Press · SOMATH on Fox News · NYC Homeschooling
Homeschooling Soars in New York City: SOMATH Co-founder Vivianne Wright on Fox News (America Reports, Sept 14, 2026)
Fox News America Reports interviewed SOMATH co-founder Vivianne Wright and fellow Upper West Side mother Adrienne Jensen about the NYC homeschooling boom — up more than 200% in 15 years to 53,905 students statewide and 14,000+ in New York City. Here is the segment, the key numbers, and how SOMATH supports homeschool families on the Upper West Side.
Short answer. SOMATH co-founder Vivianne Wright appeared on Fox News America Reports on September 14, 2026 alongside Upper West Side mother Adrienne Jensen to discuss why more NYC families are choosing to homeschool. New York State now has 53,905 homeschool students (2025–26) — up more than 200% in 15 years, with 14,000+ homeschoolers inside New York City. That makes homeschooling the fastest-growing K–12 sector in the state. SOMATH runs a small-group, in-person math track for homeschool students grades 1–12 from our Upper West Side classroom. Start with a free 30-minute evaluation or call (646) 668-6151.
What is in this post
1. What Fox News covered
On the September 14, 2026 broadcast of America Reports, Fox News profiled the rise of homeschooling in New York City and New York State under the headline “Homeschooling reportedly soars in New York City and state.” The segment featured two Manhattan mothers — SOMATH co-founder Vivianne Wright, who homeschools her 9-year-old daughter Violetta, and Upper West Side mother Adrienne Jensen, who is currently homeschooling three of her four children after her oldest daughter (also homeschooled) enrolled at Cornell. Both mothers were also profiled in the New York Post’s September 9, 2026 exclusive on NYC homeschooling that broke the same trend nationally a week earlier.
The Fox News segment framed the story around one number: the New York State homeschool population has more than tripled since 2009–10, reaching 53,905 students in 2025–26. It is the fastest-growing school sector in the state, outpacing charter school growth (~3.1% since 2023 vs ~8% for homeschooling).
2. The NYC homeschooling numbers in one place
The stats below are drawn from New York State Education Department data as reported by the New York Post and Newsmax on September 9, 2026, and from the Empire Center for Public Policy. They form the backdrop of the Fox News segment.
Zoom in on the districts and the trend gets sharper: in a Washington Post analysis of 33 NYC school districts, 24 of them saw the homeschool population more than triple since the 2017–18 school year, with the largest growth in Brooklyn and the Bronx (some districts quadrupled).
3. Why NYC parents are choosing to homeschool
The Fox News segment surfaces the same reasons parents named in the New York Post reporting a week earlier — and the same reasons SOMATH hears from families on the Upper West Side every week.
The five reasons that came up most often in the reporting:
- Class-size rigor gap. One New York homeschool advocate quoted in the Post put it plainly: “You have 30 or 35 kids in a classroom, all at different levels. You’re failing the whole class.” Small groups make individualized pacing possible.
- Academic outcomes on the state exams. A Success Academy analysis referenced in the Post found that in 906 of NYC’s 1,500+ public schools, fewer than half of students passed math, reading, or both on state exams last year. About a third of those 906 have been on state accountability lists since 2012.
- Cost-benefit on public spending. The Empire Center told the Post that New York taxpayers spend $37,000 per student — the most in the world — yet the state trails Mississippi (the poorest state) in reading and math.
- Time and freedom. Jensen described spending “at least half our time outside or at museums and other city institutions, really living while we learn.” NYC as a giant classroom is a real advantage.
- Fit for accelerated learners. Vivianne’s daughter Violetta — who works through math for up to 90 minutes at a time and practices chess daily — is an example of a child whose pace and interests are hard to accommodate in a 30-student classroom on a state-pacing calendar.
The national survey data lines up. The National Center for Education Statistics’ 2019 homeschool survey found that 80.3% of homeschool parents cited concerns about the school environment, 72.6% pointed to dissatisfaction with academic instruction, and 54.2% wanted more family time. In a 2025 New York City DOE survey, 21% of NYC homeschool parents said their children got a more rigorous education at home than was possible in public school.
4. How SOMATH fits into an NYC homeschool math plan
The one question every NYC homeschool parent asks — whether at the SOMATH front desk, at a park meetup, or in a Facebook group — is “What about math?” Math is the subject most homeschool parents worry they cannot teach as well as a school could, especially past 5th grade when algebra begins.
