Education funding in Missouri
2 programs in Missouri, 1 open to homeschoolers. Each links to the program’s official sources.
MOScholars (Missouri Empowerment Scholarship Accounts Program)
Homeschoolers can qualify From official sources October 7, 2026 Joining changes homeschool status
Yes, with conditions. Missouri law lists an FPE (Family Paced Education) school as a qualified school, and FPE schools may enroll MOScholars students; a family's school must meet the FPE definition (no tuition, no more than four unrelated children), since a regular 'home school' under section 167.012 is a separate category not on the list. The child must also qualify: an IEP, or household income up to 300% of the free and reduced-price lunch standard plus one of these: a full semester in public school in the past 12 months, starting kindergarten or first grade, or a sibling of a current recipient. The Treasurer's EAO list names Activate Missouri and the Missouri District of the Lutheran Church-Missouri Synod as serving Family Paced Education students.
Dates and status: The January 2026 Parent Handbook covers the 2026-2027 school year; families apply through an Educational Assistance Organization (EAO), and award notices begin in May. The State Treasurer set the 2026-2027 application deadline as Friday, April 3, 2026, at 5:00 PM CST, so new applications for 2026-27 are closed. Students with an IEP may receive up to 175% of the state adequacy target. To renew, a student must keep attending a qualified school.
Federal Tax Credit Scholarship (state opt-in)
Program doesn’t say whether homeschoolers qualify From official sources October 7, 2026 Not open yet
Scholarships pay for 'qualified elementary or secondary education expenses' tied to a 'school' as determined under state law, and federal rules published so far do not say directly whether homeschool costs qualify in Missouri. Missouri has not published official guidance on homeschool use.
Dates and status: The IRS lists Missouri among the states that made an advance election to participate for 2027 (list as of September 14, 2026); the federal credit begins January 1, 2027.