“Freedom is a state of exemption from the power or control of another; liberty; exemption from slavery, servitude, or confinement. Freedomis personal, civil, political, and religious.” — Webster’s 1828 Dictionary
Exposing the School Choice Threat
We homeschoolers tend to be a cautious bunch, being wary of mainstream narratives regarding education. Especially those that affect our God-given freedom to choose how our children are educated. The strength of our freedom was built on a foundation of independence and a consistent refusal of government funding. These freedoms have been fought for by pioneering homeschoolers who, in some cases, were jailed and had their children removed from their homes as punishment for upholding their God-given right to freedom. Learn more about Idaho’s homeschool history by reading my article “Free to Homeschool.”
Recently, these convictions have wavered as many homeschoolers have joined the School Choice movement. “School Choice” is a term thrown around in many different states to emotionalize a choice we already have. Every parent already has the right to choose public, private, parochial, home, or online school for their children. The School Choice movement isn’t about providing a choice. Instead, it is about who will pay for thatchoice. Touted as the miracle that will save the American education system, School Choice proponents hawk sales-pitch slogans like vendors at a carnival, making lavished promises and downplaying obvious risks.
Maybe you’re just now learning about the School Choice movement, or perhaps you already understand it. Regardless of where you are, as lead learners in our homes, we must strive to educate ourselves on issues that matter.
Homeschool Idaho Resources
That is why Idaho’s state homeschool organization, Homeschool Idaho, has created a webpage with a wealth of information regarding the School Choice argument. Regardless of where you live, all the resources are relevant to homeschoolers. Do you want to learn what School Choice is and what it is not? Then check out the “What is…” page. Are you curious about what UNESCO has to do with School Choice? Be sure to visit the “UNESCO connection” page. Do you know who School Choice actually benefits? If not, read the “Does it deliver?” page.
The resources I have outlined, and many more offered, were created to help you educate and equip yourself and other homeschool parents to engage with this topic. As Homeschool Idaho exposes School Choice, I encourage and challenge you to share these resources with your homeschool friends, family, leaders of your homeschool organizations, and your legislators.
Stand Up for Freedom
As the ones with the most to lose, we must guard against emotional arguments, flowery words, political rhetoric, and the rat trap of “free” money. Let’s not fall prey because we are uninformed. Rather, let’s hold our state’s homeschool organizations to a higher standard by taking an unapologetic stand for homeschool freedom. Together, let’s choose better.
If we wish to continue to walk in the rights and freedoms to educate our children as ordained by God, we cannot be uninformed or silent. As Paul wrote in Galatians 5:1, “For freedom Christ has set us free; stand firm therefore, and do not submit again to a yoke of slavery.”
Annie Grey is a Christ follower, wife, and momma to two CC graduates. When she isn’t serving families in Montana, Idaho, and Wyoming as an Area Representative, she is enjoying the outdoors in many ways, working on the family homestead, teaching group fitness classes, engaging with her young adults in thought-provoking and interesting conversation, or curled up reading a good book. After launching her arrows, she is grateful in this season that God is still using her to encourage and support families who wish to homeschool.
The School Choice movement is steadily advancing in red states across the country. How can we, as citizens, engage with this legislative issue and protect education independence in our states?
It is important that we consider and wrestle with arguments for and against School Choice policies. If you live in Tennessee, this conversation is not only important but timely. Many elected officials in Tennessee, including Governor Bill Lee, have dedicated themselves to implementing School Choice legislation. With such a unified initiative among state politicians, it is important for Tennesseans to understand this issue and consider its implications.
To help parents engage with the School Choice movement in an accessible way, mom, patriot, and host of Truthwire News, Kelly Jackson sat down with Classical Conversations® CEO, Robert Bortins. Together, they break down voucher policies, consider claims made by ESA advocates, and lay out the effects this legislation has on families.
Kelly Jackson and Robert Bortins discuss School Vouchers in Tennessee.
Here are some of the questions they discuss:
Who is advocating for School Choice policies in Tennessee?
Who benefits from School Choice legislation?
How can Tennessean families defend education independence in their state?
Robert Bortins is the CEO of Classical Conversations and the host of Refining Rhetoric. The company has grown from supporting homeschoolers in about 40 states to supporting homeschoolers in over 50 countries and has become the world’s largest classical homeschooling organization under his guidance.
In a recent attempt to give an unbiased overview of the current temperature in the “school choice” movement, Elizabeth Russell and Sharon Dierberger outline the main themes and key players in an article called “Unlikely Allies.” This piece is worth reading as we consider how this new trend is taking shape. Given enough time, ideas will expose themselves for what they truly are.
In this context, the idea is tax-funded education expansion. The idea goes by many names and takes on many shapes. So now that these ladies have given this idea a thorough shake-down, it’s time to consider what observations float to the top. Here are those three inconvenient truths for “school choice” advocates.
One: Exposed Inconsistencies
One major problem with the modern school choice agenda is that it is inconsistent with nearly every other pillar of the conservative paradigm. In the second half of the “Unlikely Allies” article, Robert Bortins, CEO of Classical Conversations, draws this point out. The irony of the situation is that conservatives are against almost everything else that goes by the name of “Universal.” And it’s not because these things aren’t important. We all need some form of health care, income, housing, and nutrition, but historically, conservatives have always held the principle that re-distributing society’s wealth to subsidize these commodities hurts all parties: the provider, the recipient, and the commodity itself. Even if we all know everyone needs to eat, conservatives have had a consensus that theft is morally wrong, creating dependency harms the recipient, and subsidization of a commodity drives costs up and quality down—literally, no one wins! But often, we are blinded by our good intentions when the object in question is vital to human flourishing, like food, health care, and education.
