So, what is school choice, and how can it support your goals? 

In a nutshell, school choice provides homeschool families with public funds that they can use to support and fund their students’ education as an alternative to public school. These funds can offset the cost of materials such as testing, tutoring and other education essentials. 

School choice policies fall into a few main categories: Education Savings Accounts, Vouchers, and Tax Credits. Not all states provide these funding opportunities, and eligibility varies state-to-state. These policies began rapidly expanding in 2022, and have continued to do so every year since. Understanding your unique state’s funding options and reporting requirements to receive funds will provide you with the tools you need to get the most out of these programs.

Here are some key definitions you need to understand:

Education Savings Accounts

While each state has their own name for these programs, education saving accounts (commonly written as ESAs) are all functionally quite similar. ESAs are state-funded savings accounts loaded with a portion of the money that your state government would have used to fund your child attending public school; the exact amount will depend upon where you live and your child’s eligibility. Many states may require standardized testing to be eligible for an ESA. Homeschool Boss accepts ESA payments from a variety of states, learn more and get started here. If you live in Florida, learn about taking advantage of the Personalized Education Program (PEP) here.

ESA programs empower you to choose to spend money on whatever supports your child’s education the most. Parents can spend these funds on a wide variety of services: private or microschool tuition, testing, tutoring, or education materials. Keep in mind you may need to submit receipts for reimbursement or go through a pre-approved market place depending on your state. Because ESA rules differ by state, families should always review their state’s program guidelines to understand the process and see which vendors are approved.

Tax Credits

Currently, there are no federal tax breaks for homeschooling or K–12 educational expenses, most federal tax benefits for education are related to higher education. However, that shouldn’t discourage you. While there is no federal tax credit, several states offer programs to support homeschooling families. Stay up-to-date on your state’s homeschool tax benefits and keep track of what you spend throughout the year, as homeschooling expenses that qualify one year may change the next, and new opportunities that weren’t available before may emerge.

School Vouchers

School vouchers are the least flexible form of school choice funding for homeschoolers, and as the name suggests, are often restricted to scholarship funding, allowing students to attend private school. Unlike education savings accounts or some tax credits, many of which have universal access and provide a wide range of options for how you can spend your funds, vouchers are generally exclusively for private school tuition and are often restricted to low-income or special needs students. 

One way school vouchers may be helpful to homeschoolers are microschools. Some states accept microschools as private schools, so, review your state school voucher program to see if you qualify for voucher funds. 

A new program is expanding school vouchers, called the Educational Choice for Children Act, which will start in 2027. This may create greater opportunities for homeschoolers, as more states may expand their school voucher programs to include microschools. 

The final step in funding your homeschool journey is using your funds. Homeschool Boss offers adaptive, nationally normed, online assessments that provide the data you need to measure and maximize your student’s academic growth. Find the assessments that best fit their needs here.

In our upcoming blog series “navigating school choice”, we’ll look more closely at each of these policies.