Homeschooling Surge in Wisconsin: A Shift in Educational Preferences
In recent years, Wisconsin has witnessed a significant shift in educational preferences, with homeschooling emerging as the fastest-growing option. According to the latest figures from the Department of Public Instruction, the number of homeschooled students in the state has risen by nearly 6% since 2025, reaching a total of 32,891 children.
Comparatively, the growth in private school enrollment has been modest, increasing by just 0.1%, while public schools have experienced a decline, losing 1.7% of their student population, equivalent to 14,087 students.
Homeschooling has been on the rise since the mid-1980s when only 966 children were homeschooled. For two decades, from 2000 to 2020, the number of homeschooled students fluctuated between 18,000 and 21,600. However, the COVID-19 pandemic caused a dramatic increase, with over 10,000 students transitioning to homeschooling.
Despite the initial surge being attributed to the pandemic, many families have opted to continue homeschooling. Sara Shaw, deputy research director at the Wisconsin Policy Forum, noted, “The fact that the increase happens in 2026, that I don’t have a clearer explanation for what factors might be at play here in families saying actually we’re going to opt out of the formal education setting and do this at home instead.”
Shaw highlighted that the decline in public school enrollment presents a significant challenge and is likely to persist. However, she pointed out that this trend is not solely due to the rise in homeschooling or private schools but also reflects broader demographic changes, such as declining birthrates.
“So, having more choices for a diminishing pool of students does end up kind of further fracturing the total student population and creating strain in the sectors that are getting hit hardest,” Shaw explained.
Challenges in Student Achievement
While educational preferences are shifting, academic performance has not returned to pre-pandemic levels. Data from the Policy Forum indicates that math and reading scores are still lagging behind 2019 figures, and absenteeism rates remain elevated.
On a positive note, Wisconsin’s high school graduation rates have reached 92%, the highest since 2012. This information is available in the School DataTool, which the Policy Forum developed to compare metrics such as student demographics, district finances, and student outcomes across public school districts.
Shaw expressed concern over the lack of discourse on these issues, stating, “I think it is surprising that we’re just not talking more about it.” She emphasized that while there is a perception of moving past the pandemic, student performance in reading and math, as well as relationships between families, students, and schools, have not fully recovered.
Wisconsin is not unique in these trends, as similar patterns are observed nationwide. However, the state does stand out for its Black-white achievement gap, which is the largest in the country after Washington D.C., according to Shaw. The data on student achievement, however, cannot be fully applied to private or homeschooled students, as they are not subject to the same testing requirements as their public school counterparts.
