A Call for Fair Education Funding for ALL Utah Students

A few days after writing my previous Open Letter in Support of the Utah Education Fits All Scholarship my boys surprisingly made it off of the wait list and received scholarships for this school year! A whole world of opportunity was opened to my boys. I spent a lot of time over the last month navigating the scholarship and determining how we could be the best stewards of that funding. However, while we were in the middle of all of that navigating the state legislature passed a bill changing the program for the upcoming year. I understood the reasoning behind a lot of the changes, however some of them I found to be shortsighted and show little understanding for homeschooling processes. The most egregious of which is that they cut funding for homeschoolers (but not private schoolers) from $8000 to $6000 for students over age 11 and $4000 for students age 11 and under. The letter below is my response to that change in particular.

I want to start by expressing my deep gratitude for the Utah Fits All Scholarship Program. While homeschooling can be done on a budget, access to adequate funding empowers families to provide high-quality educational experiences that greatly enrich their children’s learning. This year my two oldest sons were awarded scholarships to pay for their education. These scholarships have enabled our family to enroll our sons in BYU Online High School, equipping them with an accredited, structured and challenging curriculum that fits their needs. My son, who dreams of becoming a robotics engineer, has been able to access essential resources and programs that further his passion. Additionally, despite my personal lack of artistic ability, I have been able to provide my children with quality enrichment through professional art classes, ensuring a well-rounded education.  These are just a few of the benefits that our family personally has experienced. This scholarship has been truly transformative for our family, and I know we are not alone in experiencing its benefits.

In light of how much of a difference the $8000 grant for our children has been this year, it was very disheartening to learn that the state legislature has voted to cut funding for homeschoolers to $6000 for students over age 11, and $4000 for students age 11 and under, while leaving funding for private school students the same.  If a child’s education is funded by the state, shouldn’t all children be treated fairly? This sends a troubling message that some students’ education is less worthy of investment simply because their learning environment looks different.

I am writing to express my deep disappointment regarding these proposed changes. This change feels discriminatory—just because my children are educated outside a public or private school classroom does not mean that their education is any less valuable than that of a student enrolled in a public or private school. If we agree that all children deserve a quality education, then we should also agree that arbitrarily reducing funds for homeschoolers creates an unfair two-tier system where some children’s education is valued more than others.

Education is a public service that benefits the entire state.  Some argue, “Why should I pay for your child’s education when I don’t have kids?” The answer is simple: the children of today will be the nurses, engineers, grocery store workers, and service providers of tomorrow. Ensuring their education is an investment in our collective future, one that will determine the quality of services available to all of us as we age.  In many ways, those without children receive the highest return on investment—while parents bear the direct costs of raising and providing for these children, society as a whole benefits from their education.

When we examine the numbers, the inequity in this funding decision becomes even clearer. According to the Utah State Board of Education (schools.utah.gov) even the lowest-funded charter schools in Utah still spend around $7,752 to $7,797 per student. Not a single public school district in the state funds its students below $8,000 per pupil—the lowest district expenditure belongs to Iron County School District at $11,396 per student annually. Yet, under the new proposal, homeschoolers—would receive only $4,000 for students 11 and under and $6,000 for students over 11. This is a drastic and unjustified reduction in funding for students whose educational paths may look different but are no less legitimate.

There are significant misconceptions about what “homeschooling” truly looks like.  Many homeschoolers do not receive the majority of their education in the home but rather through community programs, specialized classes and private tutoring. My sons, for example, take courses through BYU Independent Study, participate in robotics and speech & debate teams, and attend art classes taught by a local artist.  My daughter is dyslexic and was hoping to find her better fit this next year with private tutoring – a hope that’s been made much more difficult as her funding next year will now be half of what it would have been this year. Even those resources that are home based are often expensive – our preferred history curriculum alone costs around $700/year before accounting for the supplies (printers, internet access, notebooks etc) that it takes to utilize it. Their education is rich, diverse, and engaging—and less costly than the resources given to public school students—but it is not free.

Research shows that homeschoolers often outperform their public school peers on standardized tests. According to the National Home Education Research Institute, homeschool students typically score 15 to 25 percentile points above public-school students on standardized academic achievement tests. (nheri.org) This demonstrates that homeschooling can be an effective educational approach that yields positive academic outcomes.

Furthermore, homeschooled students excel in higher education settings. Studies show that they tend to have higher college GPAs than their traditionally schooled peers, and they perform equally well in graduation rates. (psychologytoday.com) This indicates that homeschooling not only prepares students academically but also equips them with the self-discipline and adaptability necessary for long-term success.

Additionally, homeschooling fosters entrepreneurial characteristics. Research suggests that a homeschool education can positively influence entrepreneurial skills, giving students the ability to think creatively, solve problems independently, and seek out self-driven learning opportunities. (eric.ed.gov) Given Utah’s strong entrepreneurial spirit, supporting homeschooling aligns with the state’s economic future.

While homeschooling may be more economical, that efficiency comes at the expense of one of the most overworked and underpaid groups in our country—stay-at-home moms. The fact that I personally drive my children to their classes rather than having them take a school bus, or teach them math one-on-one rather than having them sit in a crowded classroom, does not mean that these services come without cost. Homeschool parents generally have their kids at home during the traditional school day, so to compensate we often enroll our kids in more extracurricular activities to provide a life balance for the children and our families. It is more than reasonable for us to expect that we should have access to similar funding to provide an education for our kids – not three-quarters or half of what private school students get. Even at the full funding rate we are only asking for about 2/3rds of the funding that public school students get across the state. We should not be punished for being able to maximize the state’s investment to improve educational outcomes.

Reducing funding for homeschoolers may have unintended consequences.  Families who might have chosen homeschooling could be forced back into public schools they already determined weren’t the best fit. More students returning to the public school system means higher costs for the state, not savings. 

Homeschoolers have proven that they can make efficient and effective use of educational funds, often stretching resources further than traditional schools can. But this efficiency should not be punished. Instead of cutting funding for students whose parents take a direct and active role in their education, we should be supporting policies that ensure all children—regardless of where or how they learn—have the resources they need to succeed.

I urge you to oppose these funding cuts and support a policy that ensures homeschoolers receive fair and equitable access to educational resources. Please take a stand for all students, regardless of where or how they learn.

Sincerely,
Brittny Hansen