With homeschooling numbers rising across the US, UK, and beyond, it’s tempting to assume families are opting out of traditional schools for lifestyle reasons alone. New analysis of over 200 parent discussions on Reddit reveals that most families felt being pushed out of the system by unmet special educational needs, bullying, mental health crises, and a mismatch between their child and the structure of school.
“Behind every statistic is a child who was either thriving or struggling in a classroom that wasn’t built for them,” said Dr Ryan Stevenson, Co-Founder & Director at Bright Heart Education.
“What parents are telling us is that homeschooling is often a pressure valve when other options have failed.”
1. Special Educational Needs Are the Main Reason For Homeschooling
Special educational needs and neurodivergence were the most cited reasons for leaving mainstream school, mentioned in around 30% of parent conversations. Parents describe autistic children being punished for meltdowns rather than supported, and chronically ill pupils whose care plans are ignored.
“These aren’t families chasing an alternative lifestyle,” Dr Stevenson explained. “They are families who reached the end of the road with a system that couldn’t adapt. Homeschooling becomes the only way to create a calm, predictable environment where their child isn’t in constant distress.”
2. Students Switch To Home Education Because of Bullying More Often
Bullying was the second-most common reason, cited in about 15% of discussions. Parents describe children dreading each school day, being socially excluded, or targeted for being “weird”, queer, disabled, or simply not fitting in. In many cases, families said they had exhausted school-based solutions and safeguarding processes before turning to home education.
3. Academic Mismatch: Too Fast, Too Slow, or Too Rigid
Academic mismatch was mentioned as frequently as bullying, in around 15% of conversations. Here, both high-achieving and struggling pupils fall through the cracks.
“In both directions, the theme is the same: the pace and structure of school don’t match how that child learns,” Dr Stevenson said. “Homeschooling gives some families permission to slow down, deepen learning, or move ahead without waiting for the rest of the class.”
4. Homeschooling As A Mental Health Protection
Mental health was a primary factor in around 10% of parents’ accounts. They describe school as a major trigger for panic attacks, anxiety, depression, and shutdowns. The pandemic played a role here. Some families realised during lockdowns that their ADHD or anxious children functioned better with flexible, home-based routines – and did not want to return to the old pattern.
5. Less Than 10% Choose Homeschooling Because of Life Circumstances
For around 8% of parents, the main driver was logistical and lifestyle factors rather than the classroom itself. This includes military families who move frequently, digital nomads who change countries or regions often, and rural families living far from suitable schools. Parents with their own health needs also mentioned homeschooling as a way to manage medical appointments and fluctuating energy levels without constant conflict with attendance policies.
6. Least Common Reasons For Homeschooling: Values, Safety Fears & Child-Led Learning
A smaller but still important group of parents cited values and worldview (7%), safety (5%), and child-led learning (4%) as their main drivers.
Values & worldview (7%): Parents in this group mention religious reasons, disagreement with curriculum content, or wanting a stronger say over moral and social education.
Safety and fear of violence (5%): Particularly in the US, parents referenced fears of school shootings, drugs, and unsafe environments as reasons for keeping children at home.
Child-led learning (4%): These families speak in terms of educational philosophy: self-directed learning, real-world projects, and following the child’s interests rather than a fixed timetable.
“Last Resort” vs “Active Choice” Families
Many UK parents, in particular, said they never planned to home educate. They felt they had run out of safe options.
“For policymakers, this split is crucial,” Dr Stevenson concluded. “If a large proportion of homeschoolers are ‘last resort’ families, then the real story isn’t about parents abandoning schools – it’s about schools and systems that weren’t able to hold onto them.”
Shared with us by Mia Reed
EduTimes Africa, a product of Education Times Africa, is a magazine publication that aims to lend its support to close the yawning gap in Africa's educational development.
