Every child with autism has different needs that are unique to them and their families. This is often why the school system and educators have a difficult time creating programs for children with autism that are fit to each child’s needs. 

If your school district is unable to meet your child’s individual needs, you may be considering whether or not you should homeschool your child, even if it isn’t for the duration of their full schooling. 

We’ve put together a comprehensive guide about homeschooling your child with autism, and hope you find it useful for deciding if it is a good option for your family.

The public and private school setting

Ideally, every child should receive an individualized education plan and experience. 

However, while schools are required to provide free education that is appropriate for and designed around different children’s needs at different ages and stages of development, public and private schools alike have limited resources.

There are several factors that contribute to why the traditional school classroom may not be the best setting for children with autism:

• For some children with autism, no school setting may be ideal. Children in school settings are expected to act differently at different times throughout the school day, like in the classroom or during recess. Teachers in each classroom have different sets of rules, expectations, and schedules for their classes. Additionally, social expectations and environments change over the course of the day. All of these factors may be overwhelming for children with autism. 
• Different learning styles are not adjusted to or catered towards children with autism in the school setting. Most classrooms use a verbal learning style while many children with autism tend to be spatial, mathematical, and visual learners. 
• Children with autism are more likely to be bullied in a school setting. Children who experience bullying can have their confidence affected as well as their experience in school. 
• Individualized Educational Programs (IEPs) should consider your child’s strengths, your concerns regarding your child’s education, the results of their most recent evaluation, academic, developmental, and functional needs, and special accommodations based on your child’s needs. However, even with IEPs, children sometimes are not able to dive into their areas of interest or build on their current strengths due to the traditional classroom setting and environment.  

Benefits of homeschooling

If you are a parent or guardian of a child with autism in a home-school permitted state and have the necessary resources, including time, money, space, and energy (more on challenges below), homeschooling can be a great option for your family.

Here are a few of the main benefits of homeschooling your child with autism:

• Personalized Experience  - Parents are able to tailor their children’s experiences with different activities, based on their needs and interests. This can mean taking sports lessons at your local YMCA, educational museum trips, and time for outdoor activities, as just a few examples.
• Tailored Learning - Being able to personalize learning for your child is a big benefit that comes from homeschooling, one not typically  found in the traditional classroom setting. Parents are able to tailor lessons around their child’s strengths and interests. For example, parents can use their child’s favorite toy or activity to assist them in learning how to count, read, or draw, etc.
• Added Support - Parents can help children through difficult episodes and are able to provide support in different community settings. For example, a child may enjoy putting a puzzle together if their parent is present and able to help them pick one out, but they may find this challenging in settings without parental support.
• Skill Development - Many children with autism are extremely skilled in certain areas. Sometimes, schools are not able to support those specific skill and talent developments due to limited resources. Parents are able to foster their children’s interests and talents with dance lessons, computer classes, art activities, etc.
• Community Support - Parents can seek out support from local disability or ASD groups, locally or online. Additionally, families can meet other families with children with autism through local organizations, like clubs and churches. Children with autism can socialize with other neurodiverse children through these groups.
• Holistic Learning Environment - Parents and caregivers who homeschool their children are able to create an autism-friendly learning environment with lower noise levels, a personalized, steady pace, and shorter learning sessions, instead of longer classes, frequently changing environments, and other challenges.

Your child may find the transition to homeschooling very easy and may feel an immediate lift after being used to the sensory overload and minimal attention and support in the traditional classroom setting.

You may be happily surprised by your child’s progress in a short period of time, especially after personalizing their homeschooling experience and lessons through their interests and skills.

Homeschooling challenges

Every child with autism is different. While homeschooling may be a great option for some children and their families, the homeschool setting may pose its own challenges from the traditional school setting, depending on your child’s and your family’s needs. 

Some examples include:

• Many children with autism who are homeschooled require additional support in learning to socialize with other people and in completing their work.
• Children with autism may need additional therapy and support outside of homeschooling. These should be tracked and managed appropriately by parents.
• Children with autism may have difficulty learning and developing some skills without the direct ability to learn through imitation. 
• Parents may find it difficult to garner support through their community or in finding organizations or groups that are willing to connect with them and their child.