SOMATH exists to answer that question. We run an in-person math track for homeschool students grades 1–12 from our Upper West Side classroom at 226 W 79th Street, one block from the 79th Street 1 train. It is the same program our co-founder Vivianne uses to teach her daughter Violetta, and the same one that supports several other NYC homeschool families each week.
| Homeschool need | How SOMATH covers it |
|---|---|
| The math component of your IHIP | A written curriculum outline aligned to New York State standards, K–12, that you can submit with your Individualized Home Instruction Plan. |
| Quarterly progress reports | Four written progress reports per year in the format the school district will accept — done by SOMATH so you do not have to draft them. |
| Small-group teaching (not one-on-one) | 4–8 students at the same level, one hour a week, so your child gets peer discussion and problem-solving practice they cannot get at the kitchen table. |
| Placement that ignores birth year | Every family starts with a free 30-minute evaluation plus a written diagnostic. Homeschoolers frequently place ahead in some topics and behind in others — we build the schedule around actual level, not nominal grade. |
| SHSAT, SAT, and AP prep on the same ladder | SOMATH classes feed directly into SHSAT prep in middle school and Digital SAT, AP Calculus AB/BC, and AP Statistics in high school. Homeschoolers take the same exams as everyone else. |
| Competition math for accelerated kids | AMC 8 / AMC 10 / MATHCOUNTS prep for students ready to compete — see our AMC 8 prep guide. |
If you want the full walkthrough of how SOMATH supports homeschool families — including IHIP paperwork, sample schedules, and how we teach Violetta — read our companion post Homeschooling in NYC: How SOMATH Supports Homeschool Families with Math from the week the New York Post story broke.
Start with a free 30-minute evaluation
Every homeschool family that joins SOMATH starts the same way: a free 30-minute in-person evaluation at 226 W 79th Street, plus a written diagnostic you can drop straight into your IHIP — whether you enroll or not.
Book a free evaluation Call (646) 668-61515. FAQ
Who was on Fox News America Reports on September 14, 2026 talking about NYC homeschooling?
Fox News America Reports interviewed two New York mothers — Vivianne Wright, co-founder of SOMATH (School of Math) in Manhattan, and Adrienne Jensen, an Upper West Side mother of four. Vivianne homeschools her 9-year-old daughter Violetta. The segment title is “Homeschooling reportedly soars in New York City and state.”
How many kids are homeschooled in New York in 2026?
Per state education data cited in the New York Post and Newsmax (Sept 9, 2026), New York State had 53,905 homeschooled students in the 2025–26 school year, with 14,000+ in New York City. That is a 200%+ increase over 15 years and about +8% since 2023 — the highest growth of any K–12 school sector in the state. The Empire Center for Public Policy ranks New York State second in the nation for homeschool growth, behind only Washington, D.C.
Why are so many NYC parents pulling their kids out of public school?
The most commonly cited reasons: academic rigor, large class sizes (30–35 students), the ability to tailor instruction, and flexibility for family time. A 2025 NYC DOE survey found 21% of NYC homeschool parents said their children get a more rigorous education at home. A Success Academy analysis referenced by the Post found that in 906 of NYC’s 1,500+ public schools, fewer than half of students passed math, reading, or both on state exams last year.
Does SOMATH support NYC homeschool families?
Yes. SOMATH runs an in-person math track for homeschool students grades 1–12 from its Upper West Side classroom at 226 W 79th Street. Families can use SOMATH as the full math component of their IHIP or as a small-group supplement, with quarterly progress reports written in the format the school district will accept. Start with a free evaluation.
What are the New York homeschooling requirements?
New York State requires: (1) a notice of intent to the local school district, (2) an Individualized Home Instruction Plan (IHIP) naming curriculum and materials for each required subject, (3) four quarterly progress reports per year, (4) at least 900 hours of instruction for grades K–6 or 990 hours for grades 7–12 across 180 days, and (5) an annual assessment (a state-approved standardized test or approved alternative). Required subjects include English, math, science, social studies, health, physical education, art, and music. Parents do not need a teaching certification or a college degree.
Can a homeschooled NYC student still take the SAT, SHSAT, or AP exams?
Yes. Homeschooled students take the same SAT, ACT, AP, and SHSAT as any other NYC student and apply to public high schools, private schools, and colleges on the same timeline. SOMATH’s enrichment ladder feeds directly into SHSAT prep, Digital SAT prep, and AP Calculus AB/BC and AP Statistics.
Where can I watch the Fox News segment with Vivianne Wright?
The full segment aired on Fox News America Reports on September 14, 2026 and is available on foxnews.com: Homeschooling reportedly soars in New York City and state.
Sources. Fox News, “Homeschooling reportedly soars in New York City and state,” America Reports, Sept 14, 2026 — foxnews.com/video/6405050857112. New York Post, Marissa Matozzo, “Why NYC parents are homeschooling their kids in 2026” (Sept 9, 2026). Newsmax, Nicole Weatherholtz, “New York Homeschooling Soars More Than 200%” (Sept 9, 2026). Empire Center for Public Policy, “NY 2nd in the Nation for Homeschooling Growth.” National Center for Education Statistics, 2019 Parent and Family Involvement in Education Survey.