Welcome to this week’s homeschool roundup. We lead with encouraging news for every homeschooling family, from a major new research study to expanded sports access and fall field-trip planning, then cover the latest funding and program updates across the country. No spam, no fluff, just what matters for your homeschool.

New Nationwide Study: Homeschoolers Come Out Ahead in Most Research

The National Home Education Research Institute published a major peer-reviewed systematic review in the Peabody Journal of Education in May 2026, the largest review of its kind in nearly a decade. Looking across 45 years of studies, home-educated students performed better than their peers in 62 percent of academic achievement studies, 64 percent of social and emotional development studies, and 54 percent of long-term adulthood success studies.

For families heading into a new school year, this is independent, current, peer-reviewed confirmation of the choice you are already making. It is a wonderful confidence builder to keep on hand when the doubts creep in. Read the summary at NHERI.

Wyoming Moves to Open All K-12 Sports and Activities to Homeschoolers

Wyoming is advancing a Tim Tebow style bill (House Bill 23) that would require districts to let non-enrolled students join cocurricular and extracurricular activities, and an amendment expanded it from grades 6-12 to all K-12. The same-fee rule applies, so if a district charges enrolled students to play, homeschool students pay the same.

Sports, band, clubs, and team access are one of the most common requests we hear from homeschool families, so this is a win worth watching. Note this bill is advancing, not yet signed. Follow the story at Cowboy State Daily.

Fall Homeschool Days at Zoos and Museums Are Opening Registration

The North Carolina Zoo’s 2026-27 Homeschool Days theme is Animal Superpowers, with dates on September 3, 2026 (Super Senses) and November 9, 2026 (Super Strength), plus more in spring. Tickets include zoo admission along with hands-on programs, pop-up animal encounters, and themed hikes. Zoo Atlanta, Woodland Park Zoo, and many others run parallel fall homeschool programs.

These are affordable, ready-made fall science units, so plan and budget now before dates fill. See details at the North Carolina Zoo, Zoo Atlanta, and Woodland Park Zoo.

Achievement Holds Across Income Levels and Backgrounds

Drawing from the same body of NHERI work, home-educated students typically score 15 to 25 percentile points above public-school averages, and they score above average regardless of household income or whether a parent was ever a certified teacher. Results are often highest in the least-regulated states.

If you have ever worried that you are not qualified enough to do this, let the data reassure you. Homeschooling works across a huge range of families and circumstances. Explore the research facts at NHERI.

Utah Fits All: 19,800 Awarded, About 7,500 on the Waitlist

For 2026-27, Utah awarded about 19,800 scholarships, averaging roughly $6,400, with a $120 million allocation, and placed about 7,500 students on a waitlist as demand outpaced the money available. Funds are being issued in July 2026. Supporters plan to ask lawmakers for another $40 million to clear the waitlist.

If you are a Utah family, keep an eye on your account this month, and if you landed on the waitlist, watch for updates on additional funding. Learn more at Utah Fits All. (Look for A to Z for Moms Like Me in the Odyssey Marketplace.)

Texas Sends First Education Freedom Funds, Full Award for Homeschoolers

Nearly 73,000 Texas Education Freedom Accounts received initial funding on July 1, 2026, in the program’s very first year. Homeschool and other eligible nonpublic students received their full $2,000 annual award right on July 1. Families who have not yet confirmed their choice can still do so through July 31, 2026, to receive funding by mid-August.

This is a strong start for Texas families new to education savings accounts. Confirm the details on the Texas Comptroller site. (Look for A to Z for Moms Like Me in the Odyssey Marketplace.)

Wyoming’s New Education Program Opened July 6, Up to $7,000

Wyoming’s Steamboat Legacy Scholarship opened its 2026-27 family application on July 6, 2026, offering up to $7,000 per student for private tuition, homeschool expenses, and personalized education costs. It is universal, open to all K-12 students regardless of income. Processing is expected to wrap by the end of July, with funds in accounts by about September 1. The Wyoming Supreme Court lifted the injunction that had blocked the program.

Wyoming families should apply soon while processing is underway. Start at the Wyoming Department of Education. (Look for A to Z for Moms Like Me in the Odyssey Marketplace.)

Georgia Promise Funds Year Two, With a Narrow Homeschool Path

Georgia’s Promise Scholarship funds approved accounts on or after July 1, 2026, at up to $6,500 for 2026-27. One important caveat: it can fund home study only for families leaving a designated low-performing public school, or a rising kindergartner zoned to one, so most existing homeschoolers will not qualify. It is still worth understanding as the program grows. (Look for A to Z for Moms Like Me in the Odyssey Marketplace.)