In addition, you may not live in a home-school permitted state or have the necessary resources, including time, money, space, and energy, to homeschool your child.

How to make a decision

Many families choose to homeschool their child with autism, even if not for the full duration of their school career. Homeschooling children with autism isn’t the right choice for everyone, however, it can be a great option for some families. 

Below is a quick checklist to see if homeschooling your child is the right choice for your family:

• There is at least one parent or caregiver in your family who is able to dedicate their time daily to homeschooling your child.
• The parent or caregiver who will be responsible for homeschooling genuinely wants to build a homeschooling lesson plan and program that supports your child’s needs.
• Your child and the parent or caregiver who will be responsible for homeschooling enjoy spending long hours with one another.
• Your family has the allocated finances to support homeschooling your child with autism. Dwindling funds can put a strain on the family.
• Your child is excited to start homeschooling or is unhappy with the traditional school setting, thus being open to changes in their learning environment.
• You feel confident that your child can excel in a homeschool setting.
• Local and district regulations make homeschooling an option for you. Please note that some regulations are highly restrictive.

Said yes to most of the statements above? Then, it sounds like homeschooling might be a great option for your child and family!

Next steps

To best support your child with autism in a homeschooling environment, making a clear, actionable plan that includes the right tools and support team is important. 

Some parents and guardians who homeschool their children advocate for a loose structure for homeschooling in order to foster their childrens’ interests and independence. This type of environment may be challenging for children with autism. Children with autism often thrive on routine and need structure to support their growth and skill development. You or the parent or caregiver responsible for homeschooling should develop an environment that works best for your child, your family situation, and your homeschooling goals.

Below are a few of our tips for getting started on homeschooling your child with autism. 

• Make organization a priority - It’s important to keep in mind that children with autism often need structure and routine. Write down your homeschooling schedule to stay on top of your child’s day-to-day activities, and plan in advance for when you need outside support from your community or your child’s care team. 
• Factor in your child’s preferred learning style - Prior to homeschooling your child, take time to observe your child in a learning environment to best understand their learning style. Often, children with autism prefer direct instruction and hands-on learning. They also often require repetition and practice in order to effectively learn a new skill or concept. 
• Be patient with your child and yourself - Make sure to set realistic expectations for your family when homeschooling your child. When working one on one with your child, remember that this hands-on, personalized learning approach goes a long way. Start by sticking to what works for your child and then slowly introduce other new activities or lessons.
• Take a well-rounded approach - Oftentimes, the traditional classroom setting only addresses either academic or social needs of children, not both. Homeschooling gives you the opportunity to have a more well-rounded approach. Include both academic and social programs for your child to develop specific skills while also fostering your child’s interests.
• Involve the whole family - Choosing to homeschool your child can have an impact on the whole family, whether that means one parent is now staying home instead of going to work, or the morning routine in your home is changing. Make sure to get the whole family’s input before pulling your child out of the classroom and starting homeschooling. Communicate clearly with all members of the family - including siblings - about what to expect from these changes.

Helpful resources

• School district help - Even if a child is being homeschooled, their district is still responsible for them, especially when there is a good chance the child will be returning to the district in-person after a period of being homeschooled. Districts can help provide support to therapists, after school programs, or specific classes.
• Online help - You can search “homeschooling autism” to get access to books and blogs that cover teaching styles, ideas for socialization and programs, and more. 

• Local community programs - As your child’s advocate and homeschooler, you’ll be able to participate in other programs that your child may not have had the access or time for previously. This includes programs at your local YMCA which are known to be inclusive, as well as local programs and museum trips. This opens up opportunities for your child to learn and interact with others, more so than in a traditional school setting.

Homeschooling can be emotional, costly, and time consuming, but on the other hand, it may be a great fit for you and your family. Consider what would make the most sense for your child and your whole family as you move forward in making this decision.

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