Dallas City Wire

The Texas Public Policy Foundation (TPPF) says Education Savings Accounts (ESAs) would benefit families who home-school by allowing them more access to home-school programs, services and curricula.

The TPPF also noted that the ESA program would add to the choices the families have.

"ESAs will increase homeschool freedom," the TPPF and Texas Home School Coalition said in a one-page report on how ESAs can benefit home-school families.

The document, signed by TPPF CEO Greg Sindelar and Tim Lambert, president of the Texas Home School Coalition, said that parents should decide how children are educated and how education dollars are spent. Additionally, a survey by the Home School Coalition showed that more than 70% of home-school families support ESAs.

"Parent empowerment places trust back with parents by taking the state funds allocated each student and placing it in individual Education Savings Accounts for parents to direct as they see fit," TPPF said in a recent Twitter video. Parents have control over the ESAs, so they have freedom to choose the best program for their child.

Families would have the choice of whether or not to participate in ESAs, and home schooling without applying for an ESA is still an option; the document stated. It went on to say that any ESA law in Texas should also include clear protections for parents to prevent future regulation of home schooling and "clear language to protect parental rights."

ESAs are unlikely to increase regulation on home schooling, however, and no states have increased their regulation on home schooling over the past two decades; the document further said. In Texas, home-school students are not subject to compulsory attendance laws, because the Texas Supreme Court considers home schools to be private schools. As long as students receive parent-directed instruction in a curriculum covering reading, spelling, grammar, mathematics and good citizenship, they fall under the private-school exemption.