Thursday marks Home Education Day in Alabama, celebrating the value of parental involvement and the achievements and contributions of homeschool families to their communities.
In a proclamation signed on January 30, Gov. Kay Ivey recognized the importance of parental involvement in education, noting the landmark U.S. Supreme Court decision in 1925 in the Pierce v. Society of Sisters case.
“The fundamental theory of liberty upon which all governments in this Union repose excludes any general power of the state to standardize its children by forcing them to accept instruction from public teachers only. The child is not the mere creature of the state; those who nurture him and direct his destiny have the right, coupled with the high duty, to recognize and prepare him for additional obligations,” Justice James C. McReynolds wrote in the majority opinion at the time.
The proclamation also notes the academic success of homeschool children.
“Children at home in Alabama and across America have consistently demonstrated the excellence of this model of education by attaining median scores well above the average on academic achievement tests,” it reads.
Pew Research reported that 3.4% of K-12 students in the United States were homeschooled during the 2022-2023 academic year, according to data from the National Center for Education Statistics.
John Hopkins estimated that Alabama far outpaces other states on homeschooling students, “Based on U.S. Census data, our calculations indicate that about 6.81% of K-12 students in Alabama were homeschooled during the 2022-23 school year, and 7.99% during the 2023-24 school year.”
Homeschool families are scheduled to unite in Montgomery, with some participants joining virtually.
Last month, the state celebrated National School Choice Week. Ivey used that opportunity to spotlight an Alabama family that is among the more than 7,000 using the CHOOSE Act or education savings account funds to support their educational needs.
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