Home School Opportunities Make Education Sound Act of 2008

OK this is a warning before and after you read this...you might get excited...you might jump for joy...finally vindicated that homeschooling is a valid option....YAY we are finally going to get paid....Are you done?...ok so breathe....first of all these type bills come up nearly every year, they do not get any where in my experience, and remember it is an election year-----------granted this one is not asking for us as homeschoolers to list and itemize all homeschooling purchases and many of us could say that almost everything relates to homeschooling that we pay for in some way or another....AND I do not know what proof parents who send their kids to private school are asked to turn in to prove that they are actually sending their kids to a private school....BUT I just want to keep you informed of events in politics. Think about it carefully, how many hoops would they ask us to jump through to get this money? Are you willing to sell your 'homeschool soul' for money? Yes, yes, yes I know what you are thinking we could ALL use the money as most of us are struggling to get by BUT is it worth it to have the federal government more in our lives? Just think about it--please feel free to start a repectful discussion--or talk amongst yourselves ( I am feeling so verklempt over this...lol..whoa SNL Flashback) --Tabbi

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I've been trying to find a moment to learn more about LA SenatorDavid Vitter's bill to amend the US tax code to provide taxdeductions for homeschoolers. I've looked it over and I'm still,personally, undecided on the wisdom of this bill. I'd enjoy hearingother's thoughts on it.
On the one hand, it would certainly seem to open to the door tolegislating homeschooling – what expenses would be covered, whichones wouldn't, and why? Who decides, and then what else can bedecided with respect to how we homeschool. On the other hand. Anddespite Vitter's suggestion that private school families are affordedsome kind of "relief" for their educational choices, other thanvouchers, there doesn't seem to be any kind of IRS provision alongthe lines of what he's asking for homeschoolers provided to privateschoolers.
If we really want to provide tax relief to people who choose a formof education outside of public schools, it seems all forms ofalternative education should be equally included.
On the other hand, I know a lot of people would really appreciate andbenefit from the type of relief offered in this bill.
Thoughts?
http://thomas. loc.gov/cgi- bin/query/ D?c110:1: ./temp/~c110EhBy Tc::Home School Opportunities Make Education Sound Act of 2008(Introduced in Senate)S 3076 IS
To amend the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 to provide a tax deductionfor itemizers and nonitemizers for expenses relating to homeschooling.
The bill was introduced by Senator David Vitterhttp://vitter. senate.gov/ ?module=pressroo m/pressitem& ID=dbcdcfb0- d6a1-4acb-ae61-cfd76b18c 8c0 to "provide education-related tax relief tofamilies who home school their children. The Home SchoolOpportunities Make Education Sound Act would allow home schoolfamilies to take advantage of tax deductions to help alleviateeducation-related expenses. "
From his website:
"Like those who choose to send their children to privateschools, home school families pay an inequitable share of education-related expenses," said Vitter. "Even as they pay for expendituresrelated to home school activities, they fund public schools throughtheir tax dollars. We need to provide them with the same reliefoffered to private school families, and this bill is intended to dojust that, by minimizing the financial burden of these families."
Vitter's bill provides for a deduction of $500 per childwith an annual limit of $2,000 for expenses related to K-12homeschooling activities. For families that do not itemize theirtaxes, the bill would allow for a standardized deduction of $500 perchild, not to exceed $2,000 in one year. Families with children whoattend private schools are already eligible for education-related taxbenefits.
"All families should be provided with a full spectrum ofchoices when it comes to the education of their children," Vittersaid. "We need to take the necessary steps to remove the unduefinancial burdens that are currently placed on home school families.As individuals empower themselves to take responsibility for theproper education of their children, we should in turn provide themwith the appropriate tools to do so. To that end, this legislationis a positive step in that process."
Other thoughts on this effort:
The Informed Parent: http://www.tiprr. com/blog/ ?p=96HEM Blog: http://www.homeedma g.com/blogs/ newscomm/ ?p=1521
And I'll be blogging my .02 on it as I learn (and process) more atProgressive Homeschoolers of FL:http://progressiveh omeschoolersoffl orida.blogspot. com
Follow the Bill's progress here:http://www.govtrack .us/congress/ bill.xpd? bill=s110- 3076