The cost of homeschooling can be very high or relatively low, depending on many factors.
It will also depend on what you take into consideration in your assessment of costs.
A few possible scenarios:
Most Expensive
Many times the homeschooling decision results in a parent giving up a job. If the parent earns for example $40 000 a year in the workplace, that will mean you start with a cost of $40 000. If the parent earns more this cost would be higher.
Homeschooling parents don’t seem to keep very good records of their expenses but those who do, estimate it around $2500 a year for one child. If there are more than one child the amount for the rest will be a bit less. This includes extras, such as computers, furniture, electricity, textbooks, stationary and possible outside tutors. Adding an online homeschooling course to this can add another $1000 or more, to the amount. Most of these courses, however, will include the text books that can then be deducted from the $2500.
Less Expensive
If the parent responsible for homeschooling is a stay-at-home parent, the picture will look very different. An online course plus the extras will then only come to about $3 500 which sounds much better than $43 500. A family in this privileged situation might find it easier to choose homeschooling.
Creative Homeschooling
Parents that are serious about homeschooling and its advantages don’t seem to be too concerned about the costs. Many of these parents come up with highly creative ways to keep the costs down. Some parents opt for flexi-time jobs to ensure that one parent is at home with the children. Others look at jobs they can do from home.
These parents also do a lot of research and join support groups where they meet up with other parents to swop resource materials and books. They make use of the internet to find online worksheets and free resources. For outings and extra-curricular activities they use cheaper options such as matinee shows or free entry options to museums and galleries. In a survey done with 220 families in Minnesota they reported spending between $300 and a $1 000 a year on homeschooling.
Looking at the figures and the possible sacrifices by parents, the viability of homeschooling will depend on the specific circumstances of a family.