One major problem with the modern school choice agenda is that it is inconsistent with nearly every other pillar of the conservative paradigm.
It’s easy to understand why compassion can blind policymakers. It’s the classic tale of “the ends don’t justify the means.” But why has the political right flip-flopped on its position on education? Even more ironic is the reality that most conservatives adamantly opposed student-loan payoff for all the expected reasons but fiercely champion the expansion of taxpayer-funded K-12 education via “school choice.” It’s enough to make you double-blink and cock your head, but who has the courage to call out this egregious inconsistency when the “school choice” topic has been the banner under which the leaders of the conservative right have chosen to march.
Two: Transferred Ownership
The home education movement has been living a cultural experiment for the last 40-plus years. When Jim Mason, President of the Home School Legal Defense Association (HSLDA), refers to the “habits of liberty” that grew from this counter-cultural movement, the first habit required was the reclaiming of ownership and responsibility. At that time, this was such a powerful virtue that it compelled families to make choices that put them at odds with public policy and cultural norms. Home educators realized that what you fund, you own, and they couldn’t tolerate willfully handing over ownership of their children’s education to the state. For 40 years, independent private home educators have coped with the idea that they will contribute towards government education while privately funding 100% of their children’s education—and they’ve succeeded! This reclaiming of ownership has fostered other such habits of liberty that make the home education ecosphere a petri dish for other radical ideas like entrepreneurship and self-sufficiency. It’s no wonder that globalists like UNESCO want to buy back these independent “threats” to their agenda with public dollars.
Home educators realized that what you fund, you own, …What the state funds, the state owns.
While a good number of home educators “get” this, we are well aware that we have a unique perspective, and the paradigm dichotomy is stark. Consider how well-intended Democratic state Rep. Ajay Pittman refers to the children in her district as “her babies.” Again, this might sound endearing to those who haven’t made the “ownership leap,” but those within our ranks notice this claim on the children and the paradigm it represents. When we allow the state to fund an initiative, we are asking them to own the initiative; in this case, it is the education of our children. Disagree? Over the last few years, we have watched parents petition school libraries to remove inappropriate books. Does that sound like ownership or dependency? Homeschool parents are never forced to beg their government for education changes. Ownership matters. What the state funds, the state owns. This should serve as a caution to all private education entities lined up for their tax-funded checks.
Three: Swapped Principles
If we were to climb a mountain and look down across the landscape, we could watch the metaphorical migration described in this “Unlikely Allies” article. The authors list several democrats who are warming up to the idea of school choice and joining the movement despite scrutiny from their political allies. They also appropriately identify that the holdouts on the right are “reliably conservative voters” and “most conservative factions of their own party.” So, as we sit from our vantage point, the patterns we could observe at this stage of the conversation is that new members to the “school choice camp” are coming from the left, while those leaving or putting up a fight are the most conservative among the political right. Is there anything that we could conclude from this observation? Is this movement actually conservative in nature?
Let’s take an inventory: school choice grows the size and influence of government, it costs the taxpayer more money, and in some instances, it is funding schools that are even more radically immoral than the existing government schools. Consequently, the school choice movement rejects conservative principles on several fronts. Two case studies identified in “Unlikely Allies” demonstrate this reality. Governor Tony Evers championed the cause in Wisconsin and convinced his “liberal-leaning Supreme Court to reject a challenge to the voucher program.” Conversely, Republican Governor Greg Abbott used “money from the governor’s own war chest” to wage “political war” on 21 of the most conservative representatives in his own party who dared to disagree with this progressive policy. Let the facts speak for themselves; the political parties have switched principles on this issue, and it’s time to call it out for what it is.
Conclusion
This whole conflict is best summarized in an unlikely quote. Mr. Shannon Whitworth, a school choice advocate, is quoted saying, “There’s a significant power block invested in keeping our (young black) people addicted, uneducated, poor, and without hope, because those factors create dependency.” And “it’s that dependency upon which the left’s power is derived.” Dear Mr. Whitworth, I couldn’t have said it better myself.
The unavoidable antidote to this dependency is the sober pursuit of independence, ownership, and autonomy—all virtues inconsistent with this new tax-funded education expansion model.
Unfortunately, we now see both political sides capitalize on this dependency-fueled power grab. The unavoidable antidote to this dependency is the sober pursuit of independence, ownership, and autonomy—all virtues inconsistent with this new tax-funded education expansion model.
Please read other articles on “school choice” here.
Robert Bortins is the CEO of Classical Conversations® and the host of Refining Rhetoric. The company has grown from supporting homeschoolers in about 40 states to supporting homeschoolers in over 50 countries and has become the world’s largest classical homeschooling organization under his guidance.
Lauren Gideon is the Director of Government Relations for Classical Conversations.® She has been a home educator since her first student was born 19 years ago. She came to Classical Conversations for support when the student count in their home grew beyond what she thought she could navigate on her own. In addition to homeschooling her seven children, she co-leads community classes that unpack our nation’s founding documents and civic responsibility. However, she is happiest at home, preferably outside, with her husband of 18 years, tackling their newest adventure of building a modern homestead.
The School Choice movement has taken the United States by storm as hundreds of Republican legislatures from sea to shining sea are pushing to pass school choice legislation in their states.
The aim of school choice is to support a parent’s right to choose where they send their children to school by funding that choice using taxpayer money. A popular slogan used by the movement that you may have heard is “Fund students, not systems.” Policies like voucher programs and Educational Savings Accounts (ESA) all collect taxpayer funds, redistribute them, and use those funds to pay for public and private school options.
