Homeschooling Skyrockets In South Dakota Like Never Before

There was a time when you would have been hard pressed to find anyone who was home schooled, but not anymore - especially in South Dakota.

The latest numbers show that the homeschooling numbers in the Mount Rushmore State are off the charts.

According to data from Johns Hopkins University, South Dakota saw a 143 percent increase in homeschool enrollment in the last 10 years, the highest of any state during that time frame.

According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the share of homeschooled families in the state rose from nearly 6.5 percent in the spring of 2020 to 12.5 percent by the fall of that year.

READ MORE: Three South Dakota Schools Earn Top Honors As Blue Ribbon Winners

Just over 2,000 students reported homeschooling in 2000 which increased to over 6,600 at the height of the COVID pandemic in 2020 and continues to increase.

About 6.11% of K-12 students in South Dakota were homeschooled during the 2022-23 school year, and 5.97% during the 2023-24 school year.

Governor Larry Rhoden announced last month that South Dakota will participate in a federal tax program that would aid students in alternative schooling.

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