by Renée Gotcher

When my mother decided to start homeschooling in 1988, I was just two years away from finishing high school. We had moved too far from my public high school for me to continue attending, so she included me in this sweeping decision, despite my initial resistance. From my questioning teenage perspective, the fact that she enrolled us in an independent school, which organized some activities to connect with other homeschooling families, was my saving grace. (Although most of these events were not local to us — homeschooling was unusual back then!)

Much has changed in our culture and public education system since those early days of modern homeschooling, especially in the post-COVID-19 pandemic years. Not surprisingly, the number of families homeschooling across the country has skyrocketed¹, along with the number of options emerging to support these families.

However, one thing hasn’t changed, in my opinion: The value of enrolling in an independent school (also known as an umbrella school) for legal compliance with state homeschooling law.

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