Full Transcript for Should Christian Homeschoolers Take Government Money? What No One Tells You

gap on the horizon, and I really 00:04:17.440 --> 00:04:21.410 was not sitting there thinking, I know, I will become a homeschool advocate. 00:04:22.110 --> 00:04:23.390 Let me, let me enter that arena. 00:04:24.349 --> 00:04:24.719 No. 00:04:25.550 --> 00:04:29.450 Um, I like to say actually that for about the first 10 or more 00:04:29.450 --> 00:04:33.690 years of our homeschool journey, I really had my head mostly in the 00:04:33.690 --> 00:04:35.490 sand, and I was very content there. 00:04:35.890 --> 00:04:35.979 Mm. 00:04:35.989 --> 00:04:39.070 Um, if I'm knowledgeable of what's going on in political 00:04:39.080 --> 00:04:40.419 arenas, I will have an opinion. 00:04:40.930 --> 00:04:43.850 And so the safest thing was just to ignore most of that, keep my head 00:04:43.860 --> 00:04:47.450 down, and just try to do a faithful good job in raising my children. 00:04:47.500 --> 00:04:49.979 And I think that was the right thing for that season. 00:04:49.980 --> 00:04:55.300 But where I am now, um, and really it was in 2023 when the LEARNS Act 00:04:55.310 --> 00:04:59.590 passed in Arkansas that established the Education Freedom Account program that 00:04:59.630 --> 00:05:01.120 homeschoolers weren't really asking for. 00:05:01.660 --> 00:05:04.830 We weren't even sure we would be included, and so I was kind of watching this with 00:05:04.830 --> 00:05:08.340 a wary eye because I didn't think that would be good for private schools either. 00:05:08.790 --> 00:05:12.160 Um, but when it opened up to homeschoolers, it was really clear that 00:05:12.160 --> 00:05:13.590 we would be included in the program. 00:05:14.080 --> 00:05:16.290 A friend of mine tapped me and said, "Okay, I know you're kind 00:05:16.290 --> 00:05:18.440 of not enthralled with this. 00:05:18.460 --> 00:05:19.610 Can you research this?" 00:05:20.050 --> 00:05:23.430 Um, and so I like to say, look, the Lord really just dropped this in my lap. 00:05:23.680 --> 00:05:26.930 Um, it was a first s- step was to serve my local community. 00:05:27.260 --> 00:05:30.970 Can you speak a cautionary word on this so that we get to hear both sides of the 00:05:30.970 --> 00:05:36.770 issue and families can actually consider- consider well what to do about this thing 00:05:36.770 --> 00:05:37.130 that's coming, coming available to them. 00:05:37.610 --> 00:05:41.360 Um, and so I, as I started my research, then it got personal 'cause 00:05:41.390 --> 00:05:45.500 my family got hit with a price hike immediately because of the assumption 00:05:45.500 --> 00:05:49.720 that we had thousands upon thousands of extra dollars just for education. 00:05:49.730 --> 00:05:49.760 Mm-hmm. 00:05:50.270 --> 00:05:55.240 Um, and so that, that just threw me into researching this even further. 00:05:55.240 --> 00:05:58.050 If it's happening to me, um, then it's going to be 00:05:58.050 --> 00:05:59.300 happening to other people, too. 00:05:59.740 --> 00:06:03.250 Um, and that the mama bear came out a little bit there. 00:06:03.620 --> 00:06:05.370 But we've been… 00:06:05.790 --> 00:06:06.220 Let's see. 00:06:06.850 --> 00:06:07.580 Get back on track here. 00:06:08.280 --> 00:06:11.630 So as I presented this information to my local community, it really did 00:06:11.630 --> 00:06:13.820 change some, some hearts and minds. 00:06:13.830 --> 00:06:17.050 It opened people's eyes to at least think that there's some things to 00:06:17.090 --> 00:06:20.010 consider here when the government's dangling money on a string, it… 00:06:20.050 --> 00:06:22.740 or carrot on a string, it is not necessarily a good thing. 00:06:23.440 --> 00:06:24.670 It's not necessarily a good thing. 00:06:25.200 --> 00:06:29.320 Um, and so I got to share that message with a lot more people, uh, 00:06:29.370 --> 00:06:30.830 through this Valle sisters podcast. 