Why Catholic Parishes Should Support Homeschooling
In my last article on Homeschooling and Parochial Schools, I highlighted some of the historical reasons why Catholic leadership has leaned toward viewing homeschooling with skepticism. In today’s follow-up article, I discuss why this attitude should be put aside and why Church authorities should do more to foster homeschooling in their parish communities.
Complementarity, Not Competition
As discussed previously, some Catholic authorities have historically viewed homeschooling competitively. They saw every homeschooled Catholic child as a child kept out of the parochial system. Catholic homeschoolers, therefore, were indirectly hurting Catholic school enrollments and hence exacerbating the decline of the parochial school system.
While understandable, this attitude fails to account for the changing landscape of parochial schools in the modern era. The modern parochial school—with its modern bureaucracy, facilities, and staff of lay teachers—is an entirely different animal from the humble parish school staffed by religious that was a hallmark of early 20th-century Catholic education.
The fact is, most Catholic homeschooling families are not in competition with parochial schools because they could not afford the Catholic schools anyway. Madeline McDowell, writing on the subject for America magazine, aptly sums up why Catholic schools are simply not an option for many homeschooling families:
“Catholic schools have become too expensive for even many middle-class families, but in most states, civil society does not ensure that parents can educate their children in accordance with their consciences. The average wealth of the Catholic population is much higher now, but it is not high enough to cover the increased cost of Catholic schools where lay teachers must, in justice, be paid a living wage. Particularly for Catholic families blessed with several children, parochial schools are often not a possibility. In addition, because of their size and limited finances, parochial schools often cannot provide accommodations for neurodivergent children. For instance, few Catholic schools are equipped to provide the extensive tutoring needed to help a dyslexic child learn to read, but a Catholic homeschooling family can often use public resources to get that tutoring while still providing a full Catholic education at home.” (Catholic bishops can–and should–do more to help homeschooling parents, Feb. 3, 2025)
In other words, Catholic schools have become too expensive for the average Catholic. Homeschooling offers the possibility of a Catholic education to a large segment of the population that would otherwise be unavailable. Catholic homeschoolers are not withholding enrollments from the Catholic schools because most of them could never have afforded to enroll in the first place. Homeschooling parallels the parochial system in a complementary way without competing with it.
Furthermore, McDowell’s point about the needs of neurodivergent children underscores the complementary role of homeschooling. Homeschoolers generally do not compete directly with Catholic schools; instead, they fill in gaps that parochial schools are unable to.
All Ships Rise Together—Building Catholic Culture
The goal of all Catholic education, whether homeschooled or parochial, is to raise up children well-formed in Catholic principles who will be capable of building a truly Catholic culture. This goal is one in which all Catholics work together, regardless of their circumstances or state in life. We all succeed wherever any of us succeed.
To put it more concretely, a parish or diocese that welcomes and supports homeschooling families contributes to the building up of Catholic culture in that community. This is not just good in principle, but can also concretely buttress parochial education as well. Rather than focusing on how parochial and home education differ, let us consider what they both share in common: the participation of families to whom Catholic education is important.
Suppose you have a parish with a parochial school that also supports homeschooling rather than discouraging it. That parish will attract families who value Catholic education. The more such families congregate at the parish, the more vibrant the parish culture becomes. This will not only benefit homeschoolers but also the parish school. A parish with this reputation will be more likely to attract the sort of families who can afford to send their kids to Catholic school. It will attract persons of means willing to make donations to support Catholic education. It promotes a culture of volunteerism that will help the parish.
Sometimes there is also “cross-pollination,” where a homeschooling family chooses a hybrid educational model, sending older children to the parochial school while homeschooling the others. In other words, when a parish supports homeschooling, all ships rise together.
Supporting Homeschooling Families
Catholic authorities should see homeschooling as an asset to the Church’s mission. They can even take positive steps to encourage it at the parish and diocesan level. In the America article cited above, Madeline McDowell suggests that parishes can support homeschooling families through shared use of parish facilities. She says:
“The hierarchy should take seriously its obligation to assist all Catholic parents, including those who homeschool. This does not imply a universal right to use diocesan facilities. But to prohibit such use runs contrary to the bishop’s fundamental duty to assist Catholic parents in their fulfillment of these most sacred duties—the very reason that Catholic schools exist in the first place.
“Surely there is room for cooperation. Perhaps some parishes could provide space for homeschool co-ops while also overseeing the religious education provided therein. Perhaps some Catholic schools could offer part-time options to high-schoolers, such as in upper-level science and mathematics courses. The details will vary with local circumstances, but the problem calls for creativity and innovation.”
Of course, assistance need not even be so material. It can be as simple as the pastor making supportive statements about homeschooling from the pulpit and creating a welcoming atmosphere for homeschooling families. However, such support seems to suggest that supporting homeschooling is a win-win for the Church.
The educational landscape within the Catholic world has changed profoundly since the last century. It behooves Catholic leaders today to understand these new dynamics and let go of old biases that no longer serve the needs of Catholic families. By supporting homeschooling, the Church authorities only benefit the Church’s overall mission and aid families in living out the Catechism of the Catholic Church‘s teaching that “parents have the first responsibility for the education of their children” (CCC 2233).
