No one knows for sure, since states vary so widely in their data collection requirements and practices. Nearly a quarter of states, for instance, don't require homeschoolers to register or provide notification.  The National Household Education Survey estimates 1.7 million students were homeschooled in 2016, a number that remained essentially flat from 2012.  Recent U.S. Census Bureau surveys, however, suggest a significantly higher number of homeschoolers, but these data have been designated "experimental" and used very different methodologies than NHES..

As with most U.S. education policy, requirements vary from state to state.  A few states have no homeschool regulations; in others, standardized testing, curriculum approval, portfolio review, teacher qualifications, or some combination thereof are required. Homeschool advocacy groups, on the whole, have been quite effective in reducing regulations in several states in recent years.  For detailed state-by-state information, click here.

Attempting to define the typical homeschooler is akin to describing the typical public school student—the range of demographics, philosophies, and practices makes such a generalization nearly impossible.  While stereotypes of socially reclusive, religiously zealous homeschoolers retain some purchase in the public imagination, the continued growth of home education means that the broader public is increasingly exposed to a diversity of homeschool families.

Again, we don't know. In the 2016 National Household Education survey, 51% of parents said that providing "religious instruction" was a reason for their choice to homeschool. While estimates vary widely, most observers acknowledge that conservative Christians constitute the largest subset of homeschoolers in the United States, and they certainly hold disproportionate influence on public perception and rhetoric. In particular, the Home School Legal Defense Association (HSLDA), which identifies itself as a Christian organization, and its state-level affiliates exert strong influence over much of the policy environment surrounding homeschooling.

Evidence regarding this question has been fraught with controversy because most of the studies that have received widest attention have been interpreted to say something they do not and cannot. We simply can’t draw any conclusions about the academic performance of the “average homeschooler,” because none of the studies so often cited employ random samples representing the full range of homeschoolers.

For example, two large U.S. studies (Rudner, 1999; Ray, 2009) are frequently cited as definitive evidence that homeschoolers academically outperform public and private school students. But in both cases, the homeschool participants were volunteers responding to an invitation by the nation’s most prominent advocacy organization to contribute test scores (on tests usually administered by parents in the child’s own home). The demographics of these samples were far whiter, more religious, more married, better educated, and wealthier than national averages. And yet these test score results were compared to average public school scores that included children from all income levels and family backgrounds. Not surprisingly, wealthy homeschoolers from stable two-parent families who take tests administered by their parents in the comfort of their own homes outscore the average public school child by large margins.

The simple fact is that no studies of academic achievement exist that draw from a representative, nationwide sample of homeschoolers and control for background variables like socio-economic or marital status. It is thus impossible to say whether or not homeschooling as such has any impact on the sort of academic achievement measured by standardized tests.

The question of whether states or districts should allow homeschoolers to take individual classes or participate in extracurricular activities at public schools has become increasingly prominent in recent years, with many homeschoolers pushing for greater access, either by urging lawmakers to champion their cause with new legislation or even taking the issue to court themselves.  Currently, fourteen states have laws mandating that homeschoolers be allowed to enroll as part-time students, and four states explicitly prohibit it; the rest leave it up to district discretion. In terms of extracurricular participation, regulations are more generous:  about half of states require districts to make room for homeschoolers (although 21 states do not allow homeschoolers to participate in interscholastic competition).

Few criticisms annoy homeschool parents as much as the “socialization question.”  Their typical response is to argue that the type of socialization that public schools typically offer is hardly the most desirable or useful sort for later life.    Furthermore, they contend, homeschoolers get to interact more with the full range of ages—rather than almost exclusively with their peers—in a greater variety of learning settings throughout the community.

It’s true that opportunities abound for all but the most geographically isolated homeschoolers to have significant, face-to-face interactions with those outside their family, including same-age peers.  As with questions about academic performance of homeschooling, however, comprehensive empirical evidence about socialization is unavailable.  Some homeschool advocates routinely cite one particular study—a 2003 report by Brian Ray, commissioned by HSLDA—as evidence that homeschool graduates are engaged citizens, involved in their communities, and leading fulfilling lives.  But this study relied on the self-reports of volunteers without controlling for parent income, education, or other variables, so neither definitive statements about homeschoolers nor reliable comparisons with the general U.S. population can be made.

Most outsiders are surprised to learn that the homeschool curriculum market is estimated to do nearly a billion dollars a year in sales in the United States alone. Curricula range from materials infused with religious references to products that are used regularly in public schools (a math program from Singapore, for instance, is popular among homeschoolers and school districts alike).

Although (again) no comprehensive research exists, homeschool advocates contend that the customized, individual attention made possible in the homeschooling context can be of particular benefit to students with special needs.  Fourteen percent of homeschool parents in the 2016 NHES survey pointed to their child’s "physical or mental health problem" as a reason they chose to homeschool, and 20% of parents said their child had other kinds of "special needs" that schools didn't address to their satisfaction.

In terms of special education services, U.S. parents don't necessarily need to forgo them if they choose to homeschool their children. The Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) requires school districts to locate and evaluate both public school and private school children in the district who may have special education needs.  Whether homeschoolers are considered private school students—and thus eligible for special education services—varies from state to state.

While formal studies have been limited in scope, they suggest—along with hundreds of anecdotal accounts over the past few years—that homeschoolers generally fare quite well in college.  Both university officials and homeschoolers-turned-collegians themselves point to social adjustments as the biggest challenge, as well as learning to adhere to a fixed schedule of classes and assignment deadlines.  Homeschoolers’ ability to direct their own learning and pace themselves is often identified as a real strength, however, particularly if accompanied by a zest for exploration and discovery that self-directed learning can foster.  Not surprisingly, then, admissions departments around the United States are increasingly amenable to homeschooler applications, some actually assigning an official liaison specifically for this population.  Others have even begun actively recruiting homeschoolers through state conventions, targeted information sessions, and homeschooler publications.