PINEVILLE, N.C. — Some homeschooled families are looking into a new alternative to the traditional classroom — “microschools.”
It’s a place where homeschooled children can come together to learn.
Some parents Channel 9’s Eli Brand spoke with said it fills the gaps they don’t think their kids were getting while learning alone.
“It is important for our kids to have a community,” Nicole Forbes said.
[ ALSO READ >> As movement grows, microschools aren’t so ‘micro’ anymore ]
Forbes moved her son from public school to homeschooling a few years ago. Now, she’s taking advantage of a new resource in the southwest Charlotte-Pineville area called the Creative Learning Institute.
“Having a community where the kids can come and enjoy other children in their age group, its something I would drive miles for,” Forbes said.
The Creative Learning Institute is a place where homeschooled kids learn together. The goal is to give students hands-on learning and socialization they may not get while learning at home.
Resources like this have grown in popularity since the COVID-19 lockdowns in 2020. According to the North Carolina Department of Administration, the number of homeschool students in the state has grown from 90,000 in 2019 to 100,000 last year.
“They can have the perks that they enjoyed when they did do public school without giving up that flexibility of homeschooling,” Lajeaune Coutino, the founder and executive director of the microschool, said.
She got the idea after moving her own children to homeschooling. She said she noticed they seemed lonely and looked for ways to help them. She heard about microschools two years ago and jumped into action to create one herself.
“They miss being with other children,” Coutino said. “They miss being able to work alongside their peers.”
Coutino says the school has 10 students right now and serves kids from kindergarten to 12th grade. She says they are looking to expand and can serve up to 50 students.
VIDEO: Thinking about homeschooling? How to ensure classes count later
This browser does not support the video element.