27-06-2025
North Texas store is hub for homeschool supplies
A store inside a Lewisville church has become a go-to stop for parents homeschooling their children.
Why it matters: An estimated 500,000-620,000 children in Texas are homeschooled, and that number could grow due to the state's newly minted voucher law.
The law will establish savings accounts giving eligible families up to nearly $11,000 a year per child for private school tuition and $2,000 per child for homeschooling, starting in the 2026-27 school year.
The big picture: Texas is among a few states that offer the most choices and flexibility to parents who homeschool.
Parents don't have to run their lessons by state officials or administer state-mandated assessments.
Context: The education must be provided in a "bona fide" way, offered in a visual form such as workbooks and video and include basic subjects such as reading and math, per the Texas Homeschool Coalition.
Students also need to be taught about good citizenship.
Yes, but: Homeschooling is often misunderstood, says Krissa Tejada, who opened the Homeschool Hub last year after buying the inventory of a homeschool store that closed.
Parents' reasons for homeschooling can vary from demanding work schedules, a desire for faith-based learning and more time for athletics.
Flashback: Tejada survived the 1999 Columbine High School shooting and tells Axios her interest in homeschooling in part "started out of fear."
Tejada and her husband enrolled their children in a Christian school before deciding to homeschool them, wanting more control over what they learned and their schedule.
How it works: Homeschooling arrangements can include co-ops, parent-led lessons, online courses and travel.
Swim centers, gymnastics facilities and tutoring centers have also realized they can make extra money by opening daytime slots for homeschoolers.
Zoom in: Tejada and her husband work in sales and marketing and like the flexibility that homeschooling offers their family.
Tejada admits that it takes a lot of work and can be overwhelming but that it gives her extra time with her three children, ages 15, 12 and 10.
The kids have been part of the Homeschool Hub from the beginning, from helping decide the branding to setting up the books.
"Everything is a learning opportunity. … They're watching Mom and Dad build a business from the ground up," Tejada says.
Zoom out: Customers have traveled long distances — from as far as Tennessee, Tejada tells Axios.
Tejada says she wants to help other families avoid the challenges she faced while learning how to homeschool.
"It's very overwhelming, especially when you're first starting out, because there are so many options and you want to do a good job," Tejada says.
Vibe check: The store has bookshelves arranged by subject area and a curriculum room where parents can read the materials and compare them with other options before buying them.
