Lucy the Valiant Posted March 17, 2017 Share Posted March 17, 2017 If you home school in a state that has ESA's (and if those ESA's are open to home schooled students), can you tell us how they are working in your home state? Can you really use the funds for online courses / educational technology / music lessons / etc? Our state is considering one of these, and on the surface it looks almost too good to be true. The "allotted" $ amount for each student is given to the parents on a debit card, as opposed to directly channeled to that student's district school (as I am currently understanding it). Actual numbers vary based on status of the student (special ed / ESL / lunch program eligible, etc.). Parents then have the choice to either keep their kids in the public school (essentially handing the $ back to the SAU) *or* use it for tutors / lessons / private school / possibly even saving for college? (Also, moderators, I do not mean this at all as a political post, and if it violates the rules, please simply delete. I don't know anyone else to ask, and I want to understand this better as our state moves in this direction.) https://www.edchoice.org/resource-hub/fast-facts/ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CinV Posted March 17, 2017 Share Posted March 17, 2017 I'm in FL and have no idea what an ESA is. The state does not give money to homeschoolers. There is the Gardiner Scholarship, which is given to students with certain disabilities to be used for school and/or therapies. 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DesertBlossom Posted March 17, 2017 Share Posted March 17, 2017 I am in AZ and have never heard of this before. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
displace Posted March 17, 2017 Share Posted March 17, 2017 Fl has scholarships that can be used for educational purposes for students with certain diagnoses (CP, autism, Others). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Desert Strawberry Posted March 18, 2017 Share Posted March 18, 2017 I'm in Arizona. It's used for kids with special needs. ESA is NOT homeschool. I have considered it for one of my kids with a diagnosis and iep. I don't know how it works beyond the application. I don't plan to apply for that child, but I will for Luna when she reaches qualifying age-4, I think? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
busymama7 Posted March 18, 2017 Share Posted March 18, 2017 (edited) I am in Nevada and our ESA program has been in a holding pattern due to law suits and such. It was deemed constitutional by the Nv Supreme Court but they disallowed the funding source for it. So at the moment we are waiting for the powers that be to figure out another source of funding. It has met with much opposition here as we have such terrible schools that many are afraid the ESAs would make it worse. It is a misunderstanding that it would take money from the (miserably failing) public schools but many are up in arms about it non the less. The money (if ever available) can be used for a homeschool program. Edited March 18, 2017 by busymama7 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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