KSHB 41 reporter Fernanda Silva covers education stories involving K-12. Share your story idea with Fe.
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Homeschooling increasing in Missouri
The number of children homeschooling in Missouri has doubled since 2019.
Researchers at Saint Louis University found that at least 1 in 16 school-aged children in Missouri are now educated at home. Amanda Klentz's children are some of them.
Since 2019, in addition to wearing the "mom hat," she also wears the "teacher hat." That means spending more time with her three kids.
"It brings you back to having little toddlers again," Klentz said. "I actually used to say I would never do this."
Things changed when she started substituting at a local school.
"They are sitting all day on tablets and screens a lot," Klentz said.
She also thought one of her kids, diagnosed with Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD), could benefit from more individualized attention.
"It is really difficult to actually meet the needs of kids in classrooms when it's one teacher to 25-plus kids," Klentz said.
The choice came with some challenges.
For third-grader Mackenzie Klentz, one of the challenges comes from the fact that her two brothers are her classmates.
"They're kind of annoying," Mackenzie said.
Even with some challenges along the way, the Klentz family says it was a great change for them.
"We can sit on the comfy couch," a fifth-grader of Klentz's said.
He says he’s learned there are trade-offs.
"We have to read every day here to at least watch TV for a little bit," Klentz's son said.
The Klentz family is not alone.
Saint Louis University researchers found that more than 61,000 students in Missouri are now educated at home.
According to Collin Hitt, executive director of the PRiME Center and one of the researchers, the pandemic played a role in the rise of homeschooling.
"It's becoming more common, and as it's becoming more common, more families are willing to try it," Hitt said.
Finding connections
When Karter Klentz’s parents told him he would be homeschooled, the now fifth grader didn’t love the idea.
"I thought I wouldn't make any friends while homeschooling," Karter said.
Even though he's "still kind of mad," Karter says making new friends while homeschooling wasn't as hard as he thought.
In fact, his younger sister, Mackenzie Klentz, says it's even easier now.
"At school, the only time you could actually play and talk with your friends was at recess," Mackenzie said. "Now, I can talk with my friends more easily."
Amanda Klentz, mother of Mackenzie and Karter, said homeschooling doesn't impact her children's ability to make connections.
"I think the difference is that when they're at school all day with other kids, they're really not getting to hang out with those kids. They're sitting next to them in a room full of other kids, but most of the time, they're being asked to be quiet and do their work," Klentz said.
Klentz organizes weekly playdates and monthly field trips for homeschooled kids.
"We’re not saying, ‘Hey, you have to be quiet.' It's like, 'Yeah, be loud, learn, have fun, go play, be outside,'" she said.
According to her, more than 850 local homeschooling families are part of her group.
The Murillo family is one of them.
Kimberly Murillo started homeschooling her kids in 2021. She says her perception of homeschooling has changed over the years.
"Growing up, we honestly thought they [homeschooled kids] were a little weird at the time, but we didn’t think they were very well socialized," Murillo said.
Now, she makes sure her children spend time with other kids — and the kids aren't the only ones making new connections. The moms are as well.
"We stand here and chat while our kids are playing," Murillo said. "They’re making friends and getting to know each other, but I'm also making friends."
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