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      Homeschoolers Save Taxpayers $22 Billion Per Year

      Taxpayers across America, struggling under the burden of crushing local property taxes in addition to state and federal taxes, should thank a homeschooling family today. According to recent estimates, homeschool families are saving taxpayers across America some $22 billion each year, if not more.

      The estimated savings to the public treasury were compiled by researchers by examining the number of homeschooled children in a state, where such records exist, and the average cost per government-schooled student.

      In Wisconsin, where FreedomProject Academy has its headquarters, homeschool families save taxpayers well over $200 million per year. In California, it’s almost $2 billion, while in New York and Texas it’s $1.7 billion and $1.2 billion, respectively, according to data published by Intellectual Takeout.

      In short, the savings are huge. And they are getting larger each year, as government spending on so-called “education” balloons, and the number of homeschoolers leaving the system mushrooms.

      At the national level, the Pioneer Institute estimated that, based on their participation numbers, homeschool families save American taxpayers some $22 billion annually. For perspective, $22 billion is about the size of the state of Vermont’s entire annual economic output.

      And in reality, homeschoolers are probably saving taxpayers far more money. By not being in a government school, for example, officials have less opportunities to milk them as cash cows for all sorts of different government “services” such as unnecessary “mental health” schemes reimbursed by Medicaid.

      In exchange for those massive savings, America also benefits from homeschoolers in many other ways. Among those benefits: A huge and growing pool of smarter, more industrious young people to build the businesses of the future, provide jobs to the victims of government schools, and to ultimately serve as leaders in their communities and beyond.

      Indeed, virtually all of the research that’s been done confirms that homeschoolers are far better educated, much better socialized, and way better off in life than their government-schooled peers. They even do better on the government’s own tests, ironically, despite generally not squandering much of the year preparing for them.

      For studies and data confirming all this, check out the National Home Education Research Institute.

      It is, of course, incredibly unfair that homeschool families have to pay for the failing government schools that they reject. Unfortunately, though, some well-intentioned (and certainly others with less noble intentions) are pushing a solution that will be worse than the problem: government handouts or perhaps tax credits homeschoolers.

      It sounds so nice. And it is true that home education is an enormous financial sacrifice for most families that choose to do it. But the potential problems with offering taxpayer-funded benefits or grants to homeschoolers — problems such as government regulation or supervision — far outweigh any potential benefits.

      Americans should be thankful for the burgeoning homeschool movement. Not only is it saving them tens of billions of dollars in taxes annually, it may ultimately end up playing a key role in saving America and its liberties from destruction. If you know a homeschooler, thank them today. And help ensure that the government is kept out of the way.

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