Ballotpedia reports, “As of 2024, 14 states had enacted ESA programs. Programs in six states—Florida, Iowa, Utah, West Virginia, Arizona, and Arkansas, and North Carolina—covered all or most students.” Currently, state legislators in Kentucky are working to add their state to the list.
Amendment 2
On January 26 of this year, State Representative Suzanne Miles (R-7) introduced Amendment 2 to the legislature. On March 13, the measure rapidly passed in the House with a 65-32 vote; on March 15, it passed in the Senate with a 27-8 vote majority.
In Kentucky, after the legislature passes an amendment measure, it is put on the ballot for the people to vote on. This vote will take place on November 5, 2024. Before this day arrives, it is crucial that we educate ourselves on the amendment and its implications.
Amendment 2 states, “The General Assembly may provide financial support for the education of students outside the system of common schools. The General Assembly may exercise this authority by law, Sections 59, 60, 171, 183, 184, 186, and 189 of this Constitution notwithstanding.”
To view Kentucky’s current state constitution, visit this link.
When explaining the immediate effects of Amendment 2, Attorney and Former Kentucky Solicitor General Chad Meredith explained in a debate with KET.org,
“This amendment does not make any policy… All this [amendment] does is it puts the ball in the court of the legislature to make policy. If the legislature decides to make vouchers, then we will have a system like that. If they don’t, we won’t. This amendment has nothing to do with vouchers.
All this amendment does is it sets the stage for the legislature to be able to make education policy, unfettered of any restrictions that were put on it in the 1890’s.”
It is important to recognize the truth in Mr. Meredith’s words when he says, “This amendment does not make any policy.” In fact, it does not. However, when we hear him say,“All this amendment does is it sets the stage for the legislature to be able to make education policy, unfettered of any restrictions,” we should be very wary.
Before you vote, please consider the immediate and permanent implications that this amendment would invite and answer the following questions:
Is it wise to remove the guardrails on education policy?
Should Kentucky vote to open the floodgates to a voucher program?
A Warning to Kentucky
Though the amendment does not pass School Choice legislation, we must acknowledge that it welcomes the creation of such policy in Kentucky. If you are unfamiliar with the issue of School Choice and the effects it has had on other states, here are a few resources to look into before you vote on Amendment 2:
Weaponizing “School Choice” To Control ALL Education, Alex Newman
The truth is that using public funds for private education is not only legislative malpractice but also dangerous because with public funding comes public oversight. We have seen this movie before—consider how the government now oversees public healthcare, farming, and universities. This is because these industries accepted the government check, and now, they are under government control.
Do we want this to happen in our private schools and homeschools? I think you would resolutely agree with Classical Conversations® when we argue no. We want to keep our education independence! So, we must reject the use of public funds for private education before it is too late.
Protect Education Independence in November!
Thankfully, if you live in Kentucky, you still have the ability to vote down this attempt to alter your state constitution to unfettered School Choice policy in your state. Educate yourself on Amendment 2 before November 5, share this urgent information with your friends and family, and go prepared on November 5 to protect education independence in your state.
Elise DeYoung is a Public Relations and Communications Associate and a Classical Conversations®graduate. With CC, she strives to know God and to make Him known in all aspects of her life. She is a servant of Christ, an avid reader, and a professional nap-taker. As she continues her journey towards the Celestial City, she is determined to gain wisdom and understanding wherever it can be found. Soli Deo gloria!
How will Kentucky Amendment 2 affect our educational independence? Will it lead to less freedom for homeschoolers?
Listen to this thought-provoking conversation on this episode of Refining Rhetoric between Robert Bortins and Dr. Albert Mohler, President of the Southern Baptist Theological Seminary. While Dr. Mohler is for the amendment, Robert is more skeptical.
Read our blog to learn more about Kentucky Amendment 2.
Traditionally, the United States acknowledged that the responsibility of educating children fell primarily on the parents of that child. This common consensus can be seen in Supreme Court rulings like the 1925 decision Pierce vs. the Society of Sisters, and in the Merriam-Webster 1828 dictionary definition of “educate.” The definition explicitly states, “To educate children well is one of the most important duties of parents and guardians.”
However, today, many of our leaders are offering a different answer to this question. They argue that it is primarily the government’s job to ensure that children are properly educated. Consider what James Dwyer, a Professor at the William & Mary School of Law, stated in an interview: “The state needs to be the ultimate guarantor of a child’s wellbeing.” Even President Joe Biden said in a speech to public school teachers, “They aren’t someone else’s, they are all our children.” Furthermore, our current education climate is dominated by the public school system, state regulations on education, and crackdowns on independent education. It is clear that, in the eyes of our leaders and legislatures, parents are no longer primarily responsible for the education of children.
This past year, this worldview shift took root in the great state of Colorado. In fact, this November, citizens of Colorado will vote on Amendment 80, which, if passed, would enshrine this novel idea into their state constitution. What is Amendment 80? What would be its effects? Should voters in Colorado support it in November? All of these questions, and more, must be considered by the citizens of Colorado so that they can be prepared to vote either “Yes” or “No” when the ballot comes their way.
“To educate children well is one of the most important duties of parents and guardians.”
Amendment 80
Amendment 80 reads, “Section 1. In the Constitution of the State of Colorado, add section 18 to Article IX as follows: section 18. Education – school choice (1) purpose and findings. The people of the state of Colorado hereby find and declare that all children have the right to equal opportunity to access a quality education; that parents have the right to direct the education of their children; and that school choice includes neighborhood, charter, private, and home schools, open enrollment options, and future innovations in education. (2) Each k-12 child has the right to school choice.”
Briefly put, this amendment seeks to enshrine four claims in the state constitution:
All children have the right to equal opportunity to access a quality education.
Parents have the right to direct the education of their children.
