |
Washington | 91.72% | 92.47% | 0.82% | |
West Virginia | 92.63% | 96.33% | 3.99% | |
Wyoming | 97.33% | 96.84% | -0.50% | |
Total: With substantive oversight | 87.63% | 91.80% | 4.76% |
NOTE.–Because of students outside the normal age range, percents may exceed 100. Because of rounding, details may not add to totals.Utah is listed as with substantive oversight based on the laws in effect during the period 1980-1996.