I remember the day I failed third grade. I couldn’t read. I was dyslexic, and no one seemed to know what to do with me. I was the kid falling through the cracks—misunderstood, frustrated, and embarrassed. Public school wasn’t designed for kids like me.
In second grade, when I was clearly struggling, my parents tried sending me to a small private school, hoping I’d finally get the help I needed. But after just one semester, I had to return to public school. My parents simply couldn’t afford the tuition. There were five of us kids, and they were raising us below the poverty level, doing their best to make ends meet during the tough years of the 1980s recession.
Back then, school choice didn’t exist for families like mine. If you couldn’t pay for private education, you were stuck—no matter how broken the system was for your child.
It wasn’t until I began homeschooling myself—leaning on our tiny local library as my greatest resource—that I discovered I could learn in a way that made sense to me. I fell in love with books on my own terms, and eventually built a life around helping other families do the same.
That’s why when I heard that the Federal Department of Education is being dismantled, I didn’t feel afraid. I felt hope.
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Federal Control Has Failed Too Many of Us
For decades, the Department of Education has been a bloated, bureaucratic system that pours billions into programs that don’t serve the individual needs of kids. The budget has ballooned to over $200 billion, yet student outcomes are declining, teachers are exhausted, and children like I once was are still getting left behind.
The truth is, it’s the parents, not the system, who know their kids best. When we remove top-down mandates and give families and communities the freedom to shape education, that’s when real learning happens.
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What Happens When States Take the Lead?
Some states—like Indiana and Florida—are already showing what’s possible when you trust parents and empower communities.
To be clear, their public schools still face many of the same struggles as other states—overcrowded classrooms, testing pressure, and teacher shortages. But here’s the difference: more kids are now getting access to customized education, because alternatives are allowed to thrive, and parents are finally being heard.
In these states:
• Homeschooling, hybrid schools, and microschools are supported—not burdened with red tape.
• Education funding can follow the child, giving even low-income families real choices.
• Public schools are being influenced by parents and communities who are showing up and speaking out.
This is huge. It means that a child like me—dyslexic, struggling, and poor—would have had options. I wouldn’t have had to fall through the cracks.
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What About the Kids Who Still Depend on the System?
People often ask, “But what about the underprivileged kids? What about the ones with parents who aren’t involved? They rely on public school—what happens to them?”
It’s a hard question. And the truth is, those parents are often products of the same system that failed them. Many of them still trust it—or at least feel they have no other choice—because they never saw another way.
But hope spreads when local communities are given the authority to create better options. The kids who succeed, regardless of income, are almost always the ones who have caring parents and strong local support systems around them. That’s why the solution isn’t more federal control—it’s more community involvement.
Let’s give families the power to create something better right where they are.

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I Still Believe in Public Education—But It Needs Parents
I don’t believe public schools are the enemy. In fact, I believe they can become centers of creativity, curiosity, and growth again—but only if parents and community members are willing to show up and be a voice.
We can’t fix it from Washington. But we can fix it from the inside out—right here at home.
When education decisions are made locally, they reflect local values, local needs, and local solutions. That’s how real change happens.
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A New Vision for Learning
Now that education is returning to the states, we have a once-in-a-generation opportunity to reimagine education in a way that works for real children—not for test scores or federal checklists.
• Imagine schools with gardens and greenhouses, where children learn by growing things and getting their hands in the soil.
• Imagine classrooms where the library is the center of learning, and children can follow their curiosity instead of filling in bubbles.
• Imagine public schools adopting Fun-Schooling time every day—time set aside for child-led learning, exploration, and creativity.
This is my dream: that every child, whether homeschooled or in a traditional classroom, would be nurtured, seen, and inspired. That’s why I created Fun-Schooling—not just as a curriculum, but as a movement to help rebuild education through joy, freedom, and flexibility.
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This Is Our Moment to Speak Up
The end of the Department of Education doesn’t mean chaos—it means opportunity. It means local voices matter more than ever.
So here’s what I want to say to every mom and dad reading this:
• You don’t have to be perfect to be powerful.
• Your voice matters in shaping education.
• You don’t need a degree to advocate for your child’s needs.
Show up. Ask questions. Join the conversation. Be the person who gently challenges the system or starts something new. Whether you homeschool, support your local school, or do something in between—your involvement is the key to change.
I was once a forgotten little girl in a classroom that didn’t see me. Now, by God’s grace, I’ve raised 15 children and helped build a global community of families who are choosing a different path—one full of life, creativity, and real learning.
Let’s work together to create an education system that truly serves our children—all of them.
The future is local. The future is family. And it’s going to be beautiful.