School Choice includes neighborhood, charter, private, and home schools, open enrollment options, and future innovations in education.
Each K-12 child has the right to School Choice.
While these things may sound appealing, there are severe implications that must be considered before you vote on Amendment 80.
A Warning to Colorado
Parental rights vs. Child’s rights
The amendment is centered around the idea of a child’s right to quality education. The first problem, of course, is that if you give children rights, then you practically abolish parental rights. Parental rights” are a negative right, while a so-called “child’s right to education” is a positive right. Carolyn Martin, Director of Government Relations for Christian Home Educators of Colorado (CHEC), defined a negative right in her article Right to an Education? as “the requirement of someone else not to interfere in your ability to obtain something.” Conversely, Martin explains that positive rights “are a requirement of someone else to provide you with something.”
Parental rights require the government to ensure that nothing obstructs a parent’s ability to fulfill their God-given responsibility to raise and educate their children. This right is turned upside down. If we implement “a child’s right to education,” suddenly it becomes the government’s responsibility and jurisdiction to provide “quality education” for all children everywhere. The immediate effect of this is the government can no longer “stay out of the way.” It must oversee, regulate, and manage the education of all children to ensure that a child’s so-called “right to quality education” is protected. As soon as we permit the government to oversee our children, we abolish parental rights.
How is “quality education” defined in Amendment 80?
The second problem with Amendment 80 is the vague language of “quality education.” The big question this amendment fails to answer is, who gets to define “quality education”? UNESCO (United Nations Education, Scientific and Cultural Organization), the globalist organization that is actively working to globalize education, defines quality education as DEI education. Their website says that it is their job to “Ensure inclusive and equitable quality education and promote lifelong learning opportunities for all.” When you sit down to educate your children, is teaching them diversity, equity, and inclusion your top priority? Hopefully not. But that is the priority of the elites who openly work to control your child’s education.
Parental rights require the government to ensure that nothing obstructs a parent’s ability to fulfill their God-given responsibility to raise and educate their children.
While the state of Colorado may not adopt UNESCO’s radical view of “quality education,” we must recognize that its definition has the potential to be hostile to a classical, Christian education. Most likely, its definition will look more like the public school system where the Bible is banned from classrooms, sex education is taught for all ages, and patriotism is cast to the side in exchange for progressivism.
In short, this amendment would enshrine in the Colorado Constitution that “The government is responsible for the education of your children.” This is such an egregious assault on parental rights and the natural law that organizations like CHEC are speaking out against this amendment and warning parents about the severe implications.
Protect Education Independence in Colorado!
In November, it is up to the voters of Colorado to protect your state from this blatant infringement on parental rights. Educate yourself on the amendment, share this information with your friends and family, and vote “NO” this November to protect your education independence.
For more information on what is on the Colorado ballot this November, visit coloradosos.gov.
Elise DeYoung is a Public Relations and Communications Associate and a Classical Conversations® graduate. With CC, she strives to know God and make Him known in all aspects of her life. She is a servant of Christ, an avid reader, and a professional nap-taker. As she continues her journey towards the Celestial City, she is determined to gain wisdom and understanding wherever it can be found. Soli Deo gloria!
The purpose of education is to know God and to make Him known; therefore, we believe education, like religion, is a sacred pursuit outside the jurisdiction of the state.
Kentucky Constitutional Amendment 2 would allow state funding for non-public education.
The Kentucky legislature passed Amendment 2 earlier this year. It will be on your ballot this fall. Amendment 2 will change the fabric of the state government by changing the Kentucky Constitution.
In a Nutshell
Amendment 2 can potentially compromise Education Independence. The language of the amendment and the existing authority by law could give taxpayer money to independent homeschoolers, leading to possible government oversight and regulation of their homeschools or legally changing the definition of the homeschooler in the state.
Below is a summary of the amendment’s language, concerns, and possible implications for Kentuckians. At the bottom of this news bulletin, you will find background information on government-funded homeschooling and resources.
“Section 2. IT IS PROPOSED THAT A NEW SECTION BE ADDED TO THE CONSTITUTION OF KENTUCKY TO READ AS FOLLOWS: The General Assembly may provide financial support for the education of students outside the system of common schools. The General Assembly may exercise this authority by law, Sections 59, 60, 171, 183, 184, 186, and 189 of this Constitution notwithstanding.”
Concerns & Possible Implications
Section 186:“All funds accruing to the school fund shall be used for the maintenance of the public schools of the Commonwealth, and for no other purpose.“
Would Section 186 Necessitate Private and Homeschools to Become Public Schools?
We have seen instances in other states where homeschoolers opt in for a program, and they are no longer legally classified (with its protections) as homeschoolers.
In Arizona, for example, the student is legally referred to as an “ESA student” and no longer qualifies as a homeschool student by law, as stated by the Arizona Department of Education. “ESA students…are not considered “homeschool” students by state law.”
Section 189: “No portion of any fund or tax now existing … shall be appropriated to, or used by, or in aid of, any church, sectarian or denominational school.”
Would Amendment 2 Contradict Section 189?
Section 189’s language seems to be very clear on this matter.
The South Carolina Supreme Court recently ruled that the Education Scholarship Trust Fund (ESTF) (Act) was unconstitutional for this reason.
Watch Out for Policy Creep
Although the amendment does not pass School Choice law, we must acknowledge that it provides the opportunity for such legislation and the opportunity for policy creep in Kentucky. To aid your understanding of Education Independence and School Choice, hereis an article to help you. In Addition, investigate the resources below before you vote on Amendment 2.
Protect the Constitution & Education Independence on Election Day
Kentuckians can protect the state constitution and Kentucky from future bad policy.
Before election day, explore the resources below and share this urgent information. Protect Education Independence in your state and vote against the public capture of private education.
