Homeschooling growing in popularity in Lee County

What was once seen as different is now becoming a normal way of life. We’re talking about homeschooling.

Now that the State of Florida offers vouchers to families who would like to homeschool their kids, it’s easier and more affordable, but there are other reasons families choose to set up class at home.

WINK News anchor Corey Lazar met up with a former educator, who made the decision to homeschool her own granddaughters.

When Diana Lowry talks about education, she speaks from experience.

She has worked for almost 30 years in public education in Lee County as a school-based administrator and teacher.

Instead of retiring, Lowry took on a new full-time job as a homeschool teacher.

Lowry was asked why she decided to take on the task herself and do it for her granddaughters.

“They are that important to me, just as your own daughter is to you,” she said. “I want my children and my grandchildren to have a full, rich learning opportunity for kindergarten through 12th grade; I want them to see the world.”

She believes the number of homeschooled students will only continue to grow. Last school year, the state rolled out a voucher for parents whose kids are not enrolled in a traditional school.

The pilot program started with 20,000 vouchers. This year, the state is adding 40,000 more.

Years ago, when someone was homeschooled, you may have thought that’s a little unconventional, but it’s not that way now.

“I think that our knowledge of homeschooling based on years ago was quite limited because there weren’t that many homeschooling families,” Lowry said. “It was almost seen as a fringe opportunity, but nowadays, you would be so surprised at the number of families who are homeschooling.”

Not only do they learn all the fundamentals, they go on the road and meet up with other homeschooling families every week.

“It’s meant to be enrichment type teaching, so it’s not reading and math and all of that. We do fun stuff, woodworking, art history, things like that,” Lowry said.

So how many students are really getting homeschooled?

Those numbers change quite frequently. Last school year, in Lee County, it was 4,133; in Charlotte, it was 2,502; in Collier, it was 2,693.