00:06:30.830 --> 00:06:33.630 It was an awesome opportunity to get that out further, and I've so- 00:06:33.710 --> 00:06:37.360 had so many people tell me that that has deeply impacted them. 00:06:37.820 --> 00:06:42.710 Um, but I was still in the position of not having a single conservative 00:06:42.710 --> 00:06:48.370 organization in my state that shared my views and concerns about- Mm 00:06:48.370 --> 00:06:51.080 the fact that state funding comes with accountability. 00:06:51.430 --> 00:06:52.510 It's taxpayer money. 00:06:52.530 --> 00:06:53.740 There will be strings attached. 00:06:54.470 --> 00:07:01.170 And so feeling like I was alone in this, there was no organization that 00:07:01.170 --> 00:07:04.820 would be a voice for independent conservative homeschoolers. 00:07:05.430 --> 00:07:10.030 Um, and so began to prayerfully consider, well, who could be that voice? 00:07:10.580 --> 00:07:13.410 And the Lord was moving in me, but not just in me. 00:07:13.440 --> 00:07:17.760 There were two other ladies in my state who'd been talking for an extra year 00:07:17.780 --> 00:07:19.990 before I even got, got on this path. 00:07:20.330 --> 00:07:26.620 Um, and then in the end of 2025, beginning of '26, we, we kind of found each other. 00:07:26.630 --> 00:07:31.100 The Lord provided for us to find out what the others were up to. 00:07:31.170 --> 00:07:34.320 We met, um, and have been working out plans ever since. 00:07:34.370 --> 00:07:37.530 And we've added another lady to our team, and I'm thrilled. 00:07:37.590 --> 00:07:42.200 Honestly, these other ladies have more homeschool experience, more nonprofit or 00:07:42.200 --> 00:07:44.790 business management experience than I do. 00:07:44.800 --> 00:07:48.210 And so I couldn't be more thrilled that the Lord has just assembled some really 00:07:48.210 --> 00:07:52.190 fantastic ladies that I honestly get to learn a lot from, um, in this process. 00:07:52.220 --> 00:07:59.330 But we've established the Arkansas Homeschool Network to now be a principled 00:07:59.590 --> 00:08:04.280 homeschool organization, um, looking out particularly for independent 00:08:04.280 --> 00:08:07.530

homeschoolers, making sure that our voices are heard in Little Rock. 00:08:07.530 --> 00:08:11.880 But more than anything, to provide a place for us to be, be able to connect, to help 00:08:11.910 --> 00:08:16.880 educate homeschool parents, um, not just on the politics of things, but just on how 00:08:16.960 --> 00:08:19.810 to homeschool well to the glory of God. 00:08:20.070 --> 00:08:24.900 And so some of our key principles, um, we operate from a biblical worldview. 00:08:25.540 --> 00:08:31.010 We believe in parental authority, that God gives children to parents. 00:08:31.550 --> 00:08:37.580 And so they are the ones responsible, uh, to provide that education 00:08:37.690 --> 00:08:39.110 in every sense of the word. 00:08:39.290 --> 00:08:44.000 Even if we outsource parts of it, which we all do probably at some point, um, 00:08:44.110 --> 00:08:48.580 we are still the ones who are directing and providing and sourcing all of that, 00:08:48.970 --> 00:08:52.920 um, and really are in charge of the discipleship of our children before God. 00:08:53.620 --> 00:08:56.990 Uh, and then from that flows this idea of educational independence, 00:08:57.080 --> 00:09:00.250 that it is right for the family to be making these decisions. 00:09:00.280 --> 00:09:04.886 It is right for the family to be providing this for our children- And 00:09:04.896 --> 00:09:09.496 it is not the calling of God for the government to step in and take away 00:09:09.496 --> 00:09:12.306 that, that responsibility at any point. 00:09:13.176 --> 00:09:16.396 At any point So, let's see. 00:09:17.096 --> 00:09:20.336 I think that pretty much covers Oh, yeah. 00:09:20.846 --> 00:09:20.966 Speaker: All right. 