You Are Invited!
Classical Conversations cordially invites members of the community to an open forum to discuss Amendment 2. This important event will occur on October 9, 2024, from 6:00 PM to 8:00 PM at the Warren County Public Library, 175 Iron Skillet Ct., Bowling Green, KY 42104.
Join us for an engaging discussion led by Robert Bortins, CEO of Classical Conversations. This event serves as a conservative Christian rally for education independence.
Sadie Aldaya is the Manager of Research & Policy for Classical Conversations® . Sadie and her husband homeschooled for over 20 years. She served as a Classical Conversations field representative for 15 years, providing community and support for other homeschooling families. Sadie’s passions are to stop government encroachment in areas where they have no authority or jurisdiction and to see Christians return to a biblical Christ-centered worldview.
Guess what? It’s time for another trip to the grocery store! I typically have a list of items that I intend to purchase. However, recently, I have found myself walking past items like apples only to say, “4 lbs. of Honey Crisp apples are not worth $7.25; that is too expensive.” Maybe you would have done the exact opposite and purchased the apples because you heard your grandma’s voice saying, “An apple a day keeps the doctor away!” To buy or not to buy apples might seem unimportant at this moment, but there is a more important thought to consider. How do we assign value to that bag of apples?
Talking About Educational Freedom
In her article “Independence,” Lauren Gideon said, “The cost of independence is expensive, but what is the value of freedom?” The reality is that the answer to this question might look different for each of us. Just like my earlier example of buying apples, we each have different reasons for valuing homeschooling and the freedom that comes with it. How do we find a way to come together when our value of an issue might not look quite the same? In the Challenge II Guide, under the Debate strand descriptions and goals, it states, “This strand holds together the ideas that we must learn to reason and argue well, that we must learn lessons of the past, and that we must seek harmony with our fellow man.”
The unfolding of this goal in my own home has been extremely beautiful. Hard conversations are just that, hard. However, with these skill sets of reasoning, arguing well, learning from the past, and seeking harmony with our fellow man, we are given the tools to navigate through hard conversations. So, let’s get to talking! There is value in talking about Educational Freedom!
What We Know
The Wyoming Education Savings Act was signed into law on March 21, 2024, and is governed by W.S. SS 21-2-901 through 21-2-909. It will go into effect for the 2025-2026 school year.
Families with a household income below 150% of the federal poverty guidelines will qualify.
21-2-903 (a) The total amount to be deposited in an education savings account for an ESA student each year shall be determined by the student’s household income compared to the federal poverty levels, using the most recent federal poverty guidelines for the student’s household size and income, as follows; six thousand dollars ($6,000.00) for students whose household income is at or below one hundred fifty percent (150%) of the federal poverty level.
Parents must ensure their children receive instruction in core subjects and take annual proficiency tests.
21-2-904 (b) (ii) (B) Requires that the ESA student take the statewide assessments administered pursuant to W.S. 21-2-304(a) or a nationally normed achievement exam.
The State Superintendent will be solely responsible for the ESA program.
21-2-905 (b) The state superintendent shall establish procedures for approving applications in an expeditious manner.
21-2-907 (a) Before receiving payment from an ESA, a prospective education service provider shall: (i) Be certified by the state superintendent of public instruction pursuant to W.S. 21-2-906(a) to receive payments from ESAs.
What We Don’t Know
New legislatures and programs often leave us wondering how they will all come together in the end. Maybe you had some questions as you read through the new ESA program in Wyoming. I know that I did. Even as I began writing this article, I still had many unanswered questions. What an excellent opportunity to practice those rhetorical skills that we are instilling in our students! As I navigated this topic of government-funded homeschooling, I quickly realized that being educated on not only current ESA policy but also past ESA policy in other states was the most efficient way to have a voice.
What do you do if you don’t know how to bake an apple pie? You go to a reliable source. Maybe that is your grandmother, or maybe it is Pinterest. In either case, the education begins! Here are a few ways to educate ourselves and find the answers to the things we don’t know.
In Wyoming, we are blessed with a state homeschool organization called Homeschool Wyoming. The folks at Homeschool Wyoming work diligently to defend our homeschool rights. They have read the legislation, broken it apart, and gleaned all the information available to help educate homeschool families in Wyoming. I encourage you to reach out to them and ask your questions.
Home School Legal Defense Association (HSLDA) is a non-profit advocacy organization that makes homeschooling possible by protecting homeschooling families and equipping them to provide the best educational experience for their children. On its webpage, HSLDA offers state-specific information on home school law in a user-friendly and approachable way. Contacting and talking to an HSLDA representative is easy; they are knowledgeable and resourceful.
Contact your local representative. They vote on our legislation; they are our voice. They have read the bills, worked with the committees, and taken phone calls from their constituents. If you are unsure of who your representatives are, you can find them by going to Wyoming Legislators.
The Wyoming Department of Education (WDE) is another resource for educating yourself specifically about education-related topics. After not seeing some of the things I had questions about while researching for this article, I contacted the WDE. I received a return call quickly, and every question I had was answered to the best of their knowledge.
Classical Conversations® itself also offers a variety of information on Educational Freedom. If you are new to the idea of Educational Freedom, this is the place to start!
“An educated person is not someone who knows something, but someone who can explain what they know to others.” Leigh A. Bortins, The Core.
Let’s get educated. Let’s commit to knowing. Let’s raise awareness. Let’s explain what we know to others. If not for someone initiating this conversation with me, I would never have moved toward being better educated on educational freedom and ESAs. We have the ability to know what we didn’t know before!
