Alabama

LEAs have sole responsibility. Casandra Ramey, (334) 242-8165.

Alaska

The Alyeska Distance Learning program had about 1,000 enrolled in 1990-91 and 2,000 in 1995-96. Virgie L. Fryrear, Alyeska Central School, (907) 465-2835. Data are from Chris Yates, registrar.

Arizona

The state collects data from local education agencies (LEAs) when a family withdraws a child from a public school. Families who never enrolled would not be included. In 1995, Paul Street, (907) 465-2835, estimated 8,000 children homeschooling in Arizona.

Arkansas

2,500

5,755

LEAs report children in homeschooling to the state as of December for each school year. Yvette Billingham, (501) 682-4233.

California

One can estimate 6,000 children in 1990-91 and 13,849 in 1995-96 based only a count of students in private schools of 5 or fewer children (generally assumed to be homeschools). In 1995-96 there were 7,349 such private schools filing affidavits. (Data are from statistical reports.) A popular way to homeschool is to qualify as a private school, although the state does not regard this as homeschooling. Carolyn Pirillow, (916) 657-2453 (not contacted directly). Independent study, considered by many who do it as homeschooling, but not so by the state, accounted for 39,350 children in 1990-91 and 46,519 children in 1995-96, according to California’s Web site. California enrolled home study (those who qualify because they have a certified tutor), accounted for 8,242 children in 1995-96; there were no data for 1990-91 for this category. California posts this data on its Web site.

Colorado

LEAs have sole responsibility. Don Watson, (303) 894-2155.

Connecticut

289

1,615

States collect reports from LEAs. The 1995-96 data is an average of data for the 1994-95 and the 1996-97 school years. Sheila Brown, (860) 566-8263.

Delaware

367

1,087

Families report to the SEA. Carole D. White, Education Specialist, Delaware SEA. Ron Meade, (302) 739-4676.

Dist. of Columbia

10

77

Families request and receive approval from the District education agency. Sharon Dunmore, (202) 724-4790.

Florida

7,555

16,623

Estimated based on number of families who self-report as homeschoolers. The estimate, based on a survey of these families at a 59 percent rate of return, assumes an average of 1.4 school aged children in homeschooling in each family. Mary Lou Carothers, (850) 414-1289.

Georgia

5,581

1,5356

Reports from LEAs. Amy C. McMurtrey, (404) 656-2446.

Hawaii

272

1,543

Families are required to inform schools about homeschooling whenever they change schools (elementary to secondary or geographic relocation). Schools report this initial data to SEA. Those in their second and subsequent year and those who never inform the schools are not reported. Joanne Swearingen, (808) 733-9895. Data are from Karl Yoshida, (808) 832-5880.

Idaho

LEAs have sole responsibility. Ann Fox, (208) 332-6800. Robert M. Forrey provided the data for the 1995-96 estimate.

Illinois

529

1,200

Parents voluntarily report to the SEA. 1989-90 given. Connie J. Wise, (217) 785-7207.

Indiana

1,462

9,000

Families report to the SEA. Prior to 1996-97 the SEA recorded the number of active homeschooling sites, but did not record enrollment. The number for 1995-96 is reported children plus an estimate for families who filed papers but did not report the number of children who were homeschooling. There were 4,430 documented sites. The number for 1990-95 is for sites only. By 1997-98, efforts had been made to obtain the number of children, including an on-line registration option. The state has greatly increased the number of sites for which it has data on children, but it still has records for only 8,800 enrolled children in 9,244 active homeschooling schools. Gaylon J. Nettles, (317) 232-9132; and Lora Miller, (317) 232-9135.

Iowa

In 1995-96, Iowa counted 3,529 children in either the state’s Dual Enrollment Program or the Home School Assisted Program. There are additional ways to legally conduct homeschooling in Iowa. Iowa did not have data for 1990-91. Jim Tyson, (515) 281-5001.

Kansas

2,700

8,000

The data are estimated from the number of unaccredited schools reporting to the state as of February 1991 (1,350 schools) and fall 1995 (4,000 schools). An October 1997 survey indicated that of the 5,186 unaccredited schools surveyed, 73 were campus schools; another 2,223 were deemed inactive, as they did not return the survey (instructions indicated that no response meant the school was inactive). Of those who responded, 55 percent voluntarily provided the number of children in homeschooling: an average of two. Maria Collins, (913) 296-2198. As of the 1997-98 school year, Kansas counted 6,245 unaccredited schools, including the 73 campus schools.

Kentucky

LEAs have sole responsibility. In 1990-91, the Non-public School Advisor estimated between 1,500 and 5,000 homeschooled students in Kentucky. David X. Thurmond, (502) 564-4770.

Louisiana

2,121

6,271

Reports from LEAs. Parishes had reported the 1990-91 number as of Feb. 1991. The 1995-96 data was reported differently. 4,686 families filed as "home study" programs; Another 1,585 filed as homeschoolers. Dean Frost, (504) 342-3475.

Maine

1,566

3,400

Families report to the SEA. Edwin N. Kastuck, (207) 287-5922.

Maryland

2,296

9,529

LEA coordinators report numbers of students for whom a parent has requested homeschooling. Richard Scott, (410) 767 0288.

Massachusetts

LEAs have sole responsibility. Juliane Dow, (617) 338-3300.

Michigan

822

2,980

Families report to the SEA. In the 1996-97 school year, the number dropped to 2,361, and from preliminary reports for 1996-97, it will be lower still. In 1996 the Michigan legislature enacted an exemption to the compulsory education law that allows homeschooling without filing papers. Jean Shane, (517) 373-0796.