00:09:21.406 --> 00:09:23.446 Speaker 2: Uh, b- so August has been busy. 00:09:23.446 --> 00:09:27.046 We've been, I've been spinning up the school year, and we've also launched 00:09:27.046 --> 00:09:28.416 the organization at the same time. 00:09:29.116 --> 00:09:30.056 Speaker: That's super busy. 00:09:30.646 --> 00:09:30.886 Speaker 2: Yes. 00:09:31.586 --> 00:09:34.526 Speaker: Well, it's, it's so good to… 00:09:34.536 --> 00:09:40.856 I love that you called it a principled homeschool organization, because I 00:09:40.856 --> 00:09:48.386 think that really s- so many, um, aren't, are not even sure what that 00:09:48.386 --> 00:09:52.676 means or what the difference would be between one that's principled or not. 00:09:53.286 --> 00:10:00.896 And anymore, we hardly realize what it means to act on principle, because 00:10:00.926 --> 00:10:05.756 a principle would be educating my children is my responsibility. 00:10:06.166 --> 00:10:10.516 And so having other people pay for my children's education 00:10:11.346 --> 00:10:13.456 contradicts that principle. 00:10:13.956 --> 00:10:19.196 But so often, our default, especially default on American, modern American 00:10:19.226 --> 00:10:24.816 assumption, is if there's something in it for me, how could it be bad? 00:10:25.586 --> 00:10:31.666 Or if it works, it's fine, which is, you know, just a utilitarian principle, 00:10:32.266 --> 00:10:35.146 which is contradictory to scripture. 00:10:35.246 --> 00:10:40.466 We, we don't want to be behaving like utilitarians, that as 00:10:40.466 --> 00:10:42.006 long as it works, it's okay. 00:10:42.696 --> 00:10:49.526 We want to be having biblical principles and then reasoning 00:10:49.566 --> 00:10:52.166 out from those principles. 00:10:52.866 --> 00:10:53.446 Speaker 2: Absolutely. 00:10:54.146 --> 00:10:57.646 Speaker: What have you seen in your work, and I know you've done, you 00:10:57.646 --> 00:11:02.076 know, you've had other podcast episodes with Scully Sisters and others, um, 00:11:02.096 --> 00:11:06.556 and then many conversations with people in your state and other states. 00:11:06.876 --> 00:11:10.416 What would you say is the biggest struggle people have as they try to f- 00:11:10.706 --> 00:11:15.176 navigate that, to figure out what, what's really at issue with government funding? 00:11:15.876 --> 00:11:19.056 Speaker 2: I think that the biggest knee-jerk reaction, the one I see 00:11:19.056 --> 00:11:23.766 most often, is that either it's our tax dollars that we're getting back 00:11:24.246 --> 00:11:28.486 or it's our child's money, because in theory it was like it would be going 00:11:28.486 --> 00:11:31.486 to them if they were in public school, so why can't we get at that ourselves? 00:11:31.976 --> 00:11:37.026 So both of those boil down to I have a claim on something from the government. 00:11:37.066 --> 00:11:38.366 I'm entitled to this. 00:11:38.686 --> 00:11:39.656 And if we look at… 00:11:39.676 --> 00:11:42.686 Generally conservatives, if they look at the kinds of welfare programs on the other 00:11:42.686 --> 00:11:47.316 side of the line, "Oh, that n- that's an entitlement mentality and that's bad." 00:11:47.626 --> 00:11:50.676 Um, it's like we don't catch ourselves when we're doing the same thing. 00:11:51.046 --> 00:11:55.516 Um, so I mean, I've heard all those same arguments, like, "Well, you're privileged. 00:11:55.856 --> 00:11:56.796 You're this, you're that." 00:11:56.806 --> 00:11:57.276 Like, it's… 00:11:57.716 --> 00:11:58.846 Are, are you hearing yourself? 00:11:58.896 --> 00:11:59.916 You sound like the other side. 00:12:00.166 --> 00:12:00.826 What's happening? 00:12:01.186 --> 00:12:05.986 But, um, it's this idea of entitlement and it's like I'm enti- Doing the 00:12:05.986 --> 00:12:09.686 math, most of us are actually getting back way more money from, uh, the 00:12:09.686 --> 00:12:13.806 state to educate our children if we take it than we pay in taxes. 00:12:14.176 --> 00:12:15.736 That's not true in every single case. 00:12:16.086 --> 00:12:18.476 Of course, if you're paying in that much in taxes, you probably 00:12:18.476 --> 00:12:20.076 don't need the kickbacks, but- 00:12:20.216 --> 00:12:20.786 Speaker: Mm-hmm. 00:12:20.826 --> 00:12:21.116 Right. 00:12:21.406 -->

