HSLDA continues to oppose state funding for homeschooling, because we believe it will result in less homeschool freedom. The risk is that once the government starts paying for the education parents provide, the government will get the final say in what parents teach. Government money brings government control.
HSLDA President Jim Mason detailed this view in his 2018 HSLDA Magazine article, “The Civic Virtue of Private Home Education”—a warning about government control that has only become more relevant as calls for state funding have increased.[1] In the past two years alone, more than 44 states have introduced some form of government funding for school choice.[2]
Not all of these proposals touch homeschooling, and some—like private savings plans or tax credits—simply let families keep more of their own money without involving public funding—a key distinction for HSLDA. Still, the entire discussion and the dizzying array of legislation and proposals can feel overwhelming.
To help you sort through it all, here is a brief guide to some of the most common education funding methods and what they mean for homeschooling families.