In what seemed like a blink of an eye I went from first-time homeschool mom to veteran homeschool mom. It is hard for me to believe that I have two college graduates, one entering college in the fall, and a senior and sophomore in high school. For years before ESA we scrimped and saved to provide what we needed to homeschool our children. Then Universal ESA came along and it was a game changer. We had the chance to get some of the tax dollars we pay for education to actually pay for our own children's education!
ESA is tremendous progress for educational choice...but using it comes at a high cost of time and energy. I often joke that I work a part time job just trying to advocate for, figure out, keep up with and document using ESA. With changing leadership, policies and politics it can be very difficult to navigate. I have so much empathy for parents who are trying to learn the ins and outs of the program for the first time. How can they even begin to understand what it has taken others years to figure out?
While the Parent Handbook provides important guidance, it still leaves questions and confusion. What is approved? Are there price limits on items? What policies aren't covered in the handbook?
Finding trustworthy answers to these questions for myself and other parents is why I started working with Pathfinder. After a lot of research and discussions with the founders, I decided to be one of the test families. Seeing the benefits first hand, I then joined a group of ESA moms who are using our knowledge and experience to help shape the Pathfinder Approval tool.
The Approval tool analyzes anonymous historical purchase and approval data. It then uses a sophisticated AI model to identify approval patterns and apply Parent Handbook rules to any item you may want to purchase. The system doesn't rely on guesswork or hearsay -- it looks at what has actually been approved and denied.
The process is driven and overseen by experienced ESA parents, like myself, who understand the nuances of the program and are committed to helping families make informed decisions while avoiding rejections and audits. By analyzing approval rates, price points, denial reasons, and other trends, we have created data-driven rules that help predict whether an item is likely to be approved.
And now Pathfinder is making this tool available to all ESA parents whether you have the Pathfinder card or not! As someone who has worked behind the scenes on this tool, I can honestly say it's one of the most exciting resources ESA parents have ever had. For the first time, we have something better than opinions, rumors, or "vibes." We have real data, real experience, and real insight to help us navigate the ESA program with greater confidence.
About the Author
Harmony is an Arizona native who keeps busy with her 5 children ages 15-23. She has homeschooled for over 15 years and has been using ESA since Universal was made available. Advocating for ESA has been very important to her from speaking at the State Board of Education meetings, to meeting with Representatives, to rallying parents to action. But what Harmony enjoys most of all is telling parents about ESA and helping them become more confident in their ability to use it for their children's education. When not homeschooling or working on ESA related issues, Harmony enjoys spending time with her mom friends, a good audio book and a good cup of coffee.
Have any questions and want to talk to Harmony directly? Reach out here!
