Do any tax breaks, government assistance, or write-offs for homeschooling exist for the states of Kansas and Missouri?
We often hear this question from people interested in homeschooling, and it makes sense. After all, we are definitely providing a public good – the education and well-being of the next generation of citizens!
As homeschooling has become more mainstream, several organizations have taken steps to recognize the financial sacrifice and public benefits that follow.
For example, some U.S. states like Illinois and Louisiana allow tax credits and deductions for families that homeschool – up to a certain amount each year.
Let’s look at both Kansas and Missouri separately, since homeschool laws differ by state.
Can you deduct homeschool expenses in KS?
Kansas recognizes each homeschool as a non-accredited private school (see more details in our Starting Homeschool section).
In September 2024, The Sentinel reported that Kansas homeschool families are now eligible for a sales tax exemption, based on a Kansas Department of Revenue policy change around Aug. 15.
Kansas families should cautiously consider taking advantage of this if interested. See MPE’s separate stance and guidance here.
However, this can “frequently be a tedious and frustrating process,” according to our friends at HSLDA. If you need any help navigating the process, check out this page for FAQs!
Can you deduct homeschool expenses in MO?
You may have heard of the Missouri Empowerment Scholarship Accounts Program or MoScholar Program, which was passed in the 2022 legislative session.
This program allows parents to get scholarships for “Missouri students with Individual Education Plans (IEPs) and students living in low-income households.”
In order to qualify for this program, homeschool families in Missouri can no longer homeschool autonomously, but must submit to the rules and regulations of the program.
Families for Home Education explains in further detail in this Facebook post:
“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.”
Will there be more tax breaks for homeschoolers in Kansas or Missouri?
We can always live in hope!
For a long time we’ve recognized the “double taxation” of private and homeschool parents in that we pay taxes for supporting our local school district, yet don’t share in the majority of those benefits. Most homeschoolers will appreciate anything that recognizes our financial sacrifice.
However, tax breaks sometimes come with strings attached.
HSLDA also wrote a good summary of so-called “tax breaks” that interfere with homeschooling freedoms:
“HSLDA is opposed to any legislation that would increase regulation of homeschoolers. While government funding of any program is usually tied to a myriad of stipulations (with which one must comply to receive the funding), tax credits are not funding—rather, they are a way of returning the people’s own money to them. HSLDA believes that tax credits can help homeschoolers avoid the burden of double taxation, and in the past has supported most tax credit bills.”
We also have other tips for saving on homeschool expenses:
Get an HSLDA member discount.
We recommend that all our members join the Home School Legal Defense Association (HSLDA) to protect their homeschooling rights.
You can get a discount code through your MPE membership at the Family tier or higher. We’ll send you the code once you sign up.
Buy used curriculum wherever possible.
Our used curriculum sale is a great opportunity each summer to see curriculum before you buy it!
You can also attend our homeschool conference in the spring to shop the vendor halls there and see the types of curriculum available.
The conference also has workshops to address different areas of homeschooling and answer any questions you may have.
Use your homeschool support network.
We have support groups in the area, some for MPE members and others open to any homeschooler.
Check out our homeschool enrichment / athletic programs / co-op page for a detailed listing of some co-ops and other associations in the Kansas City area.
Plan for discount events.
Newcomers to the KC area constantly marvel at the range of homeschool events we have!
For example, area hotspots like Great Wolf Lodge, Crown Center and Worlds of Fun all have their own seasonal homeschool discounts.
If you want to stay informed on these, check our Facebook events page for the latest updates.
Take advantage of free resources.
We have a great list of suggestions compiled on our teaching resources page (scroll down to the “Free Teaching Resources” section).
Any other tips for homeschoolers to save on educational expenses? Share in the comments!
Related links:
We have updated this blog post, originally published in 2019, for timeliness and detail.
I want to thank sharing such a great incredible article.
This is a significant great piece.
“Dad of 2yo twins looking to start curriculum”
The Missouri constitution, constitutional law and procedure is very confusing to me so I hope this reply isn’t nonsense. Shouldn’t the public school which our taxes support be, in the least, required to provide the curriculum materials that aren’t being “used” due to the extra funds provided?
I know some might prefer better or accelerated materials, but this would be better than nothing, right? There’s already precedent set by the schools themselves when a child cannot attend due to suspension, illness or injury. (Or Covid for that matter)
Hi Jonathan,
As our blog post states, government funding of any program is usually tied to a myriad of stipulations with which one must comply to receive the funding. If public schools were required to provide curriculum materials to homeschool families, it’s not unreasonable to expect lots of extra regulations imposed upon families who then accept and use those curriculum materials.
For that reason, it’s our position to support more neutral steps such as tax credits, which is more of returning the taxpayer’s own money if they are not using a public service – in this case, the public school system.
Hope this helps!
Shanxi