Did you know that unfunded homeschoolers are a tax savings to the state and their communities?
“Taxpayers spend an average of $15,240 per pupil annually in public schools, plus capital expenditures (National Education Association, 2021). Today’s roughly 4.5 million homeschool students represent a savings of over $68 billion for taxpayers. This is $68 billion that American taxpayers do not have to spend.”
https://www.nheri.org/research-facts-on-homeschooling/
“One of the most obvious is the money each homeschool student saves his or her state. Based on state spending per student multiplied by the approximate number of homeschoolers in each state, the following statistics demonstrate how much savings homeschoolers are passing off to their fellow citizens each year: New Hampshire $80.7 million”
https://www.intellectualtakeout.org/article/how-much-money-each-state-saves-thanks-homeschooling/
By comparison, the NH Department of Education reports rising costs per pupil with a shrinking enrollment.
NH Average Cost Per Pupil and Enrollment
| 2016-2017 | 2017-2018 | 2018-2019 | 2019-2020 | 2020-2021 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cost per Pupil, pre-kindergarten to gr 12 | $15,310.67 | $15,865.26 | $16,346.45 | $16,823.88 | $18,434,21 |
| Average Daily Membership in Attendance | 175,138.61 | 174,187.07 | 173,359.62 | 172,144.50 | 164,910.65 |
https://www.education.nh.gov/who-we-are/division-of-educator-and-analytic-resources/bureau-of-education-statistics/financial-reports
https://www.education.nh.gov/who-we-are/division-of-educator-and-analytic-resources/bureau-of-education-statistics/attendance-and-enrollment-reports
Homeschoolers pay taxes that go into their local districts, even though their children are not enrolled. At the high-school level, districts are compensated if a homeschooler participates in curricular or co-curricular programs per RSA 198:38. Home educated students are unfunded yet subsidize their local district schools.
By Michelle Levell