00:12:22.076 Well, yeah, you're… 00:12:22.096 --> 00:12:24.856 B- So you're not getting your money back. 00:12:25.346 --> 00:12:25.696 That's- 00:12:26.366 --> 00:12:26.626 Speaker 2: Right. 00:12:26.696 --> 00:12:30.986 So what we're saying is that we are entitled to forcing, violently forcing, 00:12:30.986 --> 00:12:35.286 if you actually play this all out, if someone refused, they would show up and 00:12:35.296 --> 00:12:39.506 forcibly arrest the person for not paying their taxes or seize their property. 00:12:39.576 --> 00:12:43.236 It is a forceful taking of property from someone else and saying that that 00:12:43.236 --> 00:12:46.806 should be funding my child's Christian education, and that person might not 00:12:46.836 --> 00:12:49.746 believe at all the same things I believe. 00:12:50.606 --> 00:12:52.236 And it does actually flip around in reverse. 00:12:52.246 --> 00:12:55.356 There will be people taking this, these funds that are not Christians. 00:12:55.916 --> 00:12:57.726 It, it's not like we're the only ones that benefit. 00:12:57.736 --> 00:13:00.566 And so I just think that there's a lot of the actual workings out 00:13:00.606 --> 00:13:03.966 of these sorts of programs that people haven't really thought about. 00:13:04.456 --> 00:13:07.896 So that's just like the knee-jerk reaction is like, "It's my money to begin with. 00:13:07.976 --> 00:13:10.796 It's my tax dollars," or, um, "We're entitled to this for 00:13:10.796 --> 00:13:13.336 some reason," and, and people have to kinda work through that. 00:13:14.116 --> 00:13:18.846 Um, but you also said, like, without realizing the… 00:13:19.836 --> 00:13:20.456 How did you put it? 00:13:20.476 --> 00:13:23.136 The, um, the dangers. 00:13:23.866 --> 00:13:24.056 Speaker: Mm-hmm. 00:13:24.486 --> 00:13:24.786 Speaker 2: Right? 00:13:24.786 --> 00:13:25.906 'Cause that's the other side of it. 00:13:26.266 --> 00:13:28.626 Um, and we could get into that. 00:13:28.716 --> 00:13:33.156 I did kinda want to say, like, what- As far as a definition, independence, 00:13:33.226 --> 00:13:35.476 I might want to clarify something there- Yeah … before I go on. 00:13:35.536 --> 00:13:39.326 And that is that when we talk about independent education, 00:13:39.606 --> 00:13:44.906 it's not independence as its own virtue, as though we go it alone. 00:13:45.286 --> 00:13:47.566 Um, that is not actually the point. 00:13:48.226 --> 00:13:52.266 We are independent from state interference or, or any other authority that has 00:13:52.266 --> 00:13:55.456 no business being involved in our child's discipleship and education. 00:13:55.946 --> 00:14:00.216 And what we are dependent on is the Lord to provide and to provide 00:14:00.216 --> 00:14:03.326 wisdom, and for his word to actually guide our decisions and curriculum 00:14:03.326 --> 00:14:04.936 and everything, um, in life. 00:14:05.226 --> 00:14:10.056 And so we are also interdependent with- in our fellowship with other believers, 00:14:10.106 -->

00:14:13.276 and this is the way all homeschoolers have done it forever, is banding 00:14:13.276 --> 00:14:17.496 together, creating co-ops, um, and creating other kinds of opportunities 00:14:17.496 --> 00:14:21.336 where we share knowledge and share experiences that benefit our families. 00:14:21.626 --> 00:14:27.246 So we are not totally independent, um, but we have to establish that there's 00:14:27.246 --> 00:14:31.656 some clear boundaries of where God gives jurisdiction to families, and 00:14:31.666 --> 00:14:33.696 others should not encroach upon that. 00:14:33.936 --> 00:14:36.196 That's what we're really getting at when we talk about educational 00:14:36.536 --> 00:14:37.166 homeschool independence. 00:14:37.866 --> 00:14:38.326 So 00:14:39.026 --> 00:14:44.056 I guess so, so some of the p- pitfalls of taking the money, and so why, why 00:14:44.056 --> 00:14:45.736 should we maintain this independence? 00:14:45.766 --> 00:14:49.166 And not just, like, take the money, but just try to say, "But leave us alone." 00:14:49.866 --> 00:14:51.466 It's really not a sustainable position. 00:14:51.756 --> 00:14:52.786 They will win eventually. 