Some students seek a faith-based curriculum or say they're fed up with the one-size-fits-all public school approach. A few parents told the Washington Examiner they pulled their children out because of bullying.
The pandemic pushed thousands of families into home schooling. Many thought it would be on a temporary basis but have preferred it to traditional schooling.
For some, the recent Centers for Disease Control and Prevention flip-flop on mask guidelines was the nail in the coffin.
WATCH TRUMP: EUROPE HAS OPENED IT'S DOORS TO JIHAD
"I know that I can keep my kid safe, and he doesn't need to wear a mask all day," one mother said.
Earlier this week, the CDC revised its guidance on donning masks. In a reversal of its earlier position, the CDC is now recommending that some fully vaccinated people wear masks indoors if they live in areas with a high spread count. Much of the country falls into the category, except the Northeast and parts of the Upper Midwest. The Atlanta-based agency also recommended that all teachers, staff, and students of K-12 schools wear masks, even if they have been vaccinated.
WATCH DUKE PROFESSOR: STUDENTS VIEWING THE WORLD AS OPPRESSOR VS. OPPRESSED
The American Academy of Pediatrics also released updated guidance, recommending that all students over 2 years old, regardless of vaccination status, wear masks.
The COVID-19 vaccines have not been authorized for children under 12, and national data shows that millions of teenagers who are eligible have not yet been vaccinated.
KEVIN SPACEY'S DARK SECRETS EXPOSED IN NEW DOCUMENTARY SERIES
The uncertainty over health risks is keeping a growing number of children out of traditional public schools, Yvonne Bunn, director of home-school support at the Home Educators Association of Virginia, told the Washington Examiner.
IDIOT ALERT: CEO PRAISES RADICAL PROTESTERS, FACES IMMEDIATE BACKLASH
Typically, just about 3% of the nation's school-age children are home-schooled in a given year, according to federal data. However, a significant surge has been confirmed by the U.S. Census Bureau, which reported that in March, the rate of home-schooling rose to 11% by September 2020.
BIDEN AND MARK HAMILL'S "STAR WARS DAY" VIDEO: A GALACTIC SUCCESS OR EPIC FAIL?
In Virginia, the numbers are even higher. Bunn said there has been a 48% increase in the last year, which comes out to an additional 21,000 new students.
"It's unreal," she declared. "We are continuing to see a tremendous increase in the number of calls we are receiving in our office. We have had to engage a number of additional counselors to make sure the parents know what the laws are and how to comply."
TUBERCULOSIS OUTBREAK: HEALTH EMERGENCY DECLARED IN CALIFORNIA, ARE YOU AT RISK?
Bunn also said the number of black families who want to transition to homeschooling has been enormous. It's a trend that's also being charted across the country.
Parents Arlena and Robert Brown of Austin, Texas, had three children in elementary school when the pandemic hit. After trying out virtual learning, the couple decided to give homeschooling a shot with a Catholic-oriented curriculum provided by Seton Home Study School.
"I didn't want my kids to become a statistic and not meet their full potential," Robert Brown, a former teacher-turned-consultant, told the Associated Press.
Discover alternative ideas that will make you think
Engage in mind bending debate
Earn points, rise in rank, have fun
