Are Homeschooled Kids at a Disadvantage?

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The public school model and curriculum are not the only or best way to teach children.

Everyone who teaches their children at home either uses a public program, like a district independent study or charter school, or sets up a private school.  If they are in a public program, and many are, they are held to state standards and supervised by credentialed teachers. The families are using state money, so they and the programs are held to accountability standards.

Families that homeschool through private schools, whether ones run by someone else or ones they set up themselves, are regulated exactly the same way as bigger private schools in the state. The main regulation that applies to private schools is that they must teach certain subjects, and all homeschoolers must do so as well. There are many, many rules that apply to public schools but not to private ones: credentialing, exit exams, etc. But private school students generally do as well as public school students. There isn't a lot of oversight by the state of private schools, but there's also no public money being used, so no reason to have "accountability" to the taxpayers.

Diversity is a function of the local demographics. Homeschooling is practiced by every ethnic and religious group, and most homeschoolers participate in many community and cultural activities as well as classes for homeschoolers.  They have plenty of opportunity to learn about kids who don't look like themselves.