Moving Forward
Let’s go back to my original question. How do we assign value to that bag of apples? It isn’t really about apples, is it?It is about the value of the educational freedoms that we currently have and the value of maintaining them. The Apostle Paul writes, “I therefore, a prisoner for the Lord, urge you to walk in a manner worthy of the calling to which you have been called, with all humility and gentleness, with patience, bearing with one another in love, eager to maintain the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace.” (Ephesians 4:1-3)
As we move forward into the uncharted waters of Educational Savings Accounts and government-funded homeschool options in Wyoming, my hope is that we walk in a manner that is honoring to Christ, that our conversations are seasoned with humility, gentleness, grace, and patience, that we continue to love one another and strive to maintain the unity of the Spirit. Will we always agree? No. Will we answer all of the questions?Probably not. But I confidently believe we can remain unified through Christ and grow through hard conversations. It is my prayer for the state of Wyoming to continue to honor and value our educational freedoms as homeschoolers. Please join me in this prayer!
Laura Taylor lives in northeast Wyoming. She and her husband, Pete, have four children aged 11 to 17. Laura is a Support Representative for northeast Wyoming and serves as a Challenge Director in her CC Community. She strives to seek God daily, support Pete in his business endeavors, and educate their children all for God’s glory. She enjoys gathering with friends and family and avidly supports her kids’ shooting sports activities. It is her prayer that in their daily lives, they can point others to Christ and the richness that can be found in a relationship with him.
Think about this: you are an Idaho homeschooler who is offered “free” money to use in your homeschool for tutoring sessions, curriculum, extracurricular sports, lessons, and more. Where do I sign up, right??
“… you will know the truth and the truth will set you free.” John 8:32
Where have we been?
Currently, Idaho is the most free state to homeschool, but it hasn’t always been that way.
Let’s go back to 1984, at which time the Idaho Code stated, “…Unless the child is otherwise comparably instructed, as may be determined by the trustees of the schooldistrict in which the child resides, the parent or guardian shall cause the child to attend a public, private or parochial school…” (emphasis added)
This meant that the law wasn’t uniform across the state and that the code allowed every school district in Idaho to set its own rules and standards for homeschooling.
One school district, in particular, chose to set a hard line, declaring that the children of several homeschool families were, in fact, truant, and the parents were charged with habitual truancy. The county sheriff and several armed deputies showed up at their homes and physically removed all children, from nursing infants through high schoolers, from the homes. The parents were arrested and sentenced to jail time, and their sentences were longer than another inmate convicted of child molestation!
The state media outlets accused the families of denying their children an education and that it was the government’s and community’s responsibility to ensure this didn’t happen, even if that meant stashing such parents in jail. (Paraphrased from Lewiston Morning Tribune, 12/3/84.) Another article stated that the families were challenging a “basic tenet of our society” and that they had “brought it on themselves.” (Idaho Statesman, 12/4/84)
However, as hard as they tried, the media was unable to discourage homeschooling among Idaho families, and it continued to grow, albeit with difficulties due to the existing code.
Where are we now?
Brave, pioneering homeschool families worked to ensure they could legally and freely educate their children at home. This came about by establishing a state coalition that was very active in local and federal policy to achieve the freedoms we have now and a support group that served parents through conventions, a quarterly magazine, and a wealth of information on myriad topics. These two groups have since combined to create Homeschool Idaho.
Homeschool Idaho (HSI) has worked tirelessly for 30+ years lobbying for home education in our state legislature. During this time, they have worked to promote, protect, and preserve home education in Idaho, including being instrumental in securing changes in the Idaho Code. In 2009, our current code was written into law, which states that Idaho home educators have the right to educate their children, aged 7-16, as they deem appropriate, without governmental regulation or requirements. More information about Idaho Law can be found at HSI Idaho Homeschool Law.
Our current homeschool freedom in Idaho was hard-won by these pioneering families, volunteers, and those passionate about ensuring we could walk out the calling and freedoms God has given us. But that can easily go away.
Where are we headed?
In 2019, approximately 2.5 million people in the US homeschooled. By 2022, that number had more than doubled! (And that only counts those homeschoolers who have to register with their state, of which Idaho homeschoolers do not.) Public schools realize they are losing money due to students leaving and understand they are not going to get homeschoolers back unless they make some token concessions. One of the ways they’re doing this is by partnering with for-profit companies to offer families “free” money to homeschool.
While Idaho has not passed an ESA (Education Savings/Scholarship Accounts) bill successfully through its legislative process, there are other for-profit companies within the state that offer “free” money to homeschoolers.
Sounds great, right?
Actually, no. When a family chooses to join one of these programs, they are NO LONGER a homeschool but a public school at home. The family chooses their own curriculum (with restrictions), sets their schedule and pace, and teaches their children at home, but when they choose to partner with these companies, they give up their homeschool status to become a public school at home.
How does that happen?
In order to access the funds, once the family signs on with the company, the company, in partnership with a local school district, will enroll the student in the public school system. The company will then have access to the state and federal educational dollars, keeping some for themselves, giving some to the public school district, and finally allocating a small portion of the funds to the family.
Why does that matter?
This matters because families have now chosen to give up the freedoms fought for and enjoyed by privately-funded Idaho homeschoolers. The family’s public school at home will now come under company and governmental regulations. These families will need to submit their students’ work bi-weekly, have their students meet with a “mentor” regularly, be told what they can and cannot purchase with the money, and submit to yearly standardized testing.
Additionally, it matters because the school district with which the company partners will be given money for services they are not rendering, for students they are not serving, and will also get “credit” for the test scores for the public school at-home students who are required to test. A family will be educating their children at home, and yet the school district will benefit from standardized test scores from children they didn’t serve, possibly bringing up their overall scores and being allocated more money in the process. Statistically, in Idaho, homeschooled students test 30 percentage points higher on the IOWA Test of Basic Skills than public schooled students.
