What Types of Families Choose Homeschooling?
Americans of different races, socioeconomic backgrounds, and religions homeschool. Holt Associates describes its clientele as individuals who “live in the country, city, suburbs, small towns. Some are single parents, combining working outside the home with homeschooling.”(33) Given many Americans’ penchant for associations, there are national homeschooling support groups for Mormons, Catholics, Jews, Muslims, the handicapped, and homeschoolers of color. A recent study of 5,402 homeschooled children from 1,657 families, conducted by Brian Ray and the HSLDA, noted that the top three occupational groups of homeschooling fathers were accountant or engineer (17.3 percent); professor, doctor, or lawyer (16.9 percent); and small-business owner (10.7 percent). According to the same survey, 87.7 percent of mothers who have chosen to stay at home and teach their children list “homemaker” as their occupation.
Americans of different races, socioeconomic backgrounds, and religions homeschool. Holt Associates describes its clientele as individuals who “live in the country, city, suburbs, small towns. Some are single parents, combining working outside the home with homeschooling.”(33) Given many Americans’ penchant for associations, there are national homeschooling support groups for Mormons, Catholics, Jews, Muslims, the handicapped, and homeschoolers of color. A recent study of 5,402 homeschooled children from 1,657 families, conducted by Brian Ray and the HSLDA, noted that the top three occupational groups of homeschooling fathers were accountant or engineer (17.3 percent); professor, doctor, or lawyer (16.9 percent); and small-business owner (10.7 percent). According to the same survey, 87.7 percent of mothers who have chosen to stay at home and teach their children list “homemaker” as their occupation.(34) Educational researchers Jane Van Galen and Mary Ann Pittman have categorized the two
