HSLDA	May 25, 2005

New Tax Credit Legislation Will Benefit Homeschoolers

On May 18, 2005, Representative Mark Green (R-WI-8) introduced the SCHOOL Act (HR 2426). His legislation provides up to $3,000 in federal tax credits for individuals ($6,000 for married couples) who donate to scholarship organizations.

The "Supportive Communities Helping Offer Opportunities for Learning Act" has been lauded as expanding school choice opportunities for low-income students, but HSLDA sees this as good news for homeschool families who would be able to donate to homeschool-specific scholarship tuition organizations without any out-of-pocket expense. Under this legislation the homeschool family would have an opportunity to re-direct some of their tax assessment which will otherwise be paid to the U.S. Treasury. Furthermore, qualifying homeschoolers would be eligible for education grants from private scholarship tuition organizations.

"We worked closely with Representative Green to ensure that homeschoolers were not excluded from this sensible tax break," said Caleb Kershner, Manager of Federal Policy and Research for HSLDA. "This bill will help to eliminate the economic disadvantages families currently experience when they choose to homeschool and remain free from government regulation."