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Hearing on proposed home-education tax credit elicits mixed committee reactions and questions about size and regulation
Summary
Representative Mike Schatz presented House Bill 1244 to create a state income tax credit for qualified home-education expenses; supporters urged a simple credit without additional regulation, while committee members questioned the $10,000-per-child cap and requested more data.
Representative Mike Schatz introduced House Bill 1244, which would create a state income tax credit for qualified home-education expenses. The proposed credit would be available per taxable year, capped at $10,000 per child for joint filers and $5,000 for separate filers; eligible expenses include books, curricula, computers and related materials.
Representative Schatz said last-year Education Department counts show 5,602 homeschooled children in North Dakota and argued the state saves public school per-pupil funding when parents choose home education. Supporters who testified, including longtime homeschooler Joy Ankenbauer of Kenmare, said the credit would help families meet the cost of instructional materials and urged the committee to avoid adding regulatory requirements that could undermine homeschooling.
Committee members raised questions about the proposed cap and whether a lower figure, or a deduction rather than a refundable credit, might be more appropriate. Representative Tholman and others suggested the $10,000 figure may be high compared with typical family outlays; Ankenbauer estimated her family's costs were well below $5,000 per child. The committee did not take action and asked for additional information, including potential fiscal effects and documentation practices, before moving forward.
