Ben DeGrow is a Senior Policy Director of Education Choice for ExcelinEd.
Education Scholarship Accounts (ESAs) offer parents state funds to craft educational experiences that fit their children’s unique needs. For most families, these programs are a lifeline. But for some families they can spark skepticism or apprehension. In fact, some homeschooling families and organizations are vocal critics of ESAs, in part because they believe government funds carry strings that may infringe upon parental rights.
Their objections may actually threaten support for ESAs. But these programs can enhance educational freedom while protecting the autonomy others already enjoy.
The growing popularity of homeschooling is undeniable, even if it’s hard to tell how many homeschoolers there are nationwide. Best available estimates place the figure above 3 million. Whatever the number, many more families opted for home education after COVID-19 turned their schooling experiences upside down.
It was no coincidence that ESAs also gained traction during the pandemic. Frustrations with virtual schooling and other pandemic-related policies inspired some lawmakers to give families access to state-supervised education spending. The five (mostly small) ESA programs that existed in 2019 doubled to ten by 2021. Combined, ESA programs across the country now serve more than 100,000 students. And momentum isn’t slowing, as several more states are considering ESA legislation this year.
Newer homeschoolers tend to be more open to ESAs. These families might already have joined a microschool, co-op or some other multi-family arrangement. Some take advantage of the option to enroll in individual public school classes or other activities. Generally speaking, they care less about blurring the lines between different traditional categories of schooling to get their children what they need.
No matter what the educational setting, paying out of pocket for customized learning can entail financial sacrifice. By supercharging the ability of parents to spend dollars flexibly, ESAs not only ease the burden but also allow many more to step out and try something new to meet their children’s needs. And while some parents may practice something that closely resembles traditional homeschooling, states and parents alike could greatly benefit to distinguish the two legally.
Some parents’ concerns about potential overreach from expanding choice through ESAs cannot be brushed aside. Earlier voucher programs – which aren’t designed to support homeschooling – often contained heavy regulations. Fortunately, today’s typical ESA law is not your parents’ school choice legislation. But even that lighter touch and more balanced design may not be enough for many homeschoolers to accept.
With the right strategies, core parental rights can be preserved for reluctant participants, while expanding other families’ education purchasing power. No organization is likely to speak for all homeschoolers, but seeking input from homeschooling families about their interest in using ESAs is a crucial place to start the conversation. For those already using an ESA, reactions may vary based on their current obligations under state law. Some home education families face reporting and testing requirements that they find burdensome and intrusive. In other cases, such family–government interaction is negligible or nonexistent.
Based on the approaches states with robust ESA programs have already taken, proponents can find practical guidance on how to accommodate homeschoolers. Arizona, which made recent headlines by removing all barriers to program eligibility, has long made a key distinction. Its decade-old law disqualifies ESA families from also filing the limited paperwork required by the state to formally receive homeschool recognition.
New Hampshire’s Education Freedom Account law similarly clarifies that joining the program means forfeiting a family’s official homeschool status—but does not preclude home-based learning. The state already prescribes an annual academic evaluation. Accepting an ESA requires them to report the results to the organization administering the program, a small obligation that may rule out some families
West Virginia’s groundbreaking 2021 Hope Scholarship law leaves room for flexibility, too, although the difference in one way is even less significant. Homeschoolers already report academic progress to officials in four specific student grade levels. Hope scholars must also submit assessment results in a few additional grades. In West Virginia, the bigger sticking point for many homeschoolers is the requirement to enroll the child in a public school for 45 days first.
Unlike its counterparts, Missouri’s decentralized, tax credit-funded ESA program specifically makes homeschoolers eligible to receive funds. Participating scholarship organizations as of now only assist with private school tuition and expenses, giving some students more options. Yet at present, the state’s homeschoolers are keeping their distance. These families may be missing out on the main benefit of ESAs: to help them customize their children’s learning.
Navigating parents’ concerns about ESAs can be challenging, but getting scholarship support to help eligible students remains a high priority. States can find a separate legal space for families to homeschool while also providing eager parents with funding to embrace flexible education options. In doing so, states can break down barriers without forfeiting hard-fought freedoms. This approach will make education pluralism thrive.
