C.  Some parents fit into both categories. They receive an ESA but don’t use it for private school tuition – they homeschool. Their ESA goes towards approved expenses.  They are “ESA Homeschoolers” though nobody calls them that.

How many of these families are there?  To the best of my knowledge, nobody knows.  My estimate as of June 2024 is 50,000.  I’m hoping readers will correct me!  

This estimate may double or triple fairly soon.  In 2024, Florida, Arizona, New Hampshire, and West Virginia all had ESAs for homeschoolers.  Wyoming, Georgia, Utah, South Carolina, and Louisiana will start programs in 2025.   And maybe Texas.

How do homeschool parents use ESA funds to help their kids thrive?  These are the stories I will chase and share.  I’m interested in the on-the-ground reality, rather than the politics.  Below I “park” the political debates.  They’re important.  But you can read them elsewhere, from writers who know what they’re talking about.

About Curious Mike

I come at school choice from several angles: Founder of a Boston charter school, advisor to some micro schools, CAO of an African private school network, designer of a Math Tutor Lab in India, tutor of a homeschool student, and caffeinated operator of a (mediocre) Covid-era “Daddy Home School,” which I wrote about here, here,and  here.

Back when I was a charter school leader, our teachers poured their souls to try to reach disengaged kids like the ones that guests Tiffany and Daniella describe.   Teachers ate lunch with kids, tutored them after school, built parent relationships with phone calls, and showed up for their ball games.  Yes, some kids responded to that outpouring of teacher effort.  But other kids persisted in really resisting the typical school experience.  Try as we might, we never had a good answer for these children.  If a kid is lucky enough to have a capable homeschool parent, a new door opens to flourishing.  

Meanwhile, speaking as a dad, we don’t get an ESA but we did spend $8,600 this year on ESA-like enrichment items, like Andreina and Mariana describe.  We’re fortunate we can afford this out of pocket.  I’d like every family to have these options.