Home Schoolers Express Concern Over Proposal to Prohibit EFA Spending on Team Sports

Home School, ,

The Arkansas Department of Education has proposed new rules governing the LEARNS Act’s Educational Freedom Account program.

Family Council and its home school division, the Education Alliance, are encouraging home schoolers to review these proposed rules and submit any comments on the rules to the Department. The rules are available at https://adecm.ade.arkansas.gov/Attachments/6CARpt.35-_EFA_Program_-_Public_Comment_Draft_164210.pdf.

Several home schoolers have expressed concerns about new prohibitions on EFA funding for team sports in these rules.

These provisions can be located on page 5 under the definition of “Extracurricular activity.”

The language in the rules makes it clear that registration fees, equipment, dues, and any costs associated with club and team sports cannot be paid for with EFA funding.

Under Act 920 of 2025, state law restricts EFA spending on sports and other extracurricular activities to 25% of a student’s annual EFA funding. The proposed rules would go beyond state law by prohibiting EFA money from being spent on team sports at all. 

Some home schoolers are concerned that this ban is unfair, because public schools fund team sports with state money.

In addition, there are concerns that this complete prohibition on funding for team sports contradicts the purpose of the program to “provide Arkansas families with more educational options for their children as they seek educational solutions and curricula that fit the needs of their families.” While we have the “Tim Tebow” law that lets home schoolers play for Arkansas public schools if they make the team and otherwise qualify, a different option for team sports may work better for some families.

In addition, new proposed rules on page 4 recognize the value of extracurricular activities that “support the…physical…development of a student” and that have a “developmental purpose that promotes personal growth, discipline, physical health, teamwork, responsibility, or civic engagement.” The restriction on team sports seems to contradict those stated purposes.

Public comments on the proposed EFA rules are due by Tuesday, December 16. Home schoolers can email their comments to ADE.RulesComments@ade.arkansas.gov.

Articles appearing on this website are written with the aid of Family Council’s researchers and writers.

READ MORE

Central Arkansas Home Schoolers Continue Tradition of Excellence

Education, Home School

In October, Family Council’s home school division, the Education Alliance, received a home school honor society application from two students in central Arkansas whose ACT scores were among the best in the nation.

Eleventh grader Jesse Muller from Little Rock scored a 36 on the ACT earlier this year. Jesse’s brother, Tobias, scored a 35. Both students have 3.9 GPAs calculated on a four-point scale.

For perspective, the 2024 ACT Profile Report indicates the average ACT score for the past five years has hovered between 19 and 20 out of 36. Scoring a 35 puts Tobias in the 99th percentile of all students who took the ACT. And only about one in every 450 students scores a 36 like Jesse.

We have written repeatedly about how home schooling makes it possible for students and families to thrive.

Last year, a home school robotics team from Russellville competed in the world robotics championship in Texas.

Home schoolers from Arkansas are routinely named National Merit Scholar Semifinalists.

For years, the State of Arkansas tested home schoolers. In 2009, Arkansas’ home schoolers performed better on the Iowa Tests of Basic Skills than 60% – 80% of the students who took that test nationwide. In fact, home schoolers in Arkansas performed so well on standardized tests year after year that the Arkansas Legislature finally ended state-mandated testing in 2015.

The ACT may be one way to measure students, but it’s not the only way. Beyond academics, home schooling is great for families. It lets parents and students tailor an education that’s right for them. It gives moms and dads the opportunity to teach their values and convictions to their children.

Family Council and the Education Alliance would like to recognize Jesse and Tobias–and their family–for their academic achievement and for continuing Arkansas’ longstanding tradition of home school excellence.

Articles appearing on this website are written with the aid of Family Council’s researchers and writers.

READ MORE

New Law Lets Home Schoolers Go the Distance on Extracurriculars

Home School, ,

Earlier this month, Gov. Sanders signed a good law that will expand opportunities for home schoolers.

S.B. 547 by Sen. Dan Sullivan (R — Jonesboro) and Rep. Stephen Meeks (R — Greenbrier) eliminates an old provision in state law that says home schoolers must live within 25 miles of a private school in order to participate in extracurricular activities at that school.

The bill did not receive a lot of attention, but it’s still a good law that is going to help home school families.

With the governor’s signature, S.B. 547 is now Act 728 of 2025.

We appreciate Sen. Sullivan, Rep. Meeks, and our friends in the legislature working with us on this good measure, and we appreciate Gov. Sanders signing it into law.

Act 728 will help further expand extracurricular and interscholastic opportunities for Arkansas’ home schooled students. That’s good for everyone.

Articles appearing on this website are written with the aid of Family Council’s researchers and writers.

READ MORE