The number of homeschoolers in Arkansas has more than doubled over the past ten years and is on track to go even higher.
In 2016, there were 19,520 homeschoolers across the state. By 2023, homeschooling had surged to nearly 30,000 students. And now official reports from the Arkansas Department of Education show that 40,470 children filed as homeschoolers during the 2026 school year.
One reason for the recent surge in homeschooling may be the Educational Freedom Account (EFA) program that Arkansas established under the LEARNS Act in 2023.
The EFA program makes it possible for students to use public funds to pay for an education at a public or private school or at home. Thousands of homeschool students have taken advantage of the program and test scores show they are excelling.
Many families feel that public education has deteriorated over the years, and they don’t like the direction it is heading. For those families, the EFA program offers real alternatives that help their children succeed. That is part of the reason Family Council and its Education Alliance homeschool division have supported the EFA program.
The State of Arkansas seems to be getting more out of each education dollar invested in homeschooling through the EFA program than anywhere else. That’s good for everyone.
The number of homeschoolers in Arkansas has risen drastically over the past decade — but especially since 2023.
As more families make good use of the EFA program, we believe Arkansas’ homeschool numbers could go even higher in the coming school year.
Articles appearing on this website are written with the aid of Family Council’s researchers and writers.