00:14:53.106 --> 00:14:55.176 They have a right to say what happens to state funds. 00:14:55.496 --> 00:14:55.576 Yes. 00:14:55.586 --> 00:14:56.576 You w- you can't win that. 00:14:57.156 --> 00:15:00.756 Um, but I honestly think, like, you can have strings attached, and, 00:15:00.786 --> 00:15:05.206 and the strings and the regulations have tightened every year since our 00:15:05.226 --> 00:15:08.566 EFA program has been in existence. 00:15:08.626 --> 00:15:09.976 Every single year the rules tighten. 00:15:09.976 --> 00:15:12.296 It's kind of like, and who was surprised by this? 00:15:12.306 --> 00:15:13.946 You shouldn't have been surprised by this. 00:15:14.336 --> 00:15:16.046 Um, it's completely predictable. 00:15:16.226 --> 00:15:17.316 But I think something that is… 00:15:17.816 --> 00:15:21.326 that people probably miss in this discussion that I think is so much more 00:15:21.326 --> 00:15:26.796 critical to us as Christian parents is actually the idea of formation, that 00:15:26.806 --> 00:15:31.786 how we fund our highest priorities is incredibly instructive to our kids. 00:15:32.486 --> 00:15:32.886 It is. 00:15:32.926 --> 00:15:36.556 Because are we conveying to our children that we depend on the 00:15:36.556 --> 00:15:42.496 government to provide, not just our basic needs, but our every desire? 00:15:42.516 --> 00:15:45.456 Because when you're talking about the amount of money that's getting thrown into 00:15:45.456 --> 00:15:47.976 homeschooling now, it does not mean… 00:15:48.346 --> 00:15:52.556 It, it's like 10 times more than what you need to actually homeschool. 00:15:53.476 --> 00:15:57.566 Um, and so we're, we're going to be passing on that kind of 00:15:57.566 --> 00:15:59.586 entitlement mentality if we have it. 00:16:00.116 --> 00:16:05.076 Um, we are teaching our kids that the source of our needs is the state, that 00:16:05.076 --> 00:16:10.036 we are perfectly okay with whatever hoops they ask us to jump through as 00:16:10.036 --> 00:16:11.336 long as we keep getting the money. 00:16:11.746 --> 00:16:12.496 That's compromise. 00:16:13.196 --> 00:16:13.586 It is. 00:16:14.086 --> 00:16:16.966 Um, and so our kids actually learn from the environment that we create, 00:16:16.976 --> 00:16:19.166 and that environment is made up of the decisions that we make. 00:16:20.166 --> 00:16:23.406 Um, I'm s- also, and I'm really sad to report this, but it is having 00:16:23.406 --> 00:16:26.046 an impact on homeschool communities already in the state of Arkansas. 00:16:26.466 --> 00:16:32.376 Um, I've heard directly from distraught young homeschool moms telling me that the 00:16:32.376 --> 00:16:37.756 community that they're a part of, much of the talking shop among the moms involves, 00:16:38.216 --> 00:16:39.606 "How are you spending your funds? 00:16:39.676 --> 00:16:43.106 Did you find something else to use up this last $1,000? 00:16:43.506 --> 00:16:46.696 Um, how did you convince them to pay for these bookshelves? 00:16:46.696 --> 00:16:47.656 They told me no." 00:16:48.546 --> 00:16:49.346 And it's like… 00:16:50.046 --> 00:16:52.356 Uh, and I won't even get into the, the obvious fraud. 00:16:53.056 --> 00:16:53.976 No, I've heard stories. 00:16:54.296 --> 00:16:58.326 But, uh, but there's all these ways of f- of trying to say, how do you 00:16:58.326 --> 00:17:00.016 justify your purchases to the state? 00:17:00.686 --> 00:17:04.186 Um, and if it's just a basic educational expense, well, now you're justifying 00:17:04.366 --> 00:17:07.636 all of your educational choices, and that puts you in a completely opposite 00:17:07.656 --> 00:17:09.146 position to the state than what is right. 00:17:09.416 --> 00:17:13.156 But, but back to the impact on the community, um- 00:17:13.856 --> 00:17:18.156 Basically, moms talking shop is turning into moms gaming, talking 00:17:18.156 --> 00:17:19.536 about how they can game the system. 00:17:19.936 --> 00:17:24.716 And that is so not the same as how did you coach your child through long division? 