These may seem like minor concessions, given the amount of money to which the family will be given access. But do you remember the frog in the pot of water where the water is gradually heated up? At first, it’s tolerable, maybe even enjoyable. The temperature is turned up slowly, so change is less noticeable, eventually leading to death. This is what we are already seeing happen within these programs. Regulation of home-educating families who choose to partner with these companies and accept the funds continues to increase yearly.
Because the families who choose these programs are public schools at home, the regulations will look similar to what a student in an in-person public school faces. The programs are accountable for ensuring that the students they are funding meet the public school regulations. Some of these regulations are frequently presented as equity, stopping discrimination, ensuring a rounded education, and more. As publicly funded institutions, both the brick-and-mortar public schools and the public schools at home will be regulated and, to an extent, will be mandated to teach the public school’s agenda.
The truth is that what the government funds, the government regulates. It has to, and we want it to! We want to know how our government is spending the money it collects from its citizens, and we want them to be accountable for their expenditures.
Yes, but…
We hear repeated, defensive arguments from those families who choose to partner with these programs and accept government funding. Most of these arguments stem from a lack of understanding of how these programs truly work. Parents should gather all the information so that they may be equipped to make a fully informed decision that benefits their family and its legacy.
Argument 1: Offering “free” money promotes school choice.
We homeschool parents have a reputation for being skeptical of almost everything, including mainstream narratives about public education. This skepticism is rooted in an abiding desire to protect our children’s minds and hearts. But there has been a shift in the narrative, and typically cautious homeschoolers have found themselves caught up in a movement that has been gaining steam across the nation and right here in Idaho: School Choice.
“School Choice” has been touted as the miracle that will save the American education system. Proponents hawk sales-pitch slogans like “Fund Students, Not Systems” as if they were vendors at a carnival. State legislatures are frequently facing bills that spend more and more money on school choice programs, often pressured and funded by lobbying groups outside of the state.
The truth is that, in Idaho, we ALREADY have school choice. We can choose to educate our children at home or send them to public, private, parochial, or charter schools. This argument sounds good as it is presented. However, the argument is actually not about school choice but about WHO will fund the family’s choice of education for their child(ren). Families are, essentially, asking their neighbors and other taxpayers to pay for their choice.
Argument 2: They’re MY tax dollars, and I should get some back.
Actually, they’re not. The money we pay in taxes has never been designated for our personal use. Once it leaves our paychecks, it stops being our money. Many who make this argument are referring to property taxes, part of which is allocated to our local school districts. Very few Idahoans pay the $8,500 in property taxes that are earmarked per student for public schools. The amount of money from a family’s property taxes allotted to the public school is a mere fraction of what one student might receive when the family partners with the government to receive money for home education. The amount paid in our property taxes does not cover even one student’s allocation when using these “free” money programs. So, where does the rest of the money come from? Our neighbors: the other taxpayers. It is taking from our neighbors to fund our choice. And if there isn’t enough budget to fund these programs? Yup, you guessed it: raise taxes for all!
Argument 3: We are still homeschoolers. We choose our curriculum and teach our kids athome.
This argument is only partially true. As previously stated, a family who joins the program will become a public school at home. When a family partners with the government to accept funds for homeschooling, this results in the loss of parental control through regulations. The government must control everything that it funds, without exception. The for-profit companies will continue to control the funds through the funding mechanisms they have set up to administer them. It will pay only for things that it approves, and those things will have inflated price tags because the business providing the good or service has a captive client who can only purchase the item from the single source that is approved. Families do not have the autonomy to use the dollars however they see fit. For instance, a religious curriculum is not an approved purchase.
Additionally, by needing to check in regularly with a tutor or mentor and having a student’s work reviewed, the parent’s authority as teacher is questioned and minimized.
Argument 4:If the regulations become too much or are invasive, it’s okay… we’re members of HSLDA, and they’ll defend us or help us out of the situation.
HSLDA (Home School Legal Defense Association) exists to serve home-educating families. When a family partners with a company offering “free” money programs, they willingly give up their homeschool status to become public school at home. Therefore, HSLDA’s membership legal services will not cover families in public schools at home, charter schools, or families homeschooling using public funds.
Argument 5: Our family taking the money doesn’t affect anyone else.
As this “free” money comes from taxpayer dollars, what happens when the amount of money collected from taxpayers no longer covers the demand for it? Citizens are taxed more, even those who do not have school-aged children. This means that a family’s choice to participate will affect the amount of taxes paid by their friends and neighbors.
Additionally, legislators currently lump homeschoolers in Idaho into one large group without differentiating between privately funded homeschoolers and those who choose to partner with government-funded programs. By partnering with programs that allow for governmental regulation to enter their homes, those who choose these “free” money programs are telling the government that all homeschoolers don’t mind the regulations. As such, when legislation has come up regarding education in the state, homeschoolers have been grouped in with other educational options because the message has been sent that we all want and/or need the government to tell us how to educate our children. In actuality, Idaho homeschoolers have shown year after year that privately funded homeschoolers are excelling, thriving, and becoming well-spoken, intelligent, logical-thinking young adults.
Why do we homeschool?
Take a moment to ponder why your family has chosen to homeschool. Many of us decided to homeschool because we felt God was calling us to diligently teach our children about Him. Some of us feel the public school agenda is objectionable and directly contradicts the Biblical foundation we seek to impart to our children.
Then ask yourself, “Does partnering with these for-profit companies that will instill government regulations into our home support our vision for our children and our homeschool?”
