Hard times make parents even more determined to homeschool according to AP

Many parents aren't giving up their homeschooling just because this country's economy is in the dumper. To me, it makes even more sense to homeschool during a recession. Homeschooling will especially be a no-brainer when this country finally enters the Obama depression. Homeschooling is only as expensive as you want it to be. Armed with a library card and common sense, parents can provide a world of knowledge and learning opportunities for their homeschooled children.

I like Mr. Klicka's outlook on some of the advantages to this recession:

Christopher Klicka of Warrenton, Virginia, senior counsel for the Home School Legal Defense Association and co-teacher along with his wife of seven homeschooled children, says hard times enhance homeschooling's appeal as private school tuition becomes unaffordable and some public schools contemplate cutbacks.

"People are looking to homeschooling as an alternative more now in light of economic circumstances," he said, citing its low cost and potential for strengthening family bonds.

At Allendale Academy in Clearwater, Florida, which provides resources for homeschoolers, enrollment has risen 50 percent over the past two years to about 900 students as families desert private schools, says academy director Patricia Carter.

"Often one parent has been laid off," she said. "That makes private school tuition impossible, and they don't want to send their kids back to public school."

Read the full AP article here.