The tides are turning on the government run school system, and that's exactly what we're gonna talk about today. What's the future of education? Is homeschooling truly on the rise? Well, let's start with what dropped on January 29, The Nation's Report Card. Hold on to your butts.

I wasn't expecting good news because let's be real, we've seen a steady decline in these scores over the years, but this, this is heartbreaking. CNN's headline says it all. US children fall further behind in reading and make little improvement on math in national exam. The article explains that these results are yet another blow to our government run education system, citing pandemic school closures, the youth mental health crisis, and chronic absenteeism as major factors. And while there was a slight gain in math, scores are still three points lower than in 2019.

So, yeah, not good. If you're new here, hi. I'm Christy Faith, author of Homeschool Rising. I'm passionate about mentoring and helping homeschool families because I truly believe it is my calling. And I know you're here because you see what I see too, the shift happening in education.

I saw a tweet that I thought also made a really good point. One of the comments on Fox News tweet said, quote, I partially blame the overuse of learning and testing on Chromebooks. Students should be reading novels in class as homework and writing book reports, end quote. If you have a child in public school, I would love to hear your thoughts and experience on this. We've actually had several parents tell us and one of their frustrations as to why they pulled their kids and turned to homeschooling was the overuse of Chromebooks.

Like, not just one subject. They were pulling these Chromebooks out for every subject. Let me know your experience and what grade your child was in because this is mind blowing. And honestly, I wanna point out the obvious to our government officials. You do realize that the system was set up to fail children.

Right? It wasn't built for the world we live in today. Go back to my do you meet qualifications to homeschool episode I did where I talk about the history and the system that our country's education system is modeled after. And let's talk about all that so called reform you keep promising. Every election cycle, we hear politicians scream about education reform, and yet nothing actually changes.

Let's be honest. The system doesn't need more funding. It needs to be torn down and rebuilt from the ground up. Because here's the reality, you don't need more money. You don't use the money you already have wisely.

If I ran a business the way the government runs the school system, I'd be fired for incompetence. Here's a chart showing how education spending has increased over the years while academic performance has continued to decline. It's mind boggling. It's like performing open heart surgery and slapping a band aid on the patient in the middle of the operation. Off the top of my head, and this didn't take long, here are just a few reasons why I believe your system is failing.

But first, a word from our sponsors. As a homeschool mom who values a family together approach and leans towards the classical and Charlotte Mason styles, I often struggle to bring my educational vision to life with my kids' diverse ages and learning needs. With all our interests and super packed schedule, bridging that gap between the dreamy homeschool I want and reality, I gotta be honest. It's a challenge. Now, yes, I know perfection isn't the goal.

But if you're listening and you could use a little easing of your mental load in your day to day, I found a resource that has become the quiet hero of our routine, and it could be a really great option for you too. BJU Press homeschool curriculum. Now many think that BJU Press homeschool is solely an all in one option, and though it does excel in that role, did you know you can also opt for specific courses and tailor them to fit your family's needs just as I have? BJU Press homeschool provides the perfect balance of structure and flexibility and easily complements my family's mixed age family together on the couch learning style. They are second to none in integrating a biblical worldview, stimulating critical thinking, and offering tons of hands on activities in the lessons.

To find out how BJU Press Homeschool can come alongside you in your homeschooling goals too, visit bjupresshomeschool.com or click the link in the show notes. I've got some news. There's a new reading curriculum that ditches workbooks and drills for fun and games. If you're thinking fun and games sounds a little too good to be true, it's not. Ninety eight percent of children improved their reading test scores in just six weeks with the reading skill set by Lovevery.

It's a phonics based program that follows the science of reading, but makes learning to read fun, motivating, and confidence boosting because it happens by playing games and then practicing with just right skill level books. Kids love it and parent educators love it, and it works. Visit lovevery.com/christyfaith today and use code christy ten to get 10% off your purchase of the reading skill set by loveevery. That's lovevery.com/christyfaith. First, underpaid and overworked teachers.

Our government could pay teachers well if tax dollars were actually managed correctly. Instead, we have massive pay gaps between admin and teachers despite teachers doing the heavy lifting. And the teachers know it, which is why so many of them are pulling their own kids out of the school system to homeschool. Next, zero support for teachers. I've lost count of how many former teachers I've met in homeschooling coops who all say the same thing.

They had no support. It's not just from admin either. It's a toxic combination of declining parental involvement, the rise of social media distractions, and serious behavioral issues in the classroom. True story from a mom at co op. Imagine a student throwing something at you.

You call their parents and instead of accountability, they're mad that they had to come in. Admin asks you if you deescalated the situation with their 26 step process that magically does not have any consequences or accountability while you also are trying to teach a class of 24. Make it make sense. And last, developmentally inappropriate standards. Oh, man.

This is a biggie for me. If you compare a kindergarten report card from the nineteen nineties to one from today, back then it was plays well with others, knows left from right, can sing the alphabet, can state full name and address and phone number. Now it's knows all uppercase and lowercase letters, reads 47 sight words, don't get me started on sight words, reads CVC words, nonsense CVC words, and basic sentences. And let's not even talk about the lack of recess. Now I'm not saying that kids can't learn to read in kindergarten, but developmentally, let's give them some breathing room, please.

And yet, we're sitting kids under 10 years old down for long standardized tests. Who thought that was a good idea? These poor babies. I'm not alone in these thoughts. I know this.

