The rise in home schooling in Colorado and across the country comes during a flashpoint in culture wars over school curricula and lingering tension over pandemic vaccine and masking requirements for children.

The conversation and politics around how topics like race and sex should be taught in school has intensified since the pandemic. The debate has spilled into multiple Colorado school board races as conservative groups rally against the instruction of LGBTQ topics, sex education and critical race theory — the advanced academic field that examines how racism has shaped public policy. Critical race theory is not taught in Colorado K-12 schools and is not part of the academic standards.

Parents have been grappling with increasing concerns over student safety, a desire for more personalized education, and ideological differences with traditional public school curricula, more Colorado parents are choosing to home-school their children.

For years, the number of home-schooled students in Colorado had been slowly increasing. However, when the pandemic hit and schools across the country scrambled to implement virtual learning, that number shot up dramatically. The sometimes-rocky experience of online schooling pushed many parents to reconsider traditional public education in favor of home schooling.

In fall 2019, there were just under 8,000 full-time home-schooled students in the state, according to the Colorado Department of Education.

By fall 2022, that number had nearly doubled to over 15,000. While some students have returned to traditional public schools as in-person learning resumed, there are still over 8,600 home-schooled students in Colorado, a number that is significantly higher than previous years.

This trend is not unique to Colorado. Across the country, there has been a noticeable increase in the number of families choosing to home-school their children.

A 2020 census household survey found that the percentage of families in Colorado who home-school jumped from 3.4% to 8.7% during the pandemic. Nationally, there was a 5.6 percentage point increase in households practicing home schooling.

And it's not just in certain areas of the state. School districts in Colorado Springs and Pueblo saw a nearly 175% and 100% increase in home-schooled students, respectively. While districts in Summit and Larimer counties saw decreases in full-time home-schooled students, showing a divide between more urban and rural areas.

But why are more families choosing to home-school their children?

According to Steve Craig, the executive director of the Christian Home Educators of Colorado, the pandemic was a turning point for many parents. It gave them the opportunity to have more control and visibility into their child's education. And as they saw success in navigating home schooling during the pandemic, many have chosen to continue in that path.

While some may attribute this rising trend to ideology or personal beliefs, research shows that families are choosing home schooling for a variety of reasons.

It could be a safety concern about the school environment, a preference for more family time, or a desire for a more personalized education. And contrary to popular belief, home-schooled students are generally well-prepared for college, with the only potential disadvantage being in math due to the complex concepts they may learn outside of a traditional classroom setting.

In Colorado, home schooling is a fairly straightforward process that is addressed in state statute.

Parents simply need to submit a letter of intent to a school district before they begin and are responsible for selecting a curriculum and making sure their child receives instruction in various subjects. Some parents choose a complete curriculum, while others mix and match to cater to their child's learning style and interests. And depending on where they live, home-schooled students can participate in enrichment and support programs offered by local school districts.

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While the increase in home school numbers does have a financial impact on school districts, officials say they support families in their choice and will work to ensure success for all students. And with the recent focus on controversial topics like critical race theory and sex education in schools, some parents may feel more inclined to home-school their children in order to have more control over their education and curriculum.

So, as more Colorado parents turn to home schooling, this trend is not just a passing phase. With concerns over student safety, the desire for a more personalized education, and ideological differences with traditional public school curricula, home schooling is becoming an increasingly popular option for families across the state.