00:17:25.416 --> 00:17:28.316 How do you ma- balance, you know, preparing a meal for dinner when 00:17:28.316 --> 00:17:30.826 they, there's, there's still school on the table at 5:00? 00:17:31.216 --> 00:17:34.306 Um, these are very, very different kinds of conversation. 00:17:34.636 --> 00:17:37.996 Um, and this is forming the culture of the homeschool community. 00:17:38.546 --> 00:17:42.266 These things are not of the same quality, and I think we need to remember 00:17:42.266 --> 00:17:46.406 scripture's warning that the love of money is the root of all kinds of evil. 00:17:46.746 --> 00:17:48.756 And so our children are gonna be absorbing these things. 00:17:49.456 --> 00:17:54.596 Um, and as we kind of noted, like- More and more young people are 00:17:54.596 --> 00:17:56.236 looking

favorably at socialism. 00:17:56.826 --> 00:18:00.616 And I think the obvious reason for that is having grown up in a public 00:18:00.616 --> 00:18:05.066 school system, which I did, but growing up in that public school system, 00:18:05.376 --> 00:18:09.116 today it is even further socialized than it was when I was in school. 00:18:09.166 --> 00:18:13.116 They're providing more and more of your basic healthcare, counseling, 00:18:13.466 --> 00:18:15.856 even food, and even supplies. 00:18:16.206 --> 00:18:19.106 Um, they've made a lot of these things universally provided, so 00:18:19.106 --> 00:18:20.726 it's not even income-based anymore. 00:18:20.726 --> 00:18:23.126 It's just like we provide everything. 00:18:23.826 --> 00:18:27.076 And when you are trained in this, it doesn't really matter what mom and dad 00:18:27.086 --> 00:18:32.656 say, if the form of your life is that every single day I'm dependent on the 00:18:32.656 --> 00:18:36.326 state for a variety of basics, like you are being raised in socialism. 00:18:37.216 --> 00:18:37.746 You just are. 00:18:38.116 --> 00:18:42.096 And so when we take state funds for our homeschooling, we're actually inviting 00:18:42.106 --> 00:18:46.006 the same mechanism into our homes, and that also teaches our children. 00:18:46.706 --> 00:18:50.106 Um, so we've mentioned there could be strings attached, and there already are. 00:18:50.106 --> 00:18:53.786 You have to take a state-mandated test, um, or you have to take a, uh, 00:18:53.806 --> 00:18:56.636 norm-reference test in the state of Arkansas when you receive the funding. 00:18:56.886 --> 00:19:01.256 Right now they're very generous, but there's very loud, um, vocal calls for 00:19:01.256 --> 00:19:04.376 homeschoolers to take the exact same tests that they're, they're taking 00:19:04.376 --> 00:19:07.746 in the public schools, and I, I think that is pretty nearly on the horizon. 00:19:07.776 --> 00:19:10.826 Like, that'll be pushed for this sem- this legislative session. 00:19:11.136 --> 00:19:16.276 Um, and I, as I've said, there's been price, um, hikes and things 00:19:16.276 --> 00:19:20.666 that are impacting all of us who don't take the money, and that puts 00:19:20.666 --> 00:19:22.486 more pressure on us to, to join in. 00:19:22.866 --> 00:19:24.216 So, um- 00:19:24.916 --> 00:19:28.616 Speaker: Yeah, you put more money into the local community 00:19:29.246 --> 00:19:32.606 and then the prices will go up. 00:19:32.646 --> 00:19:33.076 It's… 00:19:33.106 --> 00:19:36.426 That is, it's basic economics. 00:19:36.476 --> 00:19:41.186 And, you know, you have things like piano lessons and dance classes, and these 00:19:41.186 --> 00:19:42.926 things that a lot of the money goes to. 00:19:43.626 --> 00:19:49.576 And so you're going to be much more free, you- you're gonna be much more free 00:19:49.816 --> 00:19:52.296 spending money that's not yours, right? 00:19:52.296 --> 00:19:53.476 Just free money. 00:19:54.006 --> 00:19:58.916 And so if the piano teacher doubles their prices, if you're taking government money, 00:19:59.106 --> 00:20:01.976 it doesn't really matter to you 'cause it's not affecting your home budget. 