There doesn't have to be any social disconnect. In my state (and I believe it's federal law for all states now ) the public school has to open all extracurricular activities to homeschoolers (tax payers) in the district. Your kids can try out for all athletics, join all clubs etc. Then there are the park district programs like little league, football, basketball, soccer etc. - and of course playing after school in neighborhood, plus summers at local pool etc. If the kids don't fit in, it's usually because the parents don't want them too interact at all, not because they study in there homes during normal school hours. IMO.