National Home Education Research Institute (NHERI) is an organization that conducts and publishes homeschooling research and maintains the largest collection of research on this subject matter. NHERI has spent decades producing independent homeschool research that equips families, informs policymakers, and strengthens homeschool freedom. Their different studies and research summary articles often debunk accusations and myths around homeschool. 

Here are three research reports published by NHERI in 2026.

How Many Homeschool Students in the US in 2024-2025 School Year?

This article, published on February 27, 2026, serves the purpose of estimating the number of homeschool students in the United States during the 2024 – 2025 school year. 

Method

This study used the census bureau and Departments of Education from 23 states (representing 4 major regions) to estimate the number of homeschooled students in the United States. This estimate is reached by establishing the number of school-aged children in the nation, collecting the percentage of students homeschooled in the studied states, figuring out what number of students that is across the nation, and assuming some underreporting. 

There are a variety of reasons why the number of homeschooled students are assumed to be underreported. State rules impact reporting, where some states do not require it. There is also the matter that the compulsory school age differs between states. For these reasons, and others, we will not know the exact number of homeschooled students, but we can come up with a reasonable estimate.

Findings

Searching through the data, it is encouraging to know that many states have been collecting this data about home educated students for over a decade. This data shows a consistent growth over the years, with a larger increase post pandemic. Estimated homeschooled numbers over the last 50 years are recorded as:

• 13,000 students in the 1970’s;
• 1.690 million students in 2016;
• 3.135 million students in 2022 after the pandemic boom;
• 3.408 million students in 2025.

The 2024 – 2025 number of 3.408 million students represents 6.262% of the United States school aged population. 83.016% of school aged students are registered public school students while 10.453% are said to be in private schools. The growth in homeschool numbers is expected to continue in upcoming years. 

An Overview of Research on Homeschool Students’ Academic Achievement and Test Scores: And How to Think About Claims by Authors Such as Bartholet, Coalition for Responsible Home Education (CRHE), Dwyer & Peters, and Kunzman & Gaither

Published March 10, 2026, this article summarizes some different research pieces, addresses opinions that are out there about flawed research, and offers suggestions for thinking logically and critically when reading studies and articles about homeschool.

Academic Achievement

The academic achievement of homeschoolers is often called into question. Too often, generalizations or assumptions are stated as fact. This article debunks some of these statements and recognizes that research has limitations.

Homeschool studies often show research to support the statement that homeschool students outperform students from institutional schools. However, researchers aren’t claiming that homeschoolers always excel, they are speaking towards positive trends that they see in the research. They also are not assuming that correlation equals causation, but they can’t rule out homeschool as the cause of students’ success. Researchers also understand that not all variables can be controlled and there are other things at play in a child’s life other than where they receive their education.

Government Regulation

Another often debated matter is whether or not homeschooling needs to be regulated by the government in order to be effective, however there is no evidence to support these claims. 

Standardized Testing

Many consider government issued standardized testing to be the gold star for academic achievement, but consider the logic behind that statement. Standardized tests are not always the most accurate or appropriate ways to assess learning, in part because most homeschoolers are not required to teach to align with these tests. Standardized testing assumes everyone is learning everything at the same rate, same time, and same order. It’s also important to keep in mind that homeschooled students don’t have the same experience taking standardized tests as their public school counterparts. 

It is important to remember that those who are preoccupied with test scores value academic achievement often more than homeschool parents, who value things like character and lifelong learning. Families measure success differently, so a standardized test may not validly measure every student’s goals.

A Nationwide Study on the Academic Achievement of Homeschool Students and Parents’ Reasons for Homeschooling

Published online, May 21, 2026, in the Peabody Journal of Education, this study seeks to analyze a nationwide sample of homeschooled students’ test scores in comparison to institutionally schooled students’ test scores while accounting for two key controlled factors: socio-economic status and race/ethnicity. As well, parental reasons for homeschooling were collected.

Purpose

Due to the fact that there hadn’t been achievement data collected for 15 years and very few studies had been conducted using controlled factors, this study collected data from homeschoolers assessing five academic areas with two key controlled factors. Having an understanding of homeschool achievement patterns, especially when it comes to specific demographic factors, is important in order to make and deliberate policies as well as make parental decisions. This data can also be used to help homeschoolers combat the argument that more control and regulation of homeschool is needed.

Standardized tests are widely recognized – though controversially by some – as a good measure of student learning. While many homeschoolers don’t typically subscribe to standardized tests, in some states (no provinces) it is required to homeschool. While test scores are only one benchmark for evaluating educational effectiveness, they are recognized as an important measure of learning. 

Some people wonder if homeschooling itself is what leads to higher academic achievement or if other factors are at play. Including these two key controlled factors in this study allows researchers to speak to that. 

Study Specifics

This study assessed homeschooled and institutionally schooled students results from their completed standardized achievement test (CAT and other similar, well-accepted tests). Participating families reported their total family income over the last 12 months as well as their family size. This allowed homeschool families to be rated on the threshold used in schools to determine if they qualified for free or reduced lunch in schools. The test scores were analyzed through the lens of free/reduced lunch eligibility and race.

Results

After controlling those two variables, homeschool students scored approximately 0.75 to 1 standard deviation above the national average of institutional schools in all five of the academic areas tested. These five academic areas were reading, language, math, social studies, and science.

The variable of ethnicity/race showed no remarkable pattern of change in academic results between homeschooled and institutional school students.

Family income showed to matter less (be less impactful) in homeschooling. This is likely due to the ability to customize and have one-on-one instruction without needing expensive resources.

There was no significant relation shown between student learning and parental education or teacher certification. 

No evidence was found to support the claim that more regulation of homeschool would positively impact learning. In fact, more regulation was associated with lower math and social studies scores. 

Homeschool test scores were notably above average even with consideration of the two controlled factors.

Study Strength and Weakness

This study had a large sample size which increases its reliability. The standard measure with which the outcomes were assessed added to the reliability of the results, as did the inclusion of the two key controllable factors. 

A weakness of this study was that minorities were underrepresented in homeschool families and other variables could also have been considered – such as pedagogical approach and parent / child IQ.