The Quiet Shift: Why More Autism Families Are Turning to Homeschooling

And what it reveals about a system many say is no longer working

Across the United States, a quiet but significant shift is underway in how families, particularly those raising children with autism, are approaching education. Homeschooling, once considered a fringe alternative, has rapidly expanded into a mainstream option. As of 2024, approximately 3.7 million children in the U.S. are being homeschooled, representing nearly 6.7% of all school-age children, a sharp increase from roughly 2.5 million in 2019. This growth has been fueled in part by the pandemic, but the trend has not reversed. Instead, it has evolved—especially among families navigating special needs.

Within that broader movement, children with disabilities—and particularly autism—are disproportionately represented. Research suggests that about 1 in 10 children with autism in the United States are homeschooled, and as many as 25% to 38% of homeschooling families include a child with special needs. More telling, however, is not just how many families are homeschooling, but why. Studies …