00:20:02.726 --> 00:20:07.136 But for everyone who's not taking the government money, it just puts that 00:20:07.136 --> 00:20:13.786 right outside their reach, and then they become more and more tempted t- for 00:20:13.786 --> 00:20:17.416 that money because they're being priced out of resources that they otherwise 00:20:17.426 --> 00:20:19.956 could have, um, participated in. 00:20:20.906 --> 00:20:21.136 Speaker 2: Yeah. 00:20:21.196 --> 00:20:23.836 And that being priced out is- isn't just hypothetical. 00:20:23.846 --> 00:20:23.866 Yeah. 00:20:23.866 --> 00:20:24.886 It's happening to my friends. 00:20:25.296 --> 00:20:25.576 Speaker: Yeah. 00:20:25.896 --> 00:20:26.416 Speaker 2: It's re- it's real. 00:20:26.476 --> 00:20:26.846 It's here. 00:20:27.726 --> 00:20:27.986 Yeah. 00:20:27.986 --> 00:20:30.116 And the other, the other thought is just that separation. 00:20:30.426 --> 00:20:33.496 Um, private schools that take the funds are no longer truly private. 00:20:33.886 --> 00:20:36.946 Um, though I think that they actually maintain a little more privacy 00:20:36.946 --> 00:20:39.296 than homeschoolers do, just because of the nature of homeschoolers 00:20:39.326 --> 00:20:43.716 having to get every single purchase approved, um, entered on ClassWallet 00:20:43.716 --> 00:20:47.236 or else submitted through, like, a reimbursement, sending in an invoice. 00:20:47.516 --> 00:20:50.746 The state has a record of every single purchase that a homeschool family 00:20:50.746 --> 00:20:54.236 makes, whereas the private schools actually get away with managing their 00:20:54.236 --> 00:20:55.906 own budgets a little bit more in-house. 00:20:56.296 --> 00:20:59.656 So homeschoolers are actually giving up a considerable amount of their own privacy 00:20:59.656 --> 00:21:00.946 when they sign up for state funding. 00:21:01.646 --> 00:21:05.016 Speaker: So then what kind of work do you do with the organization? 00:21:05.936 --> 00:21:10.176 What, what is that being set up to, to, to do and accomplish? 00:21:10.876 --> 00:21:12.976 Speaker 2: Yeah, so I'm the secretary, and I'm learning a lot 00:21:12.976 --> 00:21:14.736 about filling that role in itself. 00:21:14.786 --> 00:21:21.366 Um, but we are gearing up for our first capital day early, um, 2027. 00:21:21.846 --> 00:21:23.256 Uh, we are gonna have… 00:21:23.646 --> 00:21:26.076 We've got a welcome packet that we're gonna send to members. 00:21:26.076 --> 00:21:29.126 We've got a monthly newsletter, email newsletter. 00:21:29.416 --> 00:21:35.066 Um, and we'll have Arkansas Homeschool Network's website is arhsn.org. 00:21:35.096 --> 00:21:39.406 So if anybody out there listening is in Arkansas, you can go to our website, 00:21:39.406 --> 00:21:43.306 scroll down to where it says be the first to know, and join our mailing

list. 00:21:43.306 --> 00:21:46.726 We'd love, love to have the opportunity to connect with you. 00:21:46.966 --> 00:21:50.376 Uh, we plan on actually doing some workshops and things to help 00:21:50.506 --> 00:21:57.456 equip, uh, homeschool families, um, providing opportunities for just 00:21:57.456 --> 00:22:00.576 getting together and, and doing, um, some fun things together, 00:22:00.826 --> 00:22:02.356 building networks across the state. 00:22:02.356 --> 00:22:06.186 And I think that's one of the things that we, we really sorely need at this point, 00:22:06.206 --> 00:22:12.846 is that only about 50%, somewhere around 50%, um, of homeschoolers in the state of 00:22:12.846 --> 00:22:15.206 Arkansas participate in the EFA program. 00:22:15.236 --> 00:22:21.416 That means we still have half of us that do not, and they currently don't 00:22:21.426 --> 00:22:26.586 have a central hub for organizing, for communicating with each other. 00:22:26.586 --> 00:22:31.696 So a huge part of what we will be doing is providing that opportunity, um, 00:22:31.736 --> 00:22:34.646 for real encouragement because some of the young, especially the young moms, 00:22:34.646 --> 00:22:35.756 they've not been at this long enough. 00:22:35.756 --> 00:22:38.066 I've got most of my friends, we're like, "We don't need the state funds. 