Decision to Homeschool

A phone call. Tears. Frustration. Feelings of her children being left behind. This was my daughter reaching out for guidance after relocating from Washington to Kentucky and enrolling her children in the public school system in their new town. One teacher expressed uncertainty about how to support her 5-year-old, who tested at a first-grade level in both reading and math, while the other teacher of her 7-year-old was merely allowing him to "get by."

As a former classroom teacher and building administrator, I didn't hesitate to advise her to pull them out of the public school system. Together, we could develop a homeschooling plan for my grandchildren. I didn’t blame the teachers; rather, I held the system accountable. I understand the immense challenges that classroom teachers face in trying to meet the needs of an increasingly diverse range of learners in today’s schools. Unfortunately, the system is failing families who depend on it to provide a robust educational foundation for their children. There is only so much differentiation a teacher can achieve in a single day.

The hard truth is that some children will inevitably be left behind, and at that moment, I refused to let my grandchildren be among them. I felt grateful for my expertise and knowledge, which enabled me to support my daughter in creating a homeschooling program tailored to her and her children’s needs.

Now, five years later, all three of my grandchildren are thriving and experiencing opportunities that I could only dream of when my own children were in school. It has become increasingly clear that public school does not work for every family, and more and more are awakening to the reality that there are viable options beyond the public K-12 system—even for working families.