This estimate assumes full use by
existing private school families (likely an upward bias) and no additional adoption by public school families (likely a downward bias).
Looking at homeschooling families in comparison to public and
private school families in the NCES data, the most striking homeschool statistic differences that show up are these:
The total loss depends on the proportion of current
private school families who use 529 plans for private school tuition, how many families switch from public to private schools, and on the generosity and stability of state tax incentives.
For years, urban public school systems such as the Los Angeles Unified School District have tried, with limited success, to
lure private school families as a way of bringing in more enrollment and resources.
The study also examined household incomes
for private school families and public school families and found that Florida has one of the biggest income gaps in the nation, despite several state programs such as the Florida Tax Credit Scholarships and the McKay Scholarships that direct tax dollars, directly or indirectly, to private schools.
The families are all poor, but
the private school families must be more supportive of education, though this is never seen directly.
* Fordham Industries makes no claims as to political feasibility, impact on educational freedom, immediate assistance to children in failing schools, parental rights, religious educational options, pedagogical diversity, educational innovation, public value conflicts, size of the tax burden, fairness to
private school families, student achievement, or civic values.
As the bill made its way through the statehouse, a $ 1,000 tax deduction for homeschoolers and
private school families was also added.
But not
all private school families are wealthy, so charters appeal to them as well.