Nearly 63,000 Virginia students are homeschooled. We explore why families choose this path.

LUNENBURGCOUNTY,Va.—ThenumberoffamilieschoosingtohomeschooltheirchildreninVirginiaisincreasing,withnearly63,000studentslearningfromhomeduringthe2024-25schoolyear,accordingtoareportfromtheHomeEducatorsAssociationofVirginia(HEAV). “Homeschoolingallowsyoutotailoritforeachchildastheyastheyneedit,”explainedShannonLewis,aLunenburgCountyresident. Lewishasbeenteachingherfourchildrenathomeformorethantwodecades,beginningatatimewhenhomeschoolingwasmuchlesscommoninherarea. “22yearsago,therewerenootherpeopleinLunenburgthatIknewtherewerehomeschooling,”shesaid.“Theinternetwasaround,butitwasn’twhatitistoday.” TheLewisfamilyinitiallychosehomeschoolingforreligiousreasonswhentheiroldestsonwouldhavestartedkindergartenandhascontinuedthiseducationalpathforallfourchildren. “Whatworksforonedoesnotalwaysworkfortheother,whichispartofthebeautyofhomeschooling,”saidLewis. Me