State policies for home schools and private schools govern rules for "learning pods," cooperative arrangements among parents forming small groups to have their children taught by a tutor, teacher or parent. More parents are considering pods as an alternative amid the uncertainties of the coronavirus pandemic. According to National School Choice Week, an organization supporting public educational alternatives, these self-directed pods can be classified either as a home school or a private school, depending on how many students are included and how families choose to register.
Requirements and registrations for both options vary by state. For example, Idaho, Maine and Washington require private schools to have a teaching certificate, while California, Montana and New York require curricula to be similar to public schools.