“Children are a blessing and a gift from the Lord.” Psalm 127:3 (CSV)
“You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your might. And these words that I command you today shall be on your heart. You shall teach them diligently to your children, and shall talk of them when you sit in your house, and when you walk by the way, and when you lie down, and when you rise.” Deuteronomy 6:5-7 (ESV)
So, if our children are a gift from God and He has commanded us to teach them about Him, isn’t it possible that He would also have us teach them academics? To rely solely on Him for equipping, encouraging, refining, and providing for our needs?
We must choose. We cannot serve two masters.
“No one can serve two masters, for either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and money.”Matthew 6:24 (ESV)
TINSTAAFL
The truth is, There Is No Such Thing As A Free Lunch (TINSTAAFL)!
The money these for-profit companies promote as “free” is anything but. The money comes with regulations and impositions on other taxpayers. It requires families to surrender their homeschool freedom, which is given to us by God and was hard won by Idaho families.
So, what can I do?
TRUST God to supply all your needs. (Philippians 4:19)
CHOOSE carefully how to steward the money God provides your family through employment; telling our children’ no’ when we cannot afford all the lessons, all the newest technology, etc., will build their character and their faith.
LEARN more… ask questions! Do your research. If it sounds too good to be true, it usually is. Share what you are learning with your homeschool friends!
NEW to Idaho? Welcome! We do things a little differently here: You do not have to fall under a charter school’s authority or any other governmental regulations to educate your children at home in Idaho.
GET INVOLVED: Join Homeschool Idahoand participate in “Pie Day,” our day at the state capitol to strut our stuff to state legislators.
PRAY for home educators in Idaho to stand strong against governmental regulation, to be secure in the knowledge that God will equip the called, and to be convinced that God is able to do far more abundantly than we ask or think. (Ephesians 3:20)
Annie Grey is a Christ follower, wife, and Momma to two CC graduates. When she isn’t serving families in Montana, Idaho, and Wyoming as an Area Representative, she is enjoying the outdoors in many ways, working on the family homestead, teaching group fitness classes, engaging with her young adults in thought-provoking and interesting conversation, or curled up reading a good book. After launching her arrows, she is grateful in this season that God is still using her to encourage and support families who wish to homeschool.
It is that time of year again. Grills are lit, parades are attended, and picnics and fireworks have brought families and communities together. July 4th elicits my mixed sentiments. Inevitably, we are drawn into the topic of comparison. Side by side, we attend to the world leading up to 1776 and the world in which we now reside. How are they the same? How are they different?
In years prior, I had feelings of reluctance to celebrate the historic overthrow of tyranny when it seemed our own generation’s tides of tyranny were on the rise. My frustrations were aimed metaphorically far, far away at vague, distant targets of politicians, invasive policies, and oppressive enforcement agencies. Tyranny, freedom, independence; as I turn these ideas over and over in my mind, ideas and words take on different flavors. We all inherited the paradigm we live in, and sometimes, we do not realize the layers and connections to the foundation we stand on and live in. So, join me in this thought exercise.
Directly or Indirectly Opposed to Tyranny?
If the War for Independence truly was what it claimed to be, the war was in opposition to tyranny, but not directly. Tyranny is more directly the inverse of freedom. The word “freedom” is a math word. It is most similar to the idea of zero. The only way to define zero is to say what it is not. You can have zero money, zero time, and zero belongings, but without a unit of measurement, zero is an extremely abstract concept. Freedom is this same idea of zero. It is the articulation of zero chains, zero oppression, zero infringements, zero force, and zero fraud. Freedom is a big beautiful nothing!
What is Independence?
So then, what is independence? And how is it related? To understand and appreciate independence, we must also attend to its inverse as well. If independence is what we love, the inverse is the threat to that object of our love. Some have even postulated that we have an obligation to hate the thing that is a threat to what we love. And what is this imminent threat? Dependency.
The founding generation were students of historical patterns. They realized that these lines run parallel. To be free, one could not be dependent. Thus, they reluctantly resolved to pursue, teach, and propagate independence as their door to freedom.
The scary reality is that the path they walked has room for two-way traffic. If independence is the path toward freedom, dependency is the path back toward tyranny and totalitarianism. So, what does state dependency look like? In its simplest form, it is the public’s tolerance of the use of collective, regulated resources to supply individual needs. Our generation’s oversight is that the threat of dependency is not fresh in our minds. We have grown ignorant, distracted, apathetic, and negligent in keeping our guard up against the threat of dependency. Ideas of entitlement, “school choice,” “public-private partnership,” subsidies, and government grants are all modern manifestations of our collective, tacit-yet-obvious approval of state dependency.
The Cost of Independence
Being opposed to dependency does not carry the same exciting, unifying battle cry that “opposing the tyrants” offers. Why is that? It is easy to oppose some ugly dragon in a castle far, far away. It is much more difficult to come to terms with the tiny, toxic terrors living in our own hearts and communities. This breed of dragons pokes its little head out on Election Day when we vote for the most benevolent Caesars promising to open the coffers and fund the voter or the voter’s pet project with the collective’s treasury. With each locus in which we tolerate this level of state “partnership,” we are actually surrendering more and more real estate from the domain of the free to the domain of the captured. Sure, the cost of independence is expensive, but what is the value of freedom? And what should we be willing to pay to expand and preserve it for generations to come?
Lauren Gideon is the Director of Public Relations for Classical Conversations®. She has been a home educator since her first student was born 18 years ago. She came to Classical Conversations for support when the student count in their home grew beyond what she thought she could navigate on her own. In addition to homeschooling her seven children, she co-leads community classes that unpack our nation’s founding documents and civic responsibility. However, she is happiest at home, preferably outside, with her husband of 18 years, tackling their newest adventure of building a modern homestead.
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