TUCSON, Ariz. - The uncertainty of what classrooms will look like come fall semester has led some parents to start considering homeschooling their children.
River Thompson, a mother of three school-aged children in Tucson, told KGUN9 she and her husband recently started discussing this possibility.
“He could work with the kids early in the morning and afternoon while I’m at my job and then I can come home and take over whatever is left at the end of the day," said Thompson.
Like this Tucson family, others across the country have also started thinking about home schooling. A RealClear Opinion Research survey of more than 2,000 registered voters found "40% of families are more likely to homeschool or virtual school after lockdowns."
While the interest in the possibility of homeschooling seems to increase, Pima County Superintendent Dustin Williams said most of the calls and messages coming into his office are about the classroom setting.
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“Right now the increase in interest is all about student safety especially with the COVID-19 pandemic," said Superintendent Williams, "we do have a lot of parents that are saying, what is that going to look like.”
Superintendent Williams told KGUN9 any parent or guardian considering homeschooling their children should start by familiarizing themselves with what they can do.
“The rules of homeschooling are very open. You could have a tutor, a parent could do it, you could hire a teacher, you could really do whatever you want to do," he said.
Curriculum requirements state children "must be instructed in at least the subjects of reading, grammar, mathematics, social studies and science," according to the Pima County Superintendent's website.
Under those same requirements, each homeschool educator must create or choose a program suited for the child, and a diploma must also be awarded by the homeschool educator.
When it comes to student testing, the Pima County Superintendent's website states "homeschool students are not required to participate in the state's testing program."
While some parents and guardians continue debating on whether or not to send their children back into the classroom come fall, Superintendent Williams assures them, lots of different agencies are coming together to make sure all students are safe.
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“We literally are meeting just about daily with the districts, Pima County Health Department, ADE, the governors office and we are looking at the strategies of how do we reopen schools, period," he said.
Thompson told KGUN9 she and her husband haven't made up their minds when it comes to where their children will be learning in the fall, but she wants whatever choice they make to be well-thought-out.
“Lets think about this folks, how is this going to go," she said.
For more information on homeschooling guidelines, click here.