Is Homeschooling More Expensive Than Public School? Cost of Homeschooling VS Public School
Find out whether homeschooling is more expensive than public school and how to compare their costs.
The popular misconception that homeschooling is more expensive than sending your kids to public school is untrue.
Do you know how much the government spends annually on educating your children if they attend a public school? You might want to get comfortable before reading this number because it might be shocking: over $10,000!
Even with the annual cost of the homeschool curriculum, private education is still less expensive than public education. The price of homeschooling and public school are contrasted here.
Is Homeschooling More Expensive Than Public School?
Homeschooling is significantly less expensive than public school! Even though we play sports and require school supplies, we can choose what and when our kids play, and we only need to purchase the supplies we want and need for our kids.
We also enjoy going to plays, concerts, and sporting events, but most of the time we can find activities that are free. We factor the cost of tickets into our homeschool budget if we do decide to attend an event that calls for ticket purchases, and if we discover that we are unable to pay for them, we choose not to.
You are required to attend and subsequently spend money on tickets to an event that you helped pay for in the first place when your children are involved in the public school and participate in them!
Considering how much students and parents have to pay, one has to wonder where all of the tax dollars for public schools are going.
Cost of Homeschooling
On this matter, there are differing views; many parents who homeschool their kids do so for less than $1,000 a year. All of the kids who live in the house are also included in this. According to other sources, homeschooling is more expensive than public schools.
It also depends on how one conducts homeschooling. It is feasible to homeschool on a tight budget by utilizing free local and online resources. It’s also feasible to run a homeschool without spending a fortune.
Do You Save Money by Homeschooling?
Homeschooling is more expensive than public schools but less expensive than the majority of private schools. As a result, it offers families who want a quality education at a reasonable cost a compromise option. See Why Are Private Schools So Expensive?
Homeschooling does have costs, but they don’t have to be prohibitive. There are many effective ways to strategically lower the cost of homeschooling and make it a viable option for a family on a tight budget.
Why is Homeschooling Expensive?
Families who homeschool their children dedicate time, money, and resources to all the extracurricular activities, books, supplies, and curricula that a public school would offer. These things can get expensive very quickly.
When a child is homeschooled, a parent frequently changes to a part-time schedule or quits their job entirely to oversee the child’s academic progress. Costs associated with homeschooling are increased by the loss of that income.
How Much Should You Spend on Homeschooling?
More so than the sum of money spent, time and effort have an impact on education quality. Depending on their resources and educational priorities, each family’s expenditure will look different.
You Might Also Like:
- Do You Get Paid to Homeschool?
- Is Homeschooling Hard? How To Deal With the Challenges?
- Can Homeschoolers Play Sports in Public Schools?
Homeschooling can be done on an annual budget of about $500 per child with careful planning. However, in some circumstances, spending more may be the best course of action. When determining how much to spend on homeschooling, there should be a balance between affordability and quality of instruction.
Cost of Public School
Every year, taxpayers may pay up to $13,000 per child for public education. Transport, school supplies, clothing, and money for lunches must all be covered by parents.
Although schools also hold fundraisers and accept cash donations from individuals, taxes are used to cover this expense. Therefore, even though a family does not spend $13,000 per student annually, they do pay taxes for public education.
How Much Does Public School Cost?
In the United States, the average annual cost per student is currently around $15,000. There is, however, a significant disparity between the states. Public school tuition varies by state, ranging from $30,000 in some to more like $10,000 per student.
Technically, homeschooling is far less expensive than public schooling at this level of spending. However, as was already mentioned, the total cost is not being billed to the parents of students who are enrolled in the schools.
Are There Extra Fees Related to Public School?
Although there is no tuition for public schools, there are frequent expenses involved. These can include uniforms, educational materials, and participation fees for extracurricular activities and field trips.
Additionally, families are responsible for the cost of after-school care, tutoring, and transportation to and from school. Public education is not entirely free, despite what might seem to be the case given all these costs.
Cost of Homeschooling Vs. Public School by Year
Six hundred dollars per child, per year, is the estimated cost of homeschooling. However, the price varies among homeschooling families, with some spending significantly more or less on homeschooling.
This price depends on a number of factors. Families with multiple children will typically spend more on education than those with just one or two. Additionally important is the age range of the students.
When a child is in kindergarten, books, paper, and crayons might be enough, but once they reach high school, parents frequently need to make purchases like calculators, lab supplies, and SAT preparation.
Affordability varies between different curricula as well. Waldorf-style homeschooling is likely to be less expensive than curricula like Classical Conversations, which call for numerous specialized books, due to its emphasis on physical activity and handcrafted projects.
