Homeschooling families deserve state funding

Homeschooling in Delaware is growing at a phenomenal rate, and the growth of Delaware homeschoolers is one of the highest in the nation at 29%, per the Johns Hopkins Institute for Education Policy, which reported its analysis of the homeschooling rate for 21 states for the 2023-24 academic year. 

The count of current registered homeschoolers is nearly 4,500 (almost 4% of the total student population), per the Delaware Department of Education, and the number of registered homeschools is 2,500-plus. According to the National Home Education Research Institute, homeschooled students typically score 15 to 25 percentile points above public school students on standardized academic achievement tests, and score above average on the SAT and ACT tests. One study showed that about 74% of homeschooled students go on to attend college (compared to only 44% of public school students), about 67% of homeschooled students graduate from college (compared to 59% of public school graduates), and, on average, homeschooled students scored 1190 on the SAT, compared to 1060 for public school students.

Also, per the NHERI, taxpayers spend an average of $16,446 per pupil annually in public schools, plus capital expenditures. The roughly 3.1 million homeschool students of 2021-22 represented a savings of more than $51 billion for taxpayers. This is $51 billion that American taxpayers did not have to spend. Taxpayers spend nothing on the vast majority of homeschool students, while homeschool families spend out-of-pocket per student annually for their education. 

In Delaware alone, homeschooling families have paid an estimated nearly $6 million toward funding public schools via property taxes in 2023 alone. This is funding the public schools already received for students who don't attend the schools. A number of homeschooling families I have spoken to just want a reasonable amount to cover their educational expenses. They are not asking for a seat on the state board of education or administrative involvement, nor are they asking for any change in the current homeschooling state law. In addition to paying taxes to fund public schools, homeschooling families are paying an additional equivalent (or more) amount per year for educational expenses, which would amount to an excess of $2,000 per student on average. This does not include expenses for homeschooling students with special needs, who require additional consideration.

Currently, there are 16 states that offer some form of homeschooling tax credit/reimbursement, with a wide range of amounts from $250 to $8,000. I have already reached out, met and discussed with state legislators of both parties for a bipartisan effort to help Delaware homeschooling families so they can receive an amount (to be determined) per homeschooling student per year (reimbursement or tax credit or voucher) toward homeschooling expenses. I also provided feedback and input to the education committee in Gov.-elect Matt Meyer’s transition policy meetings in November and December. As next steps, more follow-up discussions with stakeholders are being scheduled so this can be brought to a resolution.

As far as is known, there is no provision in Delaware that outlines anything similar to efforts done in other states, so this will be the first of its kind, and I am hopeful this will provide some help to homeschoolers whose numbers are growing in the state and are our future!