Kaytlynn Kopp | Oppose HB1803

We moved to NH from a western state during 2020 and found our local school severely lacking (not to mention it was 2020) compared to the public and charter school options our kids were a part of before our move. We homeschooled (no EFA or ETC) our first year here and then in 2021 heard about and applied for EFA and ETC. We homeschooled one year with EFA help before we transferred our kids to an area private school. Our kids were not thriving with homeschooling, and I was worried about them falling behind. They needed more educational help and social interaction than I could give them at home. When we chose a private school as the best option for our kids’ education, it still meant a lot of sacrifices on our part even with EFA. There is no bus option so I’ve put hundreds of miles on my car (which means a lot more maintenance and repairs) and at times spent as much as $100 per week just on school transportation gas. There are no free lunches which our kids qualified for prior to our move. Lunches for 4 kids 5x a week easily ups the weekly grocery budget another $50-75 (even with home cooking and minimal prepackaged snacks). Uniforms may also be required. Education becomes more al a carte style. Our children have qualified for EFAs every year that we have applied. They have qualified for ETCs every year, but there is not always enough funding for them. We have had years where our EFA funding does not cover our kids’ full education expenses (not to mention the other expenses mentioned above that are included with a public school). I am a music teacher working just shy of full time and my husband directs a non-profit. We made it work. We figure it out. We sacrifice. But I cannot express how grateful we are when our kids receive both EFA and ETC. We believe that every parent should have the freedom to educate their child how they believe is best, be it public, private, or homeschooling. We are grateful that NH launched and has expanded the EFA program, but most parents who choose an option outside of the public school are still left with numerous other expenses that the EFA and/or ETC do not cover. Families who qualify for the ETC program must be under a certain income amount. ETC amounts can also increase if a child has a diagnosed learning disability and IEP or 504 plan and needs more help. The most vulnerable families are the ones who will feel it the hardest if dual EFA and ETC applications are no longer allowed.