The national rise in homeschooling being seen across the Upper Cumberland as parents seek more freedom and responsibility for the education and upbringing of their children.
Daniel 1 Academy Principal Darrin Crockett said the growth of alternative education is driven by an increased awareness of the flexibility and individualized learning plans available to families. Crockett said security concerns surrounding public schools also drive the decision.
“The freedoms that are attached to it are very compelling when you think about the individualized learning plans and the schedules are not rigid,” Crockett said. “So for a lot of the families it’s just they really love just getting to be together with their kids while their kids are young, you know, through these very formative years.”
Crockett said Tennessee law provides three distinct paths for education outside of public schools. That includes independent homeschooling through local boards of education or enrolling in a church-related umbrella program. Crockett said these umbrella organizations assist parents with administrative tasks such as maintaining official transcripts and ensuring compliance with state education laws.
“They feel like that they’ve got a responsibility as parents to you know to educate their kids and to raise them and to train them up,” Crockett said. “And they’re recognizing support that’s there for others who I think probably feel the same way.”
Crockett said while school safety is a factor for some families, it is often secondary to the positive motivations of family togetherness and religious conviction. Crockett said many parents view the education of their children as a biblical mandate.
“A lot of that comes from just people who are Christians themselves and feel like it is a God-given responsibility to them as parents to raise their kids in the nurture and the admonition of of the Lord ,” Crockett said. “And a lot of them will point back to Deuteronomy chapter 6 as some of the initial instruction from the Lord regarding the education of their kids.”
Crockett said many new homeschooling families face an initial learning curve as they transition away from traditional concepts of what a classroom must look like. Crockett said the primary challenge for most parents is simply understanding the initial steps and responsibilities required to begin the process effectively.
Crockett said the availability of educational resources has increased significantly since the 2020 pandemic, making it easier for parents to equip themselves for home-based instruction. Crockett said students also maintain access to extracurricular activities, as Tennessee law allows homeschoolers to try out for sports teams at their local public schools or participate in community club-level leagues.
“Contrary to popular belief, homeschooling here in this area in Tennessee, anywhere, it actually offers a vibrant social environment,” Crockett said. “The students are not limited you know to a certain place, or time, or peer group but they get to interact with a diverse range of of people of ages of backgrounds and environments throughout the day because most homeschooling folks would agree and would believe that all of all of life is learning and it takes place in so many different other than just a classroom.”