00:22:38.066 --> 00:22:38.726 We don't want that." 00:22:39.126 --> 00:22:44.346 Um, I've got a strong community around me, but so many of these new to homeschooling 00:22:44.356 --> 00:22:50.686 moms, everyone around them is taking the money, and it's, it feels very isolating. 00:22:50.846 --> 00:22:55.746 Um, especially, um, for one that I know who, um, one year their co-op 00:22:55.746 --> 00:22:57.746 was $40, and the next it was 400. 00:22:58.266 --> 00:22:59.386 Speaker: Wow. 00:22:59.526 --> 00:23:02.016 Speaker 2: She just lost her friend group because they, they went on without her. 00:23:02.396 --> 00:23:05.436 So, um- Wow … that's really happening. 00:23:05.766 --> 00:23:10.096 So we wanna be able to provide support for families in that situation, 00:23:10.296 --> 00:23:13.326 and also be able to point them to free resources that are out there. 00:23:13.326 --> 00:23:16.326 And, and because we know that it's actually going to be even 00:23:16.326 --> 00:23:19.745 more challenging to maintain this principled position of funding your own 00:23:20.056 --> 00:23:23.836 children's education because the state is making it harder by interfering. 00:23:24.386 --> 00:23:25.186 Speaker: Mm-hmm. 00:23:25.186 --> 00:23:26.306 Speaker 2: Gonna provide all the help that we can. 00:23:27.006 --> 00:23:28.376 Speaker: Well, thank you so much. 00:23:28.386 --> 00:23:36.376 I hope that this was helpful to inspire more people to look into government 00:23:36.376 --> 00:23:38.455 funding in whatever form it's happening. 00:23:38.476 --> 00:23:41.266 I know it's happening in most, if not all states. 00:23:41.266 --> 00:23:42.106 You might know more. 00:23:42.806 --> 00:23:44.006 Speaker 2: It has passed. 00:23:44.115 --> 00:23:49.486 Many of the red states have passed, um, funding programs, but the one big 00:23:49.486 --> 00:23:54.416 beautiful bill has passed a national program that the governor may opt into. 00:23:54.526 --> 00:23:57.845 And so that can actually bypass the legislature to where the National 00:23:57.845 --> 00:24:04.275 School Choice Program can be accessed by, um- Students in states that do not 00:24:04.275 --> 00:24:06.635 already have an EFA or ESA program. 00:24:07.145 --> 00:24:08.475 So it's concerning. 00:24:08.475 --> 00:24:09.725 It's sweeping the nation really quickly. 00:24:09.735 --> 00:24:12.005 Honestly, I knew it was gonna go to the national level, but it's 00:24:12.005 --> 00:24:13.035 happened a lot faster than I thought. 00:24:13.735 --> 00:24:14.075 Speaker: Wow. 00:24:14.775 --> 00:24:15.135 Yes. 00:24:15.145 --> 00:24:20.245 So I hope people have maybe some new reasons they thought of to think through 00:24:20.245 --> 00:24:26.845 this more deeply and, you know, think with more long-term consequences, not 00:24:26.845 --> 00:24:33.306 just, "Oh, more money would be nice" , but what are the consequences of that money. 00:24:33.756 --> 00:24:38.405 And then also, just to be inspired about the possibilities that, you 00:24:38.405 --> 00:24:43.165 know, just to keep your eyes open for those doors that God might open wh- 00:24:43.346 --> 00:24:48.425 when you're in that season of, you know, teenagers or graduating students. 00:24:48.605 --> 00:24:54.345 There are needs and opportunities in every community and every state. 00:24:54.925 --> 00:24:59.345 And whether it's something similar to the Arkansas Homeschool Network 00:24:59.345 --> 00:25:05.646 or a co-op or, you know, a- so many things that we can do to be active 00:25:05.646 --> 00:25:08.655 in serving in our communities. 00:25:08.765 --> 00:25:10.865 So thank you so much for joining me today, Lauren. 00:25:11.565 --> 00:25:11.835 Speaker 2: Thanks. 00:25:11.855 --> 00:25:12.645 Glad to be here, Misty. 00:25:13.245 --> 00:25:18.125 Speaker: And all those links to, um, the network's website and to 00:25:18.135 --> 00:25:22.035 Lauren's blog and all those things will be in the episode notes. 00:25:22.735 --> 00:25:22.965 All right. 00:25:22.975 --> 00:25:23.475 Thank you. 00:25:24.116 --> 00:25:24.495 Speaker 2: Thank you.