Studies have shown that the average cost per public student could be as high as $5,325 yearly, while the cost per homeschooled student ranges between $500 and $600. with homeschooling becoming increasingly popular in our modern world, more and more have been wondering about the total costs. Is homeschooling cheaper than public school?
Homeschooling is cheaper than public school as it requires no transport, unnecessary stationary or resource fees, or school fees. Homeschooled students do not have to pay for extracurricular activities, occasions, aftercare, or field trips. Homeschooling requires no fundraising or development fees.
Public schooling has many hidden costs and fees that could quickly accumulate in a year without you noticing them! This is where homeschooling becomes completely different. Continue reading with us as we discuss why homeschooling is cheaper than public schooling.
Homeschooling Costs Vs. Public School Costs
The costs of public schooling are extremely high, and at most public four-year institutions, the average fees can be as high as $9,400 in total.
This number is calculated by learning material, stationary, compulsory camps, field trips, and compulsory sports or creative arts participation.
In contrast, homeschooling parents have a low cost of under $1000 per year per student, although full private tutoring isn’t calculated. This includes purchasing stationery and learning materials as needed and using free public education institutions, such as libraries and museums.
Why Homeschooling Is Cheaper Than Public School
There are many reasons why homeschooling is deemed more affordable than public schooling. Below, we will discuss these factors in more detail:
Homeschooling Has Little To No Transport Costs
Homeschooling requires no transport costs for education, except when trips have to be made for extracurricular activities, stationary, or optional educational field trips.
The daily trips to and from a public school institution add up quickly, especially in the form of public transport.
Homeschooling Requires No Unnecessary Costs
Public school has many rules and regulations in place, such as the purchase of school uniforms name brand backpacks, and resources for class projects throughout the academic year.
On top of these costs, countless folders, notebooks, highlighters, pens, pencils, and many other stationary items must be purchased at the start of the year.
Over the year, many additional items may be needed which are lost or never used. Additionally, textbooks come at an extra cost and are compulsory for all students.
Homeschooling requires no extra stationary items or textbooks, and students can do everything online with a laptop or tablet.
Many parents must purchase a laptop or tablet for public school students, which means the costs could double.
More often than not, if textbooks are needed in the academic years, textbooks and other learning resources are included in the homeschooling curriculum.
Homeschooling Has No Yearly School Fees
As we stated above, yearly public school fees can add up, as it’s not just about the fixed rate of school fees but more about the many smaller costs that pop up during the school year.
With homeschooling, no school fees are paid, as the parents or parents take it upon themselves to educate their child. This results in homeschooling being a much better alternative for providing a child with an education when on a strict budget.
Homeschooling Requires No Extracurricular Activities
Most public schools require students to participate in one extracurricular activity. This could include things such as sports associations or performing arts.
But when it comes to participating in these activities, the parents are required to pay the costs associated with them. This will most often include formal attire for orchestra concerts and bands, theater costumes, or even uniforms for team sports.
Joining these extracurricular activities could quickly add up to a much greater cost than some families can afford.
However, in the case of homeschooling, your child won’t be required or forced to participate in these activities if they do not please, saving you the extra cost of paying for something you can’t afford and your child doesn’t express interest in.
Homeschool Requires No Extra Cost For Special Events
Public schools will host many events, and camps, drama productions, dances, sports events, and prom are just a few of the events you will have to pay extra for when you have children in public school.
Many of these events are compulsory, or children will become excluded when they do not attend them. Homeschooling solves these problems, as the parents are a tight-knit community and will host these events on a budget if the students display enough interest.
Homeschooling Has No Aftercare Costs
More often than not, single parents or both parents in a household need to work long hours, which results in them being unable to collect their children from school on time. This will force these parents to pay an additional monthly fee for after-school care.
Parents never have to worry about these additional costs when it comes to homeschooling, as they do not have to drop their children off or collect them from school.
This will not only allow the parents of homeschooled children to save a few dollars every month, but it also allows them to focus more on other influences, such as overall well-being, school life, and family lifestyle.
Homeschooling Has No Compulsory Camps Or Field Trips
Most public schools host multi-day or one-day student outings, including visiting museums, theme parks, or overnight camping. Usually, these outings will be compulsory and come at an extra expense for the parents.
With homeschooling, the parents are provided with the freedom of choosing which trips to embark on without feeling the added pressure to afford certain trips.
Homeschooling Has No Development Fees Or Fundraisers
Public schools host several fundraisers, such as bake sales, throughout the academic year. This will require parents to invest their time and money into buying ingredients and preparing baked goods.
The children also need to purchase sweets or cakes from other students, which is another expense. Public schools will also have an extra compulsory development fee that will go to the overall maintenance of the school.
Homeschooling has no extra expenses such as fundraisers or development fees, allowing parents to use this money more wisely, such as for extra tutoring or activities.
Conclusion
When you look at all the differences in cost when choosing to homeschool over public school, it becomes apparent which one will save you more money. Homeschooling is ultimately the best alternative when providing high-quality education on a budget!