Why Parents of ‘Twice-Exceptional’ Children Choose Homeschool Over Public School

Yahoo! News - Mar 17th, 2025
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Homeschooling has seen a significant rise in popularity, particularly since the COVID-19 pandemic. A 2023 survey highlights that the main reasons parents choose homeschooling are concerns about school environments, such as safety and drugs, and dissatisfaction with academic instruction. The homeschooling demographic is becoming more diverse, with equal representation across political affiliations, and a significant portion of parents opting out of traditional schooling due to their children's special needs, such as those identified as twice exceptional.

Twice-exceptional students, who have both learning challenges and advanced skills, often face unique challenges in traditional school settings. Parents of these students are turning to homeschooling to better address their children's individual needs, avoid the 'masking' phenomenon where disabilities or gifts obscure each other, and cater to behavioral and emotional needs more effectively. Understanding these motivations is crucial for improving public education and offering better support to families, potentially reducing the need for homeschooling.

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RATING

6.8
Fair Story
Consider it well-founded

The article provides a well-researched and timely exploration of the reasons behind the rise in homeschooling, particularly for twice-exceptional children. It effectively highlights the challenges these students face in traditional school settings and the motivations of parents who choose to homeschool. However, the article could benefit from more balanced perspectives, greater transparency in its data sources, and additional context to enhance its overall impact. Despite these areas for improvement, the article remains a valuable contribution to the ongoing discussion about educational choices and the needs of diverse learners.

RATING DETAILS

8
Accuracy

The article presents several claims about the rise in homeschooling and the reasons behind it, which are largely supported by available data. For instance, the increase in homeschooling from 3.7% to 5.2% between 2018-2019 and 2022-2023 is corroborated by data from the National Center for Education Statistics. Additionally, the claim that concerns about the school environment and dissatisfaction with academic instruction are top reasons for homeschooling aligns with the 2023 survey cited in the article. However, the article could improve by providing more specific references or links to the studies mentioned, such as the Washington Post-Schar School poll and the Institute of Education Sciences survey, to enhance verifiability.

7
Balance

The article primarily focuses on the perspective of parents who choose homeschooling for twice-exceptional children, highlighting the challenges these students face in traditional school settings. While it effectively conveys the motivations and concerns of these parents, it does not provide much insight into opposing viewpoints, such as those of educators or policymakers who might argue for the strengths of public education. Including these perspectives could provide a more balanced view of the homeschooling debate.

8
Clarity

The article is generally well-written, with a clear structure and logical flow. It effectively communicates the challenges faced by twice-exceptional students and the reasons parents might choose homeschooling. The language is straightforward and accessible, making it easy for readers to follow the arguments presented. However, the article could benefit from more explicit definitions of key terms, such as 'twice-exceptional,' to ensure all readers understand the concepts discussed.

6
Source quality

The article references surveys and data from credible sources such as the National Center for Education Statistics and the Washington Post-Schar School poll, which lends credibility to its claims. However, it lacks direct citations or links to these sources within the text, making it difficult for readers to verify the information independently. Additionally, the article is republished from The Conversation, a reputable platform known for academic contributions, which enhances its reliability.

5
Transparency

While the article provides some context for its claims, such as the increase in homeschooling rates and the reasons behind it, it lacks detailed explanations of the methodologies used in the surveys and studies mentioned. The article could improve transparency by offering more information about how data was collected and analyzed, as well as any potential conflicts of interest that might affect the findings. This would help readers better understand the basis of the claims presented.

Sources

  1. https://www.davidsongifted.org/gifted-blog/homeschooling-twice-exceptional-children/
  2. https://raisinglifelonglearners.com/homeschooling-twice-exceptional/
  3. https://www.aaegt.net.au/homeschooling-your-gifted-twice-exceptional-child
  4. https://giftedissues.davidsongifted.org/bb/ubbthreads.php/topics/186543/homeschooling-2e-kids-please-read.html
  5. https://www.the74million.org/article/why-parents-of-twice-exceptional-children-choose-homeschool-over-public-school/