A lot is happening in the homeschool world right now, from brand-new state regulations to record-breaking growth numbers. Grab your hot cocoa, apple cider, or whatever gets you going, because this week’s roundup has laws, money, drama, and a little bit of everything that makes the homeschool community the most interesting place on the internet.

Connecticut Just Passed Its First Homeschool Law

Connecticut families are reacting to the state’s first-ever homeschool regulations, signed May 4, 2026. The law requires annual notification to local school districts and a basic portfolio review,  nothing extreme by most standards, but a significant shift for a state that previously had zero oversight.

Here’s the thing about Connecticut: it has been one of the most hands-off states in the country for homeschoolers for decades. So while the new requirements are mild compared to states like New York (which requires annual assessments and curriculum approval), the symbolism matters. When a historically permissive state starts adding structure, other states notice.

Think of it like this: if the most laid-back parent at the park suddenly starts making rules, you know something has shifted. Stay engaged with your state’s homeschool association, this is exactly why those organizations exist.

Your Money, Your School: ESA Programs Are Exploding

Education Savings Accounts (ESAs) are now active in 18+ states, and the legislative session this year has been a wild ride for school choice advocates. Here’s what’s happening right now:

Just signed into law: Oklahoma’s Governor Stitt signed HB 3705 on May 13, raising the Parental Choice Tax Credit cap to $275 million, that’s $5,000-$7,500 per student for approved educational expenses. Tennessee’s Senate voted to expand their Education Freedom Scholarships to 35,000 vouchers for 2026-27. Texas launched their $1 billion ESA program this spring with applications already processed.

Moving through legislatures now: New Hampshire has a bill that would remove enrollment caps entirely, making it unlimited participation. Mississippi’s HB 2 would create brand-new “Magnolia Student Accounts.” Iowa is proposing a $4,000 refundable tax credit for families who choose private or homeschool options. Maryland, yes Maryland, has a bill to create a brand new ESA program from scratch.

That’s 162 school choice bills being tracked across 28 states this session. The trend is not slowing down.

A to Z for Moms Like Me is an approved vendor on several ESA platforms including ClassWallet and Odyssey’s marketplaces. If your state has an ESA program, there’s a good chance your curriculum purchase qualifies. Check our ESA page to see if your state is on the list.

37% of Homeschoolers Want Secular Curriculum,  and the Market Is Finally Catching Up

A new survey found that more than a third of homeschooling families specifically seek out secular, non-religious curriculum options, and that number has grown steadily as the homeschool community has diversified beyond its traditional roots.

Ten years ago, “secular homeschool curriculum” was a niche within a niche. Now it’s a major market segment with its own Facebook groups, conventions, and dedicated publishers. Families are homeschooling for hundreds of different reasons, academic excellence, special needs, travel, safety, values, and the curriculum world is finally reflecting that diversity.

Whether you are secular, faith-based, or somewhere in between, the good news is you have more choices than ever.

400% Growth: Why Is Everyone Suddenly Homeschooling?

Homeschool enrollment has grown roughly 400% since 2019 in several states. Let that sink in for a second. Four times as many families. In six years.

So what happened? A few things converged at once:

• COVID was the great experiment nobody asked for. Millions of families suddenly found themselves doing school at home, and a surprising number of them thought, “Wait… this is actually working.” When schools reopened, some families didn’t go back.
• Academic concerns aren’t going away. National test scores have been declining for years. Parents who were already nervous about educational quality started looking for alternatives.
• The internet made it possible. In 1995, homeschooling meant finding a co-op and ordering catalogs. Today you have curriculum subscriptions, YouTube tutors, virtual co-ops, online classes, and communities in every niche. The barrier to entry dropped dramatically.
• ESA money made it affordable. When states started funding homeschool families directly, families who wanted to homeschool but couldn’t afford curriculum suddenly could. Money matters.
• The community got louder. Homeschool families are visible on social media in a way they never were before. When your neighbor posts about her kids thriving at home, it plants a seed.

The question isn’t really “why are so many people homeschooling now?” The question is “why did it take this long?”

Co-ops and Commonwealths: The Secret Social Life of Homeschoolers

Co-op enrollment is up nationally, and if you’re new to homeschooling, you might be wondering what exactly a co-op is and whether you need one.

What is a homeschool co-op? Short for cooperative, a co-op is a group of homeschool families who pool their time, talents, and sometimes money to teach each other’s kids. One parent might teach chemistry, another teaches art, another handles PE or foreign language. Kids get the benefit of multiple teachers, peer interaction, and a more traditional class-style experience, without going to traditional school.

A commonwealth is similar but tends to be more structured, closer to a micro-school or hybrid program, sometimes with a paid director or formal curriculum. Some states are beginning to recognize commonwealths officially for ESA purposes.

The pros:

• Your kid gets social time with peers,  the #1 question every homeschool parent gets asked is “but what about socialization?” Co-ops answer it.
• You get a break. Teaching your own children is a labor of love, and having another parent take over for a few hours is a gift.
• Kids learn from different teaching styles, which is actually really good for them.
• Built-in community for parents too. Homeschool can be isolating. Co-ops fix that.

The cons:

• You have to teach too. It’s a cooperative, everyone contributes. If you hate public speaking or have no idea how to teach fractions, this could be stressful.
• Scheduling can be a nightmare. Getting 12 families to agree on a time is roughly as hard as herding cats. Wet cats. On a Tuesday.
• Not all co-ops are created equal. Some are beautifully organized. Some are chaotic. Vet before you commit.
• It adds structure to your week, which is great for some families and suffocating for others who homeschool specifically to have flexibility.

Bottom line: co-ops are worth exploring, especially if your kids are craving peer connection or you have a subject you just do not want to teach. Most areas have at least one, search Facebook Groups for “[your city] homeschool co-op” and you’ll find your people.

Secular vs. Faith-Based Homeschooling: What’s the Difference?

If you are new to homeschooling, you may have noticed that the community is divided into two broad camps when it comes to curriculum. Here is what those terms actually mean.

Faith-based homeschooling integrates religious teachings directly into the curriculum. A faith-based math book might frame word problems around Bible stories. A faith-based science curriculum might present creation alongside or instead of evolution. Many families choose this approach because their faith is central to their worldview and they want education to reflect that. These families are often served by curriculum providers like Abeka, BJU Press, or Sonlight.

Secular homeschooling means the curriculum covers the same academic subjects without a religious lens. Science is taught using the scientific consensus. History covers world religions as historical and cultural subjects rather than as truth claims. There is no assumption about the family’s beliefs. Secular families may be atheist, agnostic, spiritually eclectic, or even devoutly religious but prefer to keep faith and academics in separate buckets.

Neither approach is better. They reflect different values, and both produce excellent outcomes. The important thing is knowing which one you are buying before you spend $200 on a curriculum and discover the science unit is not what you expected.

A quick tip: if a curriculum doesn’t clearly label itself as secular or faith-based, search “[curriculum name] secular” in a homeschool Facebook group. You will have your answer in about four minutes.

Stay Connected

Want this roundup in your inbox? Subscribe and never miss a post or weekly news update, no spam, no fluff.

Have a homeschool news tip, a funny co-op or homeschooling story, or a question you want answered in next week’s roundup? Send it our way, we read every one.

[pum_popup id=”10427″]