Why More Oklahoma Families Are Making The Switch To Homeschooling

Since the start of the pandemic, the country saw a significant increase in homeschooling, according to the US Census Bureau.

It nearly doubled from the start of the pandemic to the start of school last year.

For families in the metro, they said that energy isn't slowing down, especially with COVID still around.

"There is a good number of people who are concerned about the risk of COVID. There has been a lot of people frustrated with last year's virtual back and forth," said Holly Afendris, a homeschool organizer and mom.

This past week in Norman, hundreds of homeschool families gathered for event which offered more than 40 resource booths for educational and extracurricular opportunities, including a seminar for first-year parents interested in homeschooling.

"We had trouble obviously with the technology end of it, and keeping in touch with the teachers, and it just wasn't face to face," said Heather Pantalone, a mother interested in homeschooling.

Whether a newly interested parent or a multi-year veteran of homeschooling, Afendris said home school seems like a more consistent option, with the uncertainty of the Delta variant possibly spreading through schools.

"It's hard when you are getting pulled back and forth, whether they are going to be in the school or whether they are going to be virtual. So homeschooling is a good option for those people who want that plan made for the year," said Afendris.