Check your eligibility at the Georgia Student Finance Commission.

Federal Tax-Credit Scholarship Guidance Released, Dozens of States Leaning In

The U.S. Treasury released guidance on June 10, 2026 for the new federal Education Freedom scholarship tax credit, a $1,700-per-return credit, confirming that homeschool families qualify in states that opt in, with donor credits and scholarships beginning January 2027. Roughly 31 states are now in or leaning toward opting in, and advocacy groups are pressing the remaining governors to join before year-end.

This is a national funding channel homeschoolers may be able to tap starting in 2027, so whether your state opts in is the question to watch this fall. Read more at the American Federation for Children.

Homeschool Privacy Fight in Connecticut Draws a Federal Complaint

On July 15, 2026, HSLDA filed a federal FERPA complaint against Connecticut’s new homeschool law (Public Act 26-37), asking the U.S. Department of Education to investigate. The law requires districts to share homeschool families’ names and addresses with the Department of Children and Families, along with background checks, a waiting period, and annual demonstration of instruction. It takes effect July 1, 2027, and is now being actively contested.

Even outside Connecticut, this one matters: it is the leading edge of a national debate over homeschool data-sharing and oversight that other states may look to copy. Follow it through HSLDA’s announcement.

Around the Country: More Homeschool Updates

• Idaho. The Parental Choice Tax Credit’s second 2026 window is open now through August 15 (or until funds run out), up to $5,000 per child for curriculum, books, and tutoring. Details here.
• West Virginia. The Hope Scholarship is universal for the first time, so existing homeschoolers now qualify. Applying by September 15 locks 75 percent of the award. Apply here. (We are an approved vendor)
• New Hampshire. The Education Freedom Account program is now universal with the cap raised to 12,500. Families who missed the July 15 full-funding deadline can still apply for a prorated account through February. (Be sure to look for us in the CW Marketplace!)
• Iowa. Students First ESA released the fall half of the 2026-27 award, about $4,074, to approved families starting July 15. Confirm tuition and fees in the portal by September 30 to keep the award. Iowa DOE.
• North Carolina. The state budget signed July 7 clears the ESA+ waitlist. NCSEAA begins extending 2026-27 ESA+ offers the week of July 27, so disability-qualifying homeschool families should watch their MyPortal. NCSEAA. (Be sure to look for us in the CW Marketplace!)
• Oklahoma. The Parental Choice Tax Credit cap rises to $275 million effective August 13, easing pressure on the homeschool credit ($1,000 per student) for the coming year.

One important reminder as programs expand: several of the newest scholarships (Georgia Promise, Tennessee’s Education Freedom Scholarship, South Carolina’s ESTF) either exclude full-time homeschoolers or carry strict enrollment rules, so always read the eligibility fine print before counting on a program.

Upcoming Homeschool Events

• Southeast Homeschool Expo, July 24-25, 2026, at the Cobb Convention Center in Atlanta, Georgia. Friday 10am to 7pm and Saturday 10am to 5pm, with a Homeschooling for Excellence 101 prep day on July 23 and a Teen Leadership Conference running alongside. Details at southeasthomeschoolexpo.com.
• Little By Little Homeschool Conference, September 19, 2026, in Syracuse, New York, a good fall option for Northeast families. See the conference list.
• Minnesota Homeschool Mom Retreat, October 23-25, 2026, in McGregor, Minnesota, a restful fall retreat for homeschool moms. Find fall retreats at Homeschool Compass.

Homeschool Facts and Tips for This Week

• Did you know? Home-educated students typically perform at or above average on standardized tests no matter the parent’s education level, according to decades of research summarized by NHERI in 2026.
• Progress over perfection. A consistent, imperfect routine beats an ambitious plan you cannot sustain. Aim for steady days, not perfect ones, especially as you settle into a new year.
• Trust what you see. You know your child better than any system does. When something is not working, you are allowed to change it midweek. Flexibility is one of homeschooling’s greatest strengths.
• Free field trips. Many zoos, museums, and nature centers run low-cost or free homeschool days in the fall. Register early, since popular dates like the North Carolina Zoo’s September session fill quickly.
• Library first. Before buying new curriculum, check your public library and state virtual library. Free databases, reading programs, and maker spaces can fill gaps without extra spending.

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