Utah is a hotspot for homeschooling children, study finds
Jul 28, 2023, 11:00 AM
Dave and Dujanovic discussed Tuesday what goes into a school district's decision to switch to remote learning. (Getty Images)
(Getty Images)
SALT LAKE CITY — Homeschooling is increasing in popularity nationwide, including in Utah.
Interest in the state has increased by almost 90% since 2019, and Utah ranks third nationwide for the best state to homeschool children, according to a study by the Age of Learning.
Homeschooling in Utah has little to no regulations regarding the subjects taught and how to teach them, which is common among the top 19 states.
President of the Utah Home Education Association Erik Hanson emphasized the success is largely due to the tech-savvy nature of the state.
“Our population here is very tech-forward and we have a lot of fast internet access. So in the digital age, it’s way easier to connect with people, to get information, to learn,” he said. “You know, you don’t need that all to be in person.”
Hanson also credited the state’s success to the homeschooling communities’ access to the public school system.
“Legally in Utah, the laws state that legal homeschools can utilize any percentage or portion of the public school system they see fit to utilize. And then not utilize any other.”
Students can access the system for extra help with their work or direction on subjects their at-home teachers may not excel in. Utah is also one of the many states allowing home-schooled students to participate in statewide sports and extracurriculars.
Hanson said homeschooling is easier and much more accessible than people think.
“I think a successful homeschool program is one in which the parent can equip their children with the ability to self-teach and self-direct from that point forward.”
Utah has a rather large homeschooling population, with the seventh most students in the nation per capita.
Clayre Scott contributed to this story.
