Hey there, fellow homeschool mamas, and California parents who care about School Choice. Grab your coffee, settle in, and let’s talk about something that’s been weighing heavily on my heart: California Assembly Bill 84 (AB 84). If you’ve been following the news or scrolling through homeschool groups on social media, you might have heard whispers (or shouting) about this bill. As a homeschooling mom in California, I feel it’s my duty to dig into this and share what I’ve learned. AB 84 is a game changer for our charter school families, and not in a good way. So, let’s unpack it together and figure out what it means for our kids and our freedom to educate them the way we know is best.
AB 84, authored by Assemblymember Al Muratsuchi, is being pitched as a bill to increase “accountability” in California’s public education system, with a big focus on charter schools, especially non-classroom-based (NCB) charter schools, which many of us homeschoolers rely on for support (I used a NCB charter school for a few in my homeschool journey, and enjoyed our time with the charter). It’s a hefty piece of legislation, touching everything from financial audits to teacher credentials to student data tracking. Sounds innocent enough, right? I mean, who doesn’t want accountability? But here’s the thing: when you peel back the layers, this bill feels less like accountability and more like a one-size-fits-all hammer that could crush the flexibility and freedom we cherish in our homeschooling journey.
Choosing a homeschool charter can give you the best of both worlds: the freedom to tailor your child’s education to their unique needs, paired with the support of credentialed teachers and funding for curriculum or enrichment programs. But AB 84 throws some serious curveballs at NCB charter schools, and by extension, at families like ours. Here’s what’s at stake.
AB 84 could slash per-student funding for NCB charter schools by up to 30% if more than 25% of a student’s learning happens outside a traditional classroom. Y’all, that’s a huge hit. For many charters, this could mean cutting programs, laying off staff, or reducing services like tutoring, field trips, or those amazing STEM labs and art classes we love. My daughters loved their art and dance classes, which we were able to enroll them in using charter school funds.
The bill requires that anyone teaching our kids in a charter program hold a state teaching credential. Now, I’m all for qualified teachers, but many NCB charters partner with community professionals such as music instructors or robotics coaches, who don’t have traditional credentials but bring incredible expertise to the table. Under AB 84, these partnerships could be banned unless the provider is credentialed, which means fewer enrichment options for our kids. If your son’s coding mentor doesn’t have a teaching credential, but he’s a tech genius who’s inspired a love for programming, he could potentially be axed under this bill. Why should we lose that? (I also feel like this is a step toward ensuring all California homeschool parents have a state teaching credential as well.)
AB 84 would triple oversight fees for chartering authorities, from 1% to 3% of a school’s revenue, with even more charges possible. That’s money that could be going to our kids’ education, but instead gets eaten up by bureaucracy. For smaller charters, this could be a death knell, forcing them to close or scale back.
The bill pushes for integrating the California Longitudinal Pupil Achievement Data System (CALPADS) with attendance data systems, which sounds like a techy way to keep tabs on our kids. I get the need for accurate data, but as a mom, I’m uneasy about the state collecting even more information on my children.
AB 84 puts caps on new or expanding NCB charter schools based on arbitrary district size limits. This could block families in rural or underserved areas from accessing the programs that work best for them. If we’re all about choice and diversity in California, why is the state making it harder for families to find options that fit their educational needs?
Now, you might be thinking, “I’m a private homeschooler, not part of a charter. Does this affect me?” AB 84 doesn’t directly target private homeschools or affidavit homeschoolers, but here’s why we should all be paying attention.
First, many of us know families who rely on NCB charters for their homeschooling journey. These families are our friends, our co-op buddies, our community. If their schools lose funding or close, it impacts the whole homeschooling ecosystem. Fewer charters mean fewer resources, fewer group activities, and fewer options for families who need that support.
Second, this bill sets a dangerous precedent. Posts on X and discussions in homeschool groups are buzzing with concern that AB 84 is a step toward more state control over education. If the state can impose these kinds of restrictions on charters, what’s to stop them from coming for private homeschoolers next? I’ve already seen posts from families worried about this bill being a “slippery slope” toward regulating all homeschooling.
NCB charters support school choice freedom by providing resources and flexibility, especially for families who can’t afford to go fully private. But AB 84 feels like the state saying, “We don’t trust you to make those choices.” It’s pushing a "one size fits all" model that prioritizes control over creativity. The bill’s supporters, like Assemblymember Muratsuchi, say it’s about cracking down on fraud and protecting public dollars. I’m all for stopping bad actors, but why punish the “good” charter schools that are serving kids well?
We’re not powerless here. Our voices matter, and we can make a difference. AB 84 has already passed the Assembly and is now in the Senate, with a hearing in the Senate Committee on Education behind it and a potential vote in the Appropriations Committee coming up. Here’s how we can fight back:
Contact Your Senator: Find your state senator at findyourrep.legislature.ca.gov and call or email them. Keep it short and polite. Something like: “Hi, I’m [Your Name], a homeschooling parent in your district. I’m asking you to oppose AB 84 because it threatens my child’s education by cutting funding and limiting our choices. Please stand up for families like mine.” Share this post or others like it in your homeschool groups, on social media, or with your co-op. Posts on X show that parents are already organizing, and we need to amplify this message. The more families who speak out, the harder it is for lawmakers to ignore us.
I know we’re all busy—between lesson plans, diaper changes, and keeping the house from turning into a Lego minefield, but this is worth our time. Our kids’ education is worth fighting for. AB 84 isn’t just about charter schools; it’s about whether we, as parents, get to choose what’s best for our children. I’m not ready to let the state take that away, and I bet you aren’t either.