Minnesota

5,086

10,519

Families report to the SEA. Barry Sullivan, (612) 296-6595.

Mississippi

600

6,335

LEA officials relay the data to the state. The 1990-91 data are from 1989-90. Kevin Merry, (601) 359-3598.

Missouri

LEAs have sole responsibility. The state uses data from homeschool associations. School Law and Legislation Section, (573) 751-7602.

Montana

1,446

3,159

Families report to county superintendents. The first column data are from 1989-90. Gail Gray, (406) 444-3095.

Nebraska

2,147

4,137

A homeschool is considered a private school. Families report their schools to the SEA. Data for 1995-96 include two categories combined: single-family and multi-family homeschooling and are analyzed in a study by Sue Roberts, (402) 471-2784. She also notes that the number of children in 1996-97 was 4,407, and for the 1997-98 school year was 4,573.

Nevada

792

3,077

The 1990-91 data are the number of homeschooling children taking achievement tests. This practice was discontinued in the 1995-96 school year. Holly Walton-Buchanan, (702) 687-9134.

New Hampshire

711

3,025

The 1990-91 number are those who filed with LEAs. The 1995-96 number represents notices of intent filed with the SEA, through the LEA. It represents children who homeschooled 1 or more days in 1995-96. Jacke Teague, (603) 271-3739.

New Jersey

New Jersey had a 1985 census indicating about 1,000 homeschooling children. Peter B. Contini, (609) 292-4442; John Lally, (609) 984-7814.

New Mexico

LEAs have responsibility. The SEA recently began to collect the information from the LEAs. As of December, 1995 it counted 5,337 K-12 children in homeschooling. Lorraine Sanchez, (505) 827-6582.

New York

4,975

11,473

The 1990-91 data do not include data from New York City (Rachel Smith, now retired). The 1995-96 data are from Thomas E. Hogan, (518) 474-3879. Note that a testing requirement in New York may disuade many homeschoolers not to file.

North Carolina

4,127

13,801

Data are based on enrollment reports filed with the state. In the 1996-97 school year, the number grew to 15,785. Rod Helder, (919) 733-4276.

North Dakota

483

698

At the end of the year, LEAs file a report with the SEA. Its chief purpose is to determine how many homeschooled children enrolled part time in school, for purposes of state assistance. However, LEAs also report the number of children whose parents notified the LEA that they were homeschooling. Joan Estes, (701) 328-2295.

Ohio

Ohio received a one-time only authorization to collect data from homeschoolers in 1989-90. This accounted for 2,729 children. Abdinur S. Mohamud, (614) 466-2937.

Oklahoma

No data available. Ron R. Roblyer, (405) 521-3333.

Oregon

4,578

10,764

The SEA gathers reports from education service districts. Leon Fuhrman, (503) 378-5585, ext. 682.

Pennsylvania

2,152

15,457

The SEA gathers reports from the LEAs. John Creason, (717) 787-7289; Marion K. Gray, (717) 783-3750. The published data for 1996-97 indicated 17,861 documented children, a 15.5 percent increase.

Rhode Island

LEAs have sole responsibility. Sharon Osborn, (401) 277-2031, ext. 2003.

South Carolina

790

4,284

This is the total of reports from school districts or from state and local private homeschool associations. Parents have a choice of filing papers through either the district or through a homeschooling association. Note, the LEAs receive 25 percent of state per pupil support for reported home schoolers. For the 1997-98 school year, the state received papers for 5,595 children from districts and the homeschool associations (averaging 15.3 percent increase per year since 1995-96). Fred Grieb, (803) 734-8331; Mary Jo Ferriter (data office), (803) 734-8263.

South Dakota

1,458

2,724

Families file with the LEA which forwards a copy to the SEA. Dean Buchanan, (605) 773-3553.

Tennessee

1,248

2,513

The SEA believes an additional 1,400 children in 1990-91 and possibly as many as 20,000 in 1995-96 were homeschooling legally, through enrollment in a private school. Parents do not have to file papers with the state for these children. James Abernathy, (615) 532-4711.

Texas

No data available. Jim Davis, (512) 463-9354.

Utah

LEAs have sole responsibility. The state relies on the homeschool association estimate. Douglas F. Bates, (801) 538-7832.

Vermont

680

1,526

Parents file a report with the SEA. Natalie Casco, (802) 828-5406.

Virginia

3,746

10,862

Reports from LEAs. The 1990-91 data are an average of data from September 1989 (2,934) and 1991 (4,558) and do not include homeschooled students who have obtained a religious exemption from the compulsory education law through the LEA. The 1995-96 data includes both regular filings (8,678) and religious exemptions (2,184). Charles W. Finley, (804) 225-2747.

Washington

7,046

18,074

Families file with the LEA, which reports to the SEA. Melinda Dyer, (206) 753-7389.

West Virginia

The last year for which data are available is 1989-90. The SEA reported that 399 families had filed papers with the LEA as of the spring of 1989. The SEA staff at the time multiplied this by an estimated number of compulsory school aged children per family and estimated that 684 children were homeschooling in the state. The SEA has no readily available data for 1995-96. David Perine, (304) 558-3788.

Wisconsin

6,298

15,632

Parents file reports with the SEA. The 1990-91 data are from February 1991. Sally Sarnstrom, (608) 266-7475.

Wyoming

535

1,544

Parents file reports with the SEA. For 1996, the state had papers accounting for 920 families, and 1,648 children. Jim Lendino, (307) 777-6268.

TOTAL

76,968

222,040