Have you ever used Public Education Funds (PEF) to support your school of choice? Chances are you have! Let’s look at what school choice really means including the different types available to parents. School choice allows public education funds to follow the student to the school or service that is the best fit for their educational needs.
Public Education Funds will follow the student to other public schools, public online schools, charter schools, magnet schools, private schools, private online schools, home school, tutoring services, or any other learning environment parents choose for their children. There are so many other options available to families besides school vouchers and charter schools. Oftentimes, families will relocate to neighborhoods where public school districts are high performing. This is a great option if you can afford these more expensive communities. However, it is unnecessary. Why? There are different educational options available; some are even publicly funded. You will see how these programs in various states’ work to support families:
- Voucher Programs – (Arkansas, Florida, Georgia, Indiana, Louisiana, Maine, Maryland, Mississippi, North Carolina, Ohio, Oklahoma, Utah, Vermont, Wisconsin, and the District of Columbia) Parents have the freedom to choose a private school for their children, using all or part of the public funding set aside for their children’s private school, including both religious and non-religious education. This program is lottery based.
- Education Savings Account/ESA – (Arizona, Mississippi, North Carolina, Florida, Tennessee Las Vegas—in litigation) Parents withdraw their children from public districts including tuition free online schools and charter schools to receive public funds onto government authorized savings account via debit cards. These funds can be used to cover private school tuition and fees, online learning programs, private tutoring, community college costs, higher education expenses and approved customized learning services and materials.
- Tax Credit Programs – (Alabama, Arizona, Florida, Georgia, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Louisiana, Montana, New Hampshire, Nevada, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, South Carolina, South Dakota, Virginia) Taxpayers, individuals and businesses receive full or partial tax credits when they donate to nonprofits that provide private school scholarships.
- Individual Tax Credits and Deductions – (Alabama, Iowa, Illinois, Indiana, Louisiana, Minnesota, South Carolina, Wisconsin) Parents receive state income tax relief for approved educational expenses, which can include private school tuition, books, supplies, computers, tutors and transportation.
- Charter Schools – (50 states) Charter schools are independently run public schools exempt from many rules and regulations. If charters receive more applications than they have open seats, student acceptance is based on a lottery system. Families do not need to use ESAs, vouchers or tax-credit scholarships because these schools are already publicly funded.
- Magnet Schools – (50 states) Magnet schools are public school that offers specialized curricula and programs not available in traditional neighborhood public schools. Magnets are designed to attract students with a common interest or skillset, and students must apply and be accepted to enroll. Families do not need to use ESAs, vouchers or tax-credit scholarships to pay because these schools are already publicly funded.
- Inter/Intra District Public Schools – (50 states) Allows families to choose from among more than one public school to send their children to any traditional public school in their state or a defined region regardless of the government assigned zip codes. Usually, these district choice law open enrollment options still allow public schools to give enrollment preference to students within their assigned district lines.
- Homeschool – (50 states) Homeschooling is an alternative form of education for children outside of public or private schools, usually within their own homes. Most states require parents to opt out of public school. Homeschooling is regulated differently from state to state.
- Online Learning – (50 states) Online learning allows students to work with their curriculum and teachers over the Internet—in combination with, or in place of, traditional classroom learning. Online schools are tuition free public schools that must follow traditional classroom and school requirements i.e. attendance and immunizations. Whereas, private online schools have more flexibility with time and calendar, offer more courses, and able to customize learning on the go. Families may use educational choice options such as ESAs and vouchers to pay for private online schooling.
- Customized Learning – (30 states) Customized learning can be unique to every child. For example, some parents might mix public school with tutored classes at home, special education therapies with online schools, college for credit programs with private online schools, or mix public school athletic programs with private online school. The customization are endless as new innovations in learning continue to develop and emerge.
- Town Tuitioning – (Vermont and a few northeast rural states) Allows students who live in towns that don’t have district public schools to receive per-pupil education tax dollars to pay tuition at a neighboring town’s public school or a private school of their choice. If they live close to state borders, Families may cross state lines to pursue public or private education.
Almentia Academy has multiple options for school choice; customized learning, homeschool, online school, ESA, tax credit scholarships, and individual tax credit deductions making us the best educational fit for your student. Our popular year round school includes 4-day school weeks that are more flexible than other programs and allow students to remain mobile. We have knowledge of School Choice programs throughout the nation and can assist parents in making the best school choice. Students are well rested and ready to learn at their own pace in the comfort of their own home. Can you imagine a 15 year-old graduating from high school and college at the same time? Can you imagine a 3rd grader who was retained and now their confidence is soaring in response to making good progress above grade level? Yes, we can! Because we develop customized learning using our PreK-12 and beyond program for our students to benefit anytime, anywhere, using any device. Make the right choice and Enroll today!
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