Georgia is cementing its position as a national leader in alternative education, with nearly 90,000 of its 1.7 million students now learning outside of traditional classroom settings. The state’s history of homeschooling, which dates back to its legalization in 1984, has created what experts call “fertile ground” for a diverse network of microschools, forest schools, and hybrid models.
The growth of these “learning pods”—small groups of families sharing teaching duties—was accelerated by the 2021 Learning Pods Protection Act, which provided exemptions from many administrative and certification requirements faced by larger schools. Many of these pods have since evolved into microschools, which operate as independent academies meeting a few days a week.
“Such microschools resemble the one-room schoolhouses of old, with students of all ages learning side by side,” Gillian Neimark wrote in a recent feature for Atlanta Magazine.
The rise of hybrid education, often referred to as university-model schools, reflects a shift toward blending in-person and at-home learning.
“These schools are the DIY spirit of American education,” Eric Wearne, a Kennesaw State University professor and co-director of the National Hybrid Schools Project, told The Lion. Wearne noted that for his own family, the model offered a “calmer pace of life” with more time for family interaction.
Advocates for these models argue they foster practical abilities that traditional schools may overlook. “In traditional schools, kids get managed more but learn less of the durable skills that lead them into adulthood,” LaToya Nelson, founder of The Attuned Community School, told The Lion. Nelson’s own daughter has used the flexibility of hybrid learning to pursue forensic photography at a local technical college.
Challenges and accessibility
Despite the growth, veteran educators emphasize that homeschooling remains a significant commitment. Kerstin Kruse Davis, executive director of the Wildwood Nature Academy, noted that while the practice has become more mainstream, it often requires a financial trade-off.
“But homeschool is a sacrifice. Usually one parent steps out of the workforce, cutting the income in half,” Kruse Davis told The Lion.
To address economic and resource barriers, associations like the Georgia Black Home Educators Network (GBHEN) have stepped in to support under-resourced families. The network focuses on securing technology for programming classes and online learning, distributing 139 laptops and other devices in the 2023-24 academic year.
“We’re recognizing that homeschool is not free, and sometimes it’s very difficult when you’re a fixed-budget family with a lot of children,” Nicole P. Doyle, GBHEN’s founder said.
The evolution of the movement is also visible in the growth of local support networks. Andrea Hall, who founded the Epic Homeschool Network in 2012, recalled starting with just five families in a library room. Today, her community helps students prepare for applications to institutions like Emory University and pursue specialized interests such as the Civil Air Patrol.
“Now it’s a whole community, and that’s where my kids have all their friends,” Hall said, adding that “homeschooling is definitely what you make it.”