Barbara Ballard realizes it’s a bold move.

Her daughter, Katie, is 4. The state says she should start kindergarten in the fall.

But Katie won’t be boarding a school bus and making macaroni art projects with 25 other children. Instead, she’ll have “school” by herself at her mother’s office in southern Lawrence, where Ballard owns a technology company.

Ballard plans to home school her daughter, and in doing so joins a growing number of families who choose not to send their children to public or private schools.

“It’s a strong statement: I don’t think the professionals can do as good a job educating my child as I can,” Ballard says.

More parents are agreeing with that assessment, according to government figures and groups that advocate home education.

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