Welcome back to our weekly roundup of homeschool laws, funding, and programs from across the country. Summer is the busy season for education savings accounts, with several states opening, expanding, or funding their programs right now. Here is what families need to know this week.

Utah: Fits All Scholarship Funds Are Issued July 15, Not July 1

If your family was awarded a Utah Fits All Scholarship for the 2026-2027 school year, here is the timing detail that trips up the most families. Award notifications went out June 16, families accepted by June 30, and approved spending begins July 1. But the money does not actually land in accounts until July 15, 2026. The July 1 date is when approved purchases may begin, with a narrow exception for tuition deposits and enrollment fees. Plan your first purchases with that July 15 funding date in mind.

The program continues to operate normally while its court case moves forward. A district court ruled the program unconstitutional in April 2025, the state appealed, and all parties agreed the scholarship keeps running until the Utah Supreme Court decides. Briefs were filed in January 2026, and no ruling has been issued yet. Award amounts remain up to $8,000 for students at private or public schools, $4,000 for home-based students ages 5 to 11, and $6,000 for home-based students ages 12 to 18.

Source: Utah Education Fits All program timeline.

Federal: 27 States Sign Up for the New Scholarship Tax Credit

On June 8, 2026, the IRS confirmed that 27 states have formally elected to participate in the new federal Scholarship Tax Credit. Beginning January 1, 2027, donors in participating states can claim up to a $1,700 federal tax credit for gifts to approved Scholarship Granting Organizations that fund K-12 scholarships. The 27 participating states are Alabama, Alaska, Arkansas, Colorado, Florida, Georgia, Idaho, Indiana, Iowa, Louisiana, Mississippi, Missouri, Montana, Nebraska, Nevada, New Hampshire, North Dakota, Ohio, Oklahoma, South Carolina, South Dakota, Tennessee, Texas, Utah, Virginia, West Virginia, and Wyoming, with the IRS saying it will keep updating the list as more states enroll.

Source: IRS newsroom.

Indiana: Choice Scholarship Goes Fully Universal July 1

Indiana removes the last income limit on its Choice Scholarship Program effective July 1, 2026, opening the program to every K-12 family regardless of income for the 2026-2027 school year. The change was enacted in the state budget signed in 2025. On the same date, administration of Indiana’s disability-focused Education Scholarship Account program moves from the Treasurer’s office to the Indiana Department of Education.

Source: Indiana Department of Education.

West Virginia: Hope Scholarship Opens to All Students

Beginning with the 2026-2027 school year, West Virginia’s Hope Scholarship reaches full universal eligibility, covering every student eligible to enroll in a public school. This is the first year existing private-school and traditional homeschool families qualify. The award is about $5,435 per student, paid quarterly. The deadline for 100 percent funding was June 15, 2026, but applications submitted June 16 through September 15 still receive 75 percent funding, so families in West Virginia can still apply this summer.

Source: West Virginia Hope Scholarship guide.

Iowa: Students First ESA Deadline June 30, Funds July 15

Iowa’s Students First Education Savings Account program is fully universal for 2026-2027, with all resident K-12 students eligible regardless of income. The application window for the coming school year closes at 11:59 p.m. on June 30, 2026, and fall ESA funds become available to families starting July 15, 2026. The per-student award rises to $8,148 for 2026-2027.

Source: Iowa Department of Education.

Louisiana: LA GATOR Enters Phase 2 With Expanded Eligibility

Louisiana’s LA GATOR Scholarship Program, the state’s first education savings account, moves into Phase 2 for the 2026-2027 school year. Income eligibility expands to families earning up to 400 percent of the federal poverty level, roughly $124,800 for a family of four. Funding reaches up to $7,626 per general student and about $15,253 for students with special needs, though awards depend on annual legislative appropriation and demand has been high.

Source: Louisiana Department of Education.

Oklahoma: Parental Choice Tax Credit Cap Raised to $275 Million

Oklahoma increased the funding cap on its refundable Parental Choice Tax Credit from $250 million to $275 million for the 2026-2027 school year, an added $25 million. The credit provides $5,000 to $7,500 per eligible private-school student toward tuition and fees, and the 2026-2027 application opened in March 2026.

Source: KGOU.

New Hampshire: Lawmakers Move to Lift Remaining EFA Caps

After making its Education Freedom Account program universal in 2025, New Hampshire lawmakers are advancing follow-on legislation to eliminate the program’s remaining enrollment caps, which would allow unlimited participation beginning July 1, 2026. This is still moving through the legislative process, so families in New Hampshire should watch for final confirmation before counting on the change.

Source: New Hampshire Bulletin.

Florida: Voucher System Challenged, With a Homeschool Family Among Plaintiffs

A challenge to Florida’s expanded voucher and charter system is moving through state court, and notably, a homeschool family is among the named plaintiffs along with parents, students, and a teacher. The suit argues the system violates the state constitution’s guarantee of a uniform, high-quality public school system. In a response reported June 27, 2026, state education officials argued the claimed injuries are speculative and that vouchers supplement rather than replace public schools. Families using special-needs scholarships have moved to intervene to protect their services.

Source: WUSF.

Homeschool Facts and Tips for This Week

Did you know? About 3.4 million K-12 students were homeschooled in the United States during the 2024-2025 school year, roughly 6.3 percent of all school-age children, according to the National Home Education Research Institute. That is up from about 2.5 million before 2020. Source.

Cost tip. Homeschooling often costs less than families expect. NHERI reports an average near $600 per student per year, though many families land between $600 and $1,800 depending on grade and materials. With 18 to 19 states now running ESA programs, ESA funds typically cover curriculum, workbooks, ebooks, and educational apps, so plan your full-year purchases at once to make the most of your allotment. Source.

Planning tip. The easiest way to keep a clean, legal homeschool portfolio is to build it as you go, not scramble at year’s end. A simple rule of thumb is to save two to three work samples per subject each month. Pick your folder or planner now, in summer, so August feels calm instead of chaotic.

Social tip. The worry about socialization just does not hold up. Homeschool kids are regularly involved in co-ops, field trips, scouting, 4-H, church, sports, and community service, often forming close, multi-age friendships. A local co-op or a weekly park-day group is one of the simplest ways to plug your family into a ready-made community. Source.

Summer tip. Students can lose roughly 20 percent of reading and up to 30 percent of math skills over the summer, but a little goes a long way. Just 15 to 20 minutes of reading a day, a few math facts, and hands-on learning, like turning a Fourth of July history read-aloud or a backyard nature walk into a lesson, keeps skills sharp without stealing the joy of summer.

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Most of the programs above can be spent on curriculum, and ours is approved with the major ESA marketplaces.