Cost of Public School
The public education system in the United States. is currently estimated to cost $13,000 for every student per year. Instead of the families of the students, the government, however, foots the bill.
Even though public schools are run by the government, there are still expenses for families with children who attend them.
Depending on school policies, where they live, what extracurricular activities their child pursues, and other aspects of their family, “free” public education can become quite expensive.
Cost of Homeschooling
Many parents who homeschool their kids do so for less than $1,000 a year, according to differing opinions on the matter. The children who live in the home are also included in this. The cost of homeschooling is reportedly higher than that of public education, according to other sources.
It also depends on how one conducts homeschooling. Using free in-person and online resources, it is possible to homeschool on a tight budget. Additionally, homeschool can be operated without spending a fortune.
Homeschooling VS Public Schooling
Expenses for Parents
Once you learn that number, you may be quite shocked to hear that many homeschooling families spend less than $1,000 a year to educate everyone about their kids. Those only homeschooling a few kids can frequently do it for under $500 per year, per child.
Every year, a lot of public and private schools send home a list of supplies and requirements that actually costs more than this! A 2011 survey by the National Retail Federation found out that an “average American family will spend $606.40 on clothes, shoes, supplies, and electronics” for back to school!
A public school parent has actually spent more than the typical homeschooling parent does on all expenses combined once you factor in the costs for field trips, school lunches, and paid sports!
Costs for the School System
Why are these overall costs so different when parents already assist with the costs of supplies in public schools? It comes down to how public versus private schools are structured.
Here are the basic facts that make homeschooling a more affordable option:
- In order to teach their children, parents are not compensated. Their motivation for doing it is love, and at the end of the day, their reward is seeing their children succeed in life. It’s more of a business transaction because public schools must pay teachers to work there.
- Parents are not required to buy or rent out spaces for their kids’ education. Where they reside, they teach. The cost of large buildings, buses, and a ton of supplies must be covered by public schools.
- Homeschooling parents typically only purchase what is necessary. The budgets of schools are rife with waste.
This final argument is the real crux of why public education is so expensive. Equipment that isn’t necessary, high principal salaries, and expensive teacher pensions are common examples of money wasted.
Parent who is homeschooling their children is willing to do the teaching for no money in exchange, and they do not demand expensive supplies. Without requesting that sizable salary in return, they put on the hats of principal and teacher.
Managing the Cost of Homeschooling
Some basic things that you will need for homeschooling include:
- For every child, every year, textbooks and curriculum.
- a device that can access the Internet.
- basic school supplies, including writing instruments, paper, and pencils.
- space-friendly tables and chairs for conducting work and conducting lessons.
- whenever necessary, take field trips.
The readiness of parents to share and recycle is another factor that lowers the cost of homeschooling. Curriculums and textbooks, for example, can be sold to another family at a discount or passed down from one generation to the next.
If required, Internet access is available at the library. Field trips can frequently be taken for nothing or at a very low cost.
The annual cost of educating a child should not exceed $1,000. Homeschooling is a very cost-effective choice for parents who are prepared to buy gently used items, connect with other homeschooling families, and make savings wherever they can.
The total annual expenses should still be very close to $1,000. There may be additional costs as a child enters high school and requires more resources from outside the home. In many cases, it will continue to be below that level throughout high school.
Conclusion: is Homeschooling More Expensive Than Public School?
One advantage of homeschooling is that you won’t need to spend a lot of money to get a good education. The statistics on homeschooling will astound you.
To offer a good educational experience, no money is necessary. According to research, the educational system in this nation does not necessarily perform better simply because more funding is allocated to it.
Hopefully, this article has made it clear how much more expensive homeschooling is compared to attending public school. Homeschooling may benefit our kids in some circumstances, even though public school may be less expensive.
FAQs
Is There a Downside to Homeschooling?
More specifically, socialization or the lack of it is one of the most commonly-mentioned disadvantages of homeschooling. To make friends their own age and learn social skills, kids need to hang out with other kids their own age. Children typically make friends and learn how to interact with peers at school, where they also form strong social bonds.
What is the Most Expensive Homeschooling?
Private tutoring will be one of the most expensive forms of homeschooling since a teacher will be teaching all of the lessons. If you have the money, there are companies that specialize in offering this option.
Should I Homeschool My Child With Anxiety?
Homeschooling can allow a teen with social anxiety the time and space to deal with the issue and seek treatment. However, it’s crucial to prevent socially anxious teenagers from completely isolating themselves, which is something that homeschooling may lead to.
