When you factor in those under seven and over sixteen, the number of home schooled students could rise to close to 40,000. In the current school year, there are 395 home schools in Forsyth County and 551 home schools in Guilford County. Those numbers are more than double the figures for the 1993-94 when there were 162 home schools in Forsyth and 247 in Guilford. North Carolina law sets forth some requirements for home schools. Test scores and attendance records must be filed with the state annually.
Home schooling is also quite popular in California, Texas, Pennsylvania and Ohio.
North Carolina has an active support group for home schoolers, North Carolinians for Home Education. The organization is sponsoring the Home Schooling conference this weekend at the Benton Convention Center in Winston-Salem. Tonight's events are free of charge. The conference will run Friday and Saturday.