Others are commenting on it as well. Carl from x wrote, because there is no discipline, no accountability, and the kids run the schools while administrators try to appease them. Headphones, earbuds, and phones, and computers that they watch YouTube videos on instead of actually doing their assignments. Inappropriate attire allowed to sit wherever it makes them feel better. Insubordination, an extreme focus on sports and the athletes while academics is second or third priority.

Teachers have checked out because they have no support from administrators or they decide to become friends with their students. The teachers know there is no penalty for producing underachieving students, but there is a penalty if they don't pass everyone through no matter what. The liberal DEI work culture permeates the teaching staff. Just a few thoughts here. I could go on, but I need to lower my blood pressure first.

Yeah. This is why families are leaving and what's the solution that they're seeking? Bruce offered a suggestion for the government. He wrote, eliminate the department of education. Test scores have gone down since its inception.

He's not wrong. Fire any teacher who is failing to teach their students. I may have to do an episode on the whole Department of Education situation, but here's the point. Alternative education models are skyrocketing. Homeschooling, microschools, online tutoring services, all on the rise.

Highlighting that before 2019, there were about 2,500,000 homeschoolers in The US, and in 2024, that number nearly doubled. And the government's own mismanagement is making it worse. The ongoing teacher shortages directly tied to these failures. And instead of fixing these issues, they're just lowering the bar, like in New Jersey where teachers no longer have to pass basic exams to qualify. Ridiculous.

This is part of why I wrote my book to make sure parents know that they do have a choice. You don't have to send your kids into this awful system that chews your kids up and spits them out. So homeschooling is on the rise. But why? What will it do for you?

So glad you asked. First, a word from our sponsors. Before we continue, I wanna share with you a program that's been a game changer for our homeschool. At our center, we instructed and helped kids through pretty much every math program on the market and know firsthand just how important a solid math foundation is for our kids' futures. As a career educator with high standards, finding the right program that checked all the boxes felt like too tall of an order.

Until one day, I tried CTC Math. CTC Math is an online math curriculum for k to 12 students with motivating interactive lessons that allow kids to learn at their own pace. It does all the teaching and grading so you don't have to and their adaptive lessons adjust so your child is progressing confidently. With CTC Math, your child is getting a top notch education and you just made your homeschool life easier. Visit CTCMath.com to start your free trial today or click the link in the show notes.

Is your child struggling with attention, memory, reading, writing, or math? If you're experiencing this, you know how heart wrenching it is to watch them face these hurdles. You've poured love, time, and attention into their education, yet the struggle persists, leaving you feeling stuck and desperately searching for answers. You guys, I want you to know about LearningRx, a proven program designed to help your child's cognitive skills, enabling them to think faster, learn more easily, and perform at their best. I'm talking getting real long term help here with things like ADHD and dyslexia.

LearningRx is backed by thirty five years of research, and their results are transformative. Use code HOME 50 for $50 off your cognitive skills assessment. Go to LearningRx.com or click the link in the show notes. Homeschooling offers a flexible personalized education, the ability to teach real world skills and values, and has a proven track record of college and career readiness. The research shows that homeschooled kids thrive in life.

They excel in college admissions. They enter the workforce ready to go. And I will always be on the front lines or supporting the front lines to defend our right to homeschool our kids. Right now, there's a proposed bill from the coalition for responsible home education called the make homeschool safe act. I hope to do a deep dive on this in another episode.

But for now, I wanna say, I hear you if you've had a negative homeschooling experience. I do not support educational neglect or abuse, period. Full stop. I also do not support expanding government control over families. Your child's education is a personal and important decision that you should make.

It's not a decision that should be dictated by bureaucrats who don't understand your child's needs or your family values. And if today's episode has encouraged you to explore homeschooling, I'm here to help. I've created a how to homeschool guide that is a 23 page ebook that you can grab right now, totally free. I also curated my own list of curriculum I recommend because not all curriculum is good, and you can get that for free too. I'll put everything in the show notes.

Additionally, I run Thrive Homeschool Community where my team of mentors and I provide ongoing encouragement and support to parents navigating their homeschooling journeys. It is the place where homeschool moms like you receive the essential training, advice, and support you need to plan and create a homeschool that your kids will thank you for when they are adults. We understand that every family has unique needs, preferences, and dreams, and we're here to help you make the best homes chool choices for your family. As a Thrive member, you'll gain access to monthly master classes, five distinct live office hours on Zoom, and a free monthly supplement to enhance your homeschool. And there's so much more, but the most important part, community.

Because it's not just your child who needs the socialization and the support, you need it too. And it's hard to find like minded homeschool moms. Trust me. I know. Okay.

Back to the topic though. Change is coming to education whether the traditional system is ready for it or not. It's already underway. And today, I want you to feel truly empowered because you don't have to wait for politicians to finally come up with a solution or for some high profile reform plan to take action. You already hold the power to shape your child's future and their education right now.

By choosing homeschooling, you're not just reacting to the problems in the system. You're creating an opportunity for your child to thrive in a way that works for them. You have the freedom to customize their learning experience, to foster their individual strengths, and to prioritize values that matter most to your family. This is your moment to take control. So grab your copy of Homeschool Rising and let's take that first step together.

Let's pave the way for our children's success, letting them thrive, not merely survive a system that doesn't have their best interest at heart. But you, mama, you always have and you always will. And that's why you are the best person for this job. See you next time. Bye.