Home School Heartbeat Radio Program

The average cost per student in the public schools is thousands of dollars per year. What does it cost to homeschool a student? Tune in as Home School Legal Defense Association Chairman and General Counsel Michael Farris crunches the numbers, on today’s edition of Home School Heartbeat.

Michael Farris:
One of the reasons that homeschooling is growing so rapidly is that annual costs are relatively minimal. A 1996 national survey found that the average family spent $546 to homeschool their child—principally for curriculum materials. I’m quite surprised that this figure is so high. Our own family’s experience over 16 years is that it costs us about $200 per year, per child, for curriculum materials.

But are you really listening to the numbers we’re talking about? $200 to $550 to educate a child for an entire year. Public schools spend $5,000 a year, and private schools can be three times that amount. We have to recognize that one of the principal differences in the cost is that homeschool teachers aren’t paid. However in public schools, far less than 50% of the spending ever reaches the classroom for textbooks or teachers’ salaries.

Parents, you can afford to homeschool. The cost of two pair of the latest, hottest, most trendy tennis shoes can more than pay for all the textbooks your child will need for a truly excellent home education.

I’m Michael Farris.