Parents are taking over the responsibility for their children's education.

They are the growing number of families who are homeschooling their children.

According to NBC 10's Lisa Mishler, the laws on homeschooling vary quite a bit from state to state -- but the reasons parents choose to home school are pretty much the same.

They told us that they are worried about violence in the schools and peer pressure. They want to teach religion, or they simply want more time with their children.

It looks like the start of the day at any elementary school, but in a Doylestown church, students are joined by their mothers and fathers.

The Rev.Jerry Schmoyer dressed as Christopher Columbus for one day's history lesson. About 50 Bucks County homeschoolers hold class at Schmoyer's parish once a week. Schmoyer has been homeschooling for 18 years. His four oldest children are now in college and his youngest is in third grade.

"I think its a privilege to impact lives to that extent," Schmoyer said.

Homeschooling in Pennsylvania has the toughest regulations in the country. Parents must send a notarized affidavit to the state each year that they are teaching their children.

Achievement tests are required, students get yearly evaluations by a certified teacher or psychologist and certain class subjects are mandatory.

Delaware is different. Parents simply need to notify the Department of Education and get direction from a homeschool association or their local school district.

In New Jersey there is virtually no regulation. You don't even need to notify your child's school that you're taking them out of class.

Statistics show that there are as many as 1.5 million children homeschooled in the United States, and that number is on the rise. But homeschoolers admit that, for most families, it may not be an option financially.

Charles Fulforth sent two kids through private school before deciding to make some tough money decisions and homeschool his youngest daughter.

"I've had to rearrange my work schedule (and) my employees. My wife has also," Fulforth said.

Parents who decide to homeschool said that they face a lot of questions. No.1, they say, seems to be how their children will make friends.

"They have neighborhood friends," Schmoyer said.

Schmoyer said that many school districts allow homeschoolers to take part in school sports and activities. In fact, his son is now on the U.S. Olympic field hockey team.

Homeschoolers are allowed to participate in sports in some schools because, even though they're not in class, their mothers and fathers are still paying school taxes.

The effort seems to be worth it for many families. Studies show that by eighth grade, homeschooled children perform four grade levels above the national average.

Related Resource:

Homeschooling help and laws