Publications
Angela R. Watson's research examines homeschooling, school choice, and alternative education models, with work published in leading academic journals and featured in national media outlets. Her scholarship bridges rigorous academic inquiry with practical policy implications. Below are highlights from her publication record.
Selected Peer-Reviewed Articles
Cheng, A., Watson, A., & Lee, M. (2026). An analysis of educational sector mixing among US homeschooling families from three waves of the national household education survey. Cambridge Journal of Education.
Wang, X., Smith, G., & Watson, A. (2025). Self-regulated learning and self-efficacy among homeschooled students: A systematic review. Journal of School Choice.
Watson, A. (2024). Homeschool Participation: Post-pandemic persistence and growth trends. Journal of School Choice, 18(4), 501-517.
Bjorklund-Young, A. & Watson, A. (2024). The changing face of the American homeschooler: A 25-year comparison of race and ethnicity. Journal of School Choice, 18(4).
Smith, G. & Watson, A. (2024). Estimating homeschool participation in the US: What can we learn from the Household Pulse survey? Journal of School Choice, 18(4).
Cheng, A., & Watson, A. (2024). How do demographic characteristics of homeschooling households influence the way homeschooling is practiced? Journal of School Choice, 18(4).
Erickson, H., Watson, A., & Greene, J. (2022). An experimental evaluation of culturally enriching field trips. Journal of Human Resources.
Greene, J., Erickson, H., Watson, A., & Beck, M. (2018). The play's the thing: Experimentally examining the social and cognitive effects of school field trips to live theater performances. Educational Researcher.
Watson, A. (2018). Is homeschool cool? Current trends in American homeschooling. Journal of School Choice.
Research Reports & Policy Briefs
Cheng, A. & Watson, A. (2025). Diverse outcomes for a diverse population: Findings about homeschooled adults from the Cardus Education Survey. Cardus Research Report.
Watson, A., & Bjorklund-Young, A. (2024). School Smart Kansas City: An Evaluation. Johns Hopkins Institute for Education Policy.
Dr. Watson has authored numerous commissioned research reports for education organizations and foundations. Many reports remain private to partner organizations.
Working Papers
Watson, A. & Lee, M. (2025). Who homeschools and what does success mean to them? Experimental evidence from a national sample. Harvard PEPG Working Paper. Under review at Educational Researcher.
Lee, M. & Watson, A. (2025). Parental perspectives on school choice: Experimental evidence from a nationally representative sample. Annenberg EdWorkingPaper. Under review at Education Finance and Policy.
Special Issue of Journal of School Choice
Watson, A. (2024). Academic research on modern homeschooling in America. Journal of School Choice, 18(4).
Dr. Watson served as guest editor for this landmark special issue featuring 26 scholars from 13 academic institutions, including the first-ever academic study on Hispanic homeschooling.
Book Chapters
Watson, A. (2023). Parent-created "schools" in the US. In R. Maranto & D. Marshall (Eds.), Covid-19 and Schools: Policy, Stakeholders, and School Choice. Routledge.
Watson, A. (2022). Pandemic Pods and Alternative Modes of Education. In D. Marshall (Ed.), Covid-19 and the Classroom: How Schools Navigated the Great Disruption. Rowman & Littlefield.
Watson, A., Maranto, R. & Bell, D. (2018). The fall and rise of home education. Homeschooling in the 21st Century (pp. 1-18). Routledge.
Op-Eds & Public Scholarship
Watson, A. (2026). America is arguing about homeschooling without looking at the data. The Hill.
Watson, A. & Lee, M. (2025). Clapping back at homeschooling's perennial foes and fallacies: Let's set the record straight about why more families are choosing home education. Education Next.
Smith, G. & Watson, A. (2024). New US Census Bureau data confirm growth in homeschooling amid pandemic. Education Next.
Watson, A. (2024). With numbers rising, homeschooling in Virginia needs guardrails. Richmond Times-Dispatch.
Wolf, P., Lee, M., & Watson, A. (2020). Harvard Law professor's attack on homeschooling is flawed. And terribly timed, too. Education Next.