Education

Homeschool parents support ESAs, tax credits

September 24, 2024

Brandon Dutcher

With a new school year upon us, and my wife and I beginning our 27th year of homeschooling, some recent poll results caught my eye.

A nationwide survey of 1,000 homeschooling parents was conducted from August 29 to September 2, 2024. The margin of error is +/- 3.4 percent. Among the respondents, 37 percent of these homeschooling parents describe their views on most issues as conservative, 32 percent say moderate, and 28 percent say liberal. Their views on school-choice policies are below.

“Would you say that you support or oppose Education Savings Accounts, where homeschool and private school parents can use the tax dollars designated to the local school for their own children’s educational expenses?”

• Support ………… 84%
• Oppose ………… 12%

“Would you say that you support or oppose an education tax credit program, where homeschool and private school parents would receive a direct tax credit from the state to spend on their own children’s education expenses?”

• Support ………… 88%
• Oppose …………   9%

“Although neither statement below may be exactly right, which one comes closer to what you believe?” 

• “State programs like Education Savings Accounts that provide families funding for education give families back the money the state would have spent on their child in public school. Families should get to decide whether to participate or not, but we need these programs in place first.” ………… 67%
• “State programs like Education Savings Accounts that provide families funding for education are a way for government to further monitor people. Government should not be monitoring us, and we shouldn’t have these programs in the first place.” ………… 27%