MoScholar Program

MoScholar Program
Friday, July 1, 2022 by FHE

Families for Home Education (FHE) has been alerted that a post card advertisement and/or text messages have been sent out about applying for the MoScholar Program (Missouri Empowerment Scholarship Accounts Program). Many homeschoolers across the state have received this advertisement.

To participate in the program, you will no longer be an autonomous home school. Your home school will be part of the MoScholar program and required to abide by all rules and regulations of the program. It requires standardized testing of your student, home school records reviews, background checks of all adults in the home, etc. (https://treasurer.mo.gov/MOScholars/). This is definitely a sacrifice of freedom for the “money” carrot they are dangling.

The purpose of Families for Home Education is to protect the inalienable right of the parents of Missouri to teach their own children without state regulation and control. This program is a step toward a slippery slope to more regulations on all home schools as they seek to expand the program.

The amendment to remove a home school from the Missouri Empowerment Scholarship Accounts Program failed in the 2022 session when the amendment added to SB 681 was removed in the Conference Committee. There will not be another opportunity to pursue this avenue of protection until the Legislature reconvenes in January 2023.

In the meantime, if you agree with FHE, speak with your state representative and state senator about the need to protect your home school from state regulations and preserve home school freedom. All of the state house districts and all of the even numbered state senate districts are on the ballot. As you meet the candidates for your district you could also speak to them about the need to protect your home school from further state regulations and preserve home school freedom. The relationships and the contacts you make now will help later when you contact your legislators about issues during the legislative session.