Texas Homeschooling Coalition sees increase in families considering at-home instruction due to COVID-19
AUSTIN, Texas - The new school year is slowly approaching and some parents are switching to homeschooling their kids.
Tim Lambert, President of the Texas Homeschooling Coalition said his office has seen an increase in calls and emails from families.
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“Our calls since the TEA announced their new guidelines for schools have doubled,“ said Lambert. “The response we are getting from parents is they are concerned obviously with the virus and there are some parents who don't want to send their children back into that.”
During the state’s stay at home order, Jillian Glawson said her daughter Caroline did just fine. She described her 8-year-old as a quick learner. However, she worries her 5-year-old son like most kindergartners may need as much hands-on instruction as possible. Texas schools are opening back up, according to the Texas Education Agency’s recommendations.
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“You just can’t expect for a five-year-olds to really maintain a good social distance and health and safety measures,” said Glawson. “Our family is choosing to homeschool primarily for consistency without knowing whether they are going to close schools again without knowing exactly how they’re going to handle an outbreak in the school.“
Glawson is a stay-at-home mother with a degree in education. She is looking forward to the flexibility of working with her children from home and tailoring their curriculum, key points Lambert said attracts parents to homeschooling.
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“Do what is best for your children, don't worry about what you’re going to do next year or next semester if this is the best thing for your child just take that step,” said Lambert. “None of the decisions that you’re making now are going to be irreversible or harm your children. If you think this is the best step, take this step for your children.
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