Teachers have been battling for fair compensation for years. Molding the minds of the children should be a higher-paying job. But we rarely ask this: Do parents get paid to homeschool?
I’ve known since Aiden was 2 years old that homeschooling was the right option for us.
When he was 5 years old, I made it official. Rather than enrolling Aiden in kindergarten at a local public school, we began to homeschool (and unschool) him.
These days, homeschooling is fairly common in the United States, but a lot of people know very little about it. We get a lot of questions about homeschooling in California, what the curriculum looks like, the pros and cons, etc.
People ask us other questions about homeschool expenses and/or our potential compensation. If you’re curious about whether homeschooling parents get paid to take over their child’s education, this post is for you.
Let’s get right to it: do parents get paid to homeschool? Technically, no.
However, some states offer incentives to homeschooling families. These incentives vary from one state to the next, but there’s A TON more government funding to support homeschooling parents than there was just a couple of decades ago.
Even better, there are several different ways homeschool families can take advantage of these incentives to lower the cost of homeschooling.
How To Get Paid To Homeschool
State Grants
State funding for homeschooling varies from state to state, but it’s worth checking to see what kind of grants your state offers for homeschooling. Only a few states offer no benefits, while other states offer pretty substantial assistance.
The Home School Legal Defense website is a fantastic resource for learning more about which states fund homeschooling as well as the state grants available where you live.
Federal Funding
You can also look to the U.S. Department of Education for homeschool financial assistance by using a registered and accredited charter school. It isn’t uncommon for charter schools to act as the liaison between homeschooling parents and the DOE.
The school will probably have regular testing requirements, including state and federal testing. Charter schools use the DOE’s education requirements, which makes it easier for parents who struggle to come up with their curriculum.
Unlike the public school system, there are no expectations regarding attendance or teacher engagement. Plus, charter schools receive funding for books as well as extracurricular and athletic courses.
This means that, as a homeschool parent, you can save a ton of money on books and extracurricular activities each year.
Public Funding
Another potential way to cut down on the costs of homeschooling is to use public funding. Both the state and federal governments have made it possible for homeschooling parents to use public funding.
More than likely, numerous public schools in your area receive regular public funding. Your homeschooled child has a right to access some of that funding, too.
The process is intentionally difficult, but worth it as it can cover many of your homeschooling costs.
For example, some school districts give public funding to homeschool families for educational materials like books, tablets, and science equipment.
Some even provide funding to cover fees for extracurriculars that you would otherwise have to pay out of pocket.
In some states, there’s a stipend for dual enrollment. If your child takes a course through a public or private school, keep copies of all your receipts and send them, via mail, to the Department of Education in your state.
Contact your local school district to learn more about what kind of public funding is available for homeschooled families.
Curriculum Vouchers
Curriculum vouchers offer an alternative way of compensation for homeschooling. Parents should use the educational voucher programs for public funding set aside for public education.
Theoretically, curriculum vouchers should offset the cost of your homeschool curriculum and schooling supplies.
However, eligibility for these programs varies from state to state. The Education Commission of the States website offers a ton of information about school voucher programs in each state.
Tax Deductions
There aren’t any federal tax credits for homeschool families, but three states allow homeschool families to use a state tax credit on their income taxes.
If you live in Illinois, Minnesota, and Louisiana, you might be in luck.
Meanwhile, check with the State Department of Revenue where you live before filing your taxes to see if things have recently changed.
Utilize The Coalition For Responsible Home Education
Unfortunately, a home school foundation is a rare thing. And without a valuable, reputable source to help you, it can be hard to sift through all the available information.
The Coalition for Responsible Home Education is a fantastic source for applying for grants and scholarships. This coalition can connect you with other homeschooling families.
Plus, since many grants are only available to large organizations, the coalition can help you find groups that apply for these types of grants, and then disburse the funds among the members of the group.
You won’t get paid to homeschool your children, but various incentives can help offset the cost.
There are plenty of benefits to homeschooling your kids, but getting paid isn’t one of them. Fortunately, there are numerous ways to lower your homeschooling costs.
Hopefully, I’ve helped you discover new incentives you weren’t aware of. If so, I’d love to hear from you!
If you want to learn more about homeschooling, I encourage you to check out the homeschool tab on my blog.
While you’re there, consider checking out some of my other posts. I cover topics like RV living, world travel, and parenting, with several posts added each month.
