Keep ESAs Strong: Students, Parents, and Communities Are Counting on It

Education is not just about grades, test scores, or how “pretty” a project looks on a trifold board. At its core, education should be about helping children become confident in who they are and hopeful about where they are going. For too many students, especially those who don’t fit neatly into the traditional education system, that kind of stability and understanding has often been out of reach.

At Baker Creek Academy, stories like these are becoming reality every day thanks to the opportunities provided by Education Savings Accounts (ESAs).

Take the boy who struggles to read but could completely rebuild a Barbie Jeep. He welded, rebuilt the plastic, installed new brakes, and made it run. His creativity and intelligence were undeniable, but in a traditional classroom, he might have been judged for messy handwriting or an imperfect trifold poster board. That would not have been considered “success.” At Baker Creek, in a safe and supportive environment, his gifts are celebrated instead of overlooked.

Or consider the third grader who struggled as a nonreader until he was taught to use voice-to-text. For the first time, he could express the stories in his head, and he proudly declared, “I feel victorious.” Why? Because someone finally understood his story and gave him the tools to share it. At Baker Creek, he found not just the right tool, but a place where he belongs. Now, he shares his stories regularly!

These victories happen when children are placed in environments where they are safe, supported, and seen for who they are, not punished for what they are not. ESAs make that possible by allowing parents to find or create learning spaces like Baker Creek Academy that meet their child’s unique needs.

And it doesn’t stop there. At Baker Creek Academy, public school students are coming in for after-school tutoring. Traditional homeschoolers are taking specialized classes alongside peers. The academy even opens its field trips to the wider community. This is what true educational freedom looks like: families from all backgrounds accessing opportunities that fit their children best.

Critics often miss this point: ESAs aren’t about choosing winners and losers between “public” and “private.” They’re about giving every child, regardless of their zip code, the right to a safe, stable, and non-traumatic environment where they can learn and flourish.

Every child deserves the chance to feel “victorious,” like that third grader who found his voice. Every child deserves to be recognized for their talents, like the boy who rebuilt a Barbie Jeep. And every family deserves the freedom to choose an education that celebrates their child’s gifts, rather than overlooking them. Education Savings Accounts are ensuring every single day that those possibilities become reality.

Denise Lever resides in Eagar, Apache County, Arizona, and is the founder of Baker Creek Academy and TrailblazED Microschool Leadership Forge. A former wildland firefighter and longtime homeschool mom, she now leads a growing network of self-directed microschools and mentors education founders nationwide. Denise is passionate about empowering learners, especially those who face challenges, and equipping others to build bold, personalized learning environments.