Hundreds of parents who previously paid for their children’s home education are finding financial assistance through the Hope Scholarship, newly open to those who have been privately homeschooling.
Theoretically, Hope frees up financial resources previously used to buy curriculum or other educational resources. Similar to getting a raise at work, the freed-up funds are easily diverted to other family needs. As one might expect, once we are accustomed to using those funds elsewhere, it’s extremely difficult to get them back. It would be like having your annual income suddenly reduced, and having to reconnoiter… very hard, indeed. In other words, if the Hope Scholarship were suddenly taken away, you might find that the family money you previously used for homeschooling is no longer available for that purpose.
Why, one muses, might Hope monies be taken away? For the entire length of Hope’s short history, legislators have been up-front about the cost being non-sustainable. From its inception, sponsoring legislators have spoken of the possibility of limiting the funding, limiting the recipients, or limiting the worldview. If that happens, current recipients could lose all or part of the money they receive. Worse still, they could be tempted to forfeit aspects of their Christian worldview in favor of free secular resources, thereby giving up the most important aspect of homeschooling.
A recent report confirmed what many of us have been predicting all along: an overwhelming majority of Hope recipients are from families who were previously in private school, Christian school, or homeschooling via private funds–even before it became universal.
This is why it might be fostering dependence that could eventually convince parents to consider public education for the very first time. If public money is sponsoring private education, and then the money dries up, will the parents find a way to continue to educate privately? Sadly, they may struggle financially enough to feel “stuck” with whatever the government still provides for free.
What can Hope recipients do to shore up their future?
First, instead of diverting the “extra funds” previously used for homeschooling to some other family need, set that money aside in a separate savings account until the money saved is enough for three years of homeschooling expense. With a three-year nest egg, you can then free up future funds for other purposes. Why this precaution? If Hope was taken away in the future, you could still provide your children with the education of your choice for three years, giving you time to financially adjust back to your reduced circumstances.
Second, you can explore ways to homeschool with less money, and be prepared to choose less expensive curriculum and resources should that be necessary in the future. However, be realistic. If you can’t imagine doing the work involved for a cheaper option, or if you know your kids would balk at not attending a co-op or other activities that you can presently afford thanks to Hope, then you may assume you are dependent on Hope and unwilling to school on less. In that case, refer back to the preceding paragraph.
In conclusion, if your worldview allows, you may be receiving much-needed funds to help with your homeschooling via the Hope Scholarship. Nevertheless, we encourage you to be wise. Do not allow reliance on public money to undermine the future of your homeschooling––and thus of your children.
Be very careful, then, how you live—not as unwise but as wise, making the most of every opportunity, because the days are evil. Therefore do not be foolish, but understand what the Lord’s will is.
Eph. 5:15-17
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