A Policy Proposal for Education

in a marketplace of ideas and programs

If we focus on personal freedom and individual choice without necessarily tying it to equity, then we can approach the problem of education from the angle of individual rights and removing government-imposed restrictions on educational choice.

Here, we’d center the legislative changes on maximizing personal autonomy and empowering individuals to navigate the educational system based on their own values and priorities.

Reframing the Goal: Emancipation through Personal Autonomy

If we care about personal values, freedom of choice, and the removal of state mandates, then reforms could focus entirely on enabling individuals (parents and students) to make decisions free from state interference. Essentially, we’re talking about fostering a market-driven approach to education, where families can choose the educational model that best reflects their own beliefs and values, and the state no longer mandates that certain paths be followed.

Here’s how that could manifest in concrete legislative actions:

1. Separation of Education from State Mandates

• End Compulsory Public Schooling: The first step toward greater freedom of choice would be to remove the requirement for all children to attend public schools. In this framework, parents would no longer be legally required to send their children to public schools. Homeschooling, microschools, private education, and alternative education models would be recognized as valid choices on an equal footing with public schools. This would allow families to determine for themselves what kind of education aligns with their values, beliefs, and goals.

• Repeal or Loosen State Mandates on Curriculum and Testing: One of the biggest restrictions to educational freedom today is the extensive state control over curricula and standardized testing. Removing these mandates would allow individuals to choose educational paths that are tailored to their preferences, whether that’s a faith-based education, an experiential learning model, or something else entirely.

2. Tax Exemption and Reallocation of Funds

• Tax Exemption for Non-Public Education: A key part of the vision is to extend a income or property tax exemption as a result of opting out of the public education system. In practice, this could look like families being exempt from education-related taxes if they choose not to participate in the public school system. This exemption would apply to those who homeschool or send their children to micro or private schools, providing a clear financial incentive to leave the state-run system behind.

• Tax Reallocation: If parents choose alternatives like microschools, homeschooling, or other educational models, the taxes they would have otherwise paid toward public schooling can be reallocated to support their chosen form of education—whether that’s directly funding their child’s education or allowing them to retain funds for purchasing educational resources or materials that align with their values.

3. Homeschooling as a Primary Option

• Tax Credits for Homeschooling: Offer tax incentives for families who choose to homeschool, acknowledging that education is a personal choice and families who take on the responsibility themselves should be rewarded for it. Homeschooling would no longer be seen as a secondary option but a valid, freedom-centered pathway to education.

• Remove Restrictions on Homeschooling: In addition to financial support, the state should reduce bureaucratic oversight over homeschooling. This would allow families to educate their children in the way that aligns most closely with their personal values, without unnecessary interference from the state (such as rigid curriculum requirements or regular testing mandates).

4. Educational Savings Accounts (ESAs)

• Full Portability of Tax Dollars: Tax dollars that would have been allocated to a public school district for a child’s education should instead be fully portable. Parents can take this funding wherever they choose, without any loss in value, giving them the freedom to make choices about what aligns with their values and needs.

• Universal ESAs: The state can provide personalized Education Savings Accounts (ESAs) that allow parents to direct their school funding to any educational institution or service they choose. Whether it’s a microschool, homeschooling materials, tutors, or a non-traditional educational institution, parents would have the autonomy to allocate these funds as they see fit. This would reframe the state’s role from “provider” to “supporter”, ensuring that families can expedite choices based on their values and educational priorities.

5. Autonomy in Educational Institutions

• Support for Private Schools: Expand and support microschools that operate with more freedom from state control, so long as they meet basic health and safety standards. These schools should have the autonomy to create educational environments that reflect the values of their administrators, teachers, and the families they serve.

• Establish Private Educational Networks: Develop a framework that encourages the creation of private educational networks. These could be based on shared values, such as religious education, classical education, travel, or specialized curricula focused on entrepreneurship, the arts, or other non-traditional subjects. By fostering a diversity of choices, families can select the programs, offerings, and expenses that best match their needs.

6. Clear and Simplified Exit from Public Schooling

• A Simplified Opt-Out Process: Create a clear, accessible legal process for families who want to opt out of the public school system entirely. This process should allow for an easy transition into homeschooling or private schooling, ensuring that parents have minimal barriers to exercising their right to educate their children as they see fit.

• End Public School Enrollment Mandates: Eliminate policies that force children into specific public school districts based on their address or legal residency. This would give families the right to choose any school in the state, regardless of location, that aligns with their educational philosophy.

7. Cultural Shift Toward Educational Freedom

• Public Education as One Option, Not the Default: Shift the cultural perspective on education so that public schooling is seen as just one option among many, rather than the default. This would help dismantle the assumption that education must be state-controlled or state-funded, instead promoting the idea that education should be a deeply personal and family-centered choice.

Summary of Key Legislative Actions for Emancipation:

1. End compulsory public schooling, allowing families to choose whether to send their children to public, private, or alternative schools.

2. Offer tax exemptions for families who choose alternatives to the public school system.

3. Remove restrictions and support homeschooling by providing tax incentives and reducing state oversight on homeschooling families.

4. Support private and microschools with greater autonomy, ensuring they can cater to families' diverse values.

5. Simplify the process to opt out of public education entirely, giving parents the ability to make their own decisions about where and how their children should be educated.

6. Shift the cultural narrative to reflect the idea that education should be personally chosen, not mandated by the state.

7. Create universal Education Savings Accounts (ESAs) to allow families to direct their education tax dollars to the educational choice of their preference.

In this model, the primary goal is maximized individual freedom—free from state control or coercion, with a strong emphasis on personal values. The focus shifts entirely to empowering individuals and families to make choices about education without government interference, and without feeling obligated to conform to a centralized system. The educational system would become more like a marketplace of ideas and values, where families freely choose paths that resonate most deeply with their personal beliefs.

🛤️ The Path Forward

Here’s a summary of what a freedom-centered education system would include:

• ✅ End compulsory public education mandates.

• ✅ Offer tax exemptions and credits for non-public school families.

• ✅ Remove or significantly reduce state control over curriculum and assessment.

• ✅ Fund families directly through ESAs, with full portability of tax dollars.

• ✅ Expand and deregulate microschools and independent institutions.

• ✅ Establish clear exit routes from the public school system.

• ✅ Promote a culture that celebrates educational diversity and personal responsibility.

Previously in this series: