Florida Continues to Lead in Home Education Freedom
- Courtney
- 36 minutes ago
- 2 min read
First, we want to pause and say thank you to two incredible champions for Florida homeschoolers.
For over 40 years, Brenda Dickinson of the Home Education Foundation has stood in the gap for homeschooling families—working tirelessly as a lobbyist to protect our rights, expand our freedoms, and ensure our voices were heard in Tallahassee. Her unwavering dedication has shaped the opportunities we enjoy today.
Now, Jason Crawford—affectionately nicknamed “The New Brenda”—has stepped into that role, carrying on Brenda’s legacy through his leadership of HEF and his commitment to representing homeschoolers statewide. We are deeply grateful for the advocacy and vision both have brought to our community.
That advocacy has made a difference. Today, Florida’s home education law—now more than 40 years strong—continues to empower families, offering more opportunities than ever before for students to learn in the way that fits them best.
Just a decade ago, around 77,000 students were registered in home education. Today, that number has doubled.
Florida consistently ranks at the top for parental empowerment:
Legislation in recent years has expanded choice and resources for homeschooling families. The Family Empowerment Scholarship now benefits over 60,000 homeschool students. As of this summer, Senate Bill 248, clarified the Craig Dickinson Act (s.1006.15), which gave homeschoolers the right to participate in public school sports, band, and other activities within their district—without having to give up their homeschool status.
In the words of Florida’s Commissioner of Education, “There is no other state that has afforded the kind of parental choice in education that we have provided in the Free State of Florida.”
Of course, navigating homeschooling can still have its bureaucratic bumps. That’s why the Florida Department of Education has a dedicated Home Education email (HomeEd@fldoe.org) to support families.
Florida’s commitment to educational freedom means parents can continue to chart the learning path that works best for their children—whether that includes home-based academics, extracurricular opportunities, or a blend of both.
The entire letter from the Florida Department of Education can be found below.