As a mother of three, Andrea Hall sought flexibility and full oversight of her young children’s education. Hall sought out homeschool groups but struggled to find one that connected her with resources. “So I said, ‘Let’s start our own group!’”
As of this week, we are officially accepting applications from individuals and local organizations who are using their talents to create their own ventures and meet learners’ and families’ needs.
Interest in homeschooling has grown in recent years, and especially during the pandemic, when the percentage of West Virginia families homeschooling their children rose from 5.4% to 16.6%, one of the largest increases in the country.
In addition to her full-time teaching job, Isis Spann regularly took time after school and on weekends to compile online resources for families in her community and across the country. Then the pandemic hit, and the need for virtual and homeschool resources exploded.
During VELA Education Fund’s webinar and discussion on hybrid homeschooling, panelists and participants noted that the homeschooling trend appears set to continue as the pandemic subsides.
During pandemic-related school shutdowns, parents, educators, and community organizations found ways to safely bring small groups of students together to learn outside of traditional classrooms. The result is a diverse group of learning pods across the country that are meeting the educational and personalized needs of students.
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