Family Paced Education in Missouri: FPE vs Traditional Homeschool

When SB 727 passed in 2024, it did not just expand MOScholars statewide — it created an entirely new legal category for home educators in Missouri. Family Paced Education (FPE), codified under RSMo §167.013, is the only pathway for homeschooling families to access MOScholars scholarship funds. And it is not the same thing as traditional homeschooling under §167.012.

What FPE Is and Why It Exists

Before SB 727, Missouri's homeschool statute (§167.012) kept families completely outside state oversight — and completely outside state funding. The legislature could not attach MOScholars money to §167.012 without restructuring the autonomy protections that homeschool families relied on. So they created a parallel classification.

FPE under §167.013 is a legally distinct status. It shares the same instructional framework as traditional homeschooling — 1,000 total hours, 600 in core subjects, 400 core hours at your regular teaching location, the same five required subject areas — but adds conditions tied to accepting public money.

The Key Differences

Standardized testing. The Treasurer's 2026–27 handbook lists annual grade-appropriate testing as a MOScholars renewal requirement. State law specifies achievement or norm-referenced testing in grades covered by Missouri's statewide testing system. This program requirement applies to FPE and private-school participants; traditional homeschoolers outside MOScholars have no state testing mandate. Examples include the Iowa Assessments, Stanford Achievement Test, TerraNova, CLT, and Missouri state assessments; confirm the specific test with your EAO. Results are reported by the EAO to the State Treasurer, DESE, and the MOScholars board. Testing costs are a qualified ClassWallet expense.

Financial oversight. FPE students spend their scholarship through ClassWallet, subject to EAO compliance audits and State Treasurer regulations. Every purchase is documented, and the EAO or Treasurer's Office can conduct random or risk-based financial reviews.

Parent agreement. Accepting FPE status means signing a binding contract with your EAO. You agree to use funds only for approved educational expenses, to avoid payments to family-related providers within three degrees of relation, and to complete an annual satisfaction survey.

No curriculum control. Despite the added requirements, FPE does not impose curriculum mandates. The statute does not dictate which textbooks, programs, or teaching methods you use. Your curricular freedom is preserved — the oversight attaches to financial accountability and annual assessment, not instructional content.

FPE vs Private School Under MOScholars

MOScholars serves both FPE homeschoolers and private school students. The statutory award limit is based on the student's category, not the school setting. For 2025–26 the SAT was $7,145; current limits are up to 175% of the SAT for students with an IEP, 160% for students meeting limited-English-proficiency criteria, 125% for students eligible for free or reduced-price lunch, and the SAT for all other students. But the operational experience differs:

Private school families typically have tuition paid through ClassWallet's direct vendor invoicing. The school handles most of the paperwork. FPE families manage their own curriculum purchases, therapy invoicing, and reimbursement submissions. More spending flexibility, but more administrative responsibility.

Some EAOs cap FPE awards below the SAT to spread funding across more applicants. Herzog Tomorrow Foundation, for example, has capped FPE awards at $2,500 per student in some cycles, while the Missouri District LCMS may offer the full amount. For a student whose statutory limit is the SAT, EAO caps can create a substantial difference; the student's category and available funding also affect the award.

Can You Run a Split Household?

Yes. The FPE classification applies per student, not per household. If you have three children and only one accepts a MOScholars scholarship, that child registers under §167.013 with the associated testing and financial requirements. The other two remain under §167.012 with full traditional homeschool autonomy.

This matters for families who want to test the program with one child before committing the rest, or who have children at different grade levels where the testing requirement may feel more or less appropriate.

Exiting FPE

If you decide MOScholars is not worth the compliance, you can withdraw at any time by notifying your EAO. The account closes and remaining funds return to the EAO. The parent and student remain subject to program terms for any school term in which scholarship funds paid expenses. If the child then continues under traditional homeschool rules in §167.012, MOScholars testing and account requirements no longer apply going forward.

The exit process is administrative — there is no penalty, waiting period, or impact on your ability to re-apply in future years.

Making the Decision

The FPE question comes down to the scholarship amount available to your student relative to required assessments and ClassWallet documentation. The 2025–26 SAT was $7,145, while statutory limits can be higher for some student categories. For families already administering tests voluntarily or whose curriculum and therapy costs exceed the scholarship amount, the math is straightforward.

Our Missouri MOScholars Scholarship Parent Guide breaks down the FPE requirements alongside every EAO's award caps so you can evaluate the trade-off with actual numbers for your family's situation.

See more Missouri guides →