Local Correspondence Study Program Is Seeing Increase In Students

Upstream Learning Expects Up To 150 Homeschool Students, Around 40 More Than Last Fall

Homeschooling is increasingly popular. (Photo, Wikipedia)

Upstream Learning, the Copper Valley's correspondence program, started up last fall with around 110 students on their roster. By the end of the year, they were running around 124. But Mark Proch, Support Teacher for the correspondence school, says he is expecting to start out much higher this school year.

"We're at 130 now," he told the Country Journal on July 29th. "There's probably more coming. We're probably looking at 140 or possibly closer to 150. It's quite an increase for us."

The Copper River School District's program is not big and flashy. "We don't advertise or anything," Mark Proch said. "We're a smaller homeschool. We especially want to serve people who live around us. Our main goal is to serve the Copper River Valley. We do have people all over the state, but most of our customers are here. This is an increase."

Mark has thought about why there are more families signing up for schooling at home. "It's the uncertainty. This is something the kids could depend on; they know what they're picking. They're choosing their curriculum." 

He said that Upstream has "an emphasis on being personalized and meeting the needs of the community." Homeschooling allows students to vary their schedules and families to have input in what is taught. In normal times, local homeschoolers have sports and dual enrollment possibilities with the regular school, including regular school classes like woodshop. Homeschooling is far more acceptable, socially, than it was even 20 years ago, whether there's a pandemic or not.

To call Upstream Learning: 822-3234