At the Children’s Scholarship Fund New Hampshire, we’ve seen firsthand how learning looks different for every child. For the LaMontagne family, that’s not just a philosophy it’s their daily reality. And thanks to the Education Freedom Account program, they’ve finally been able to give each of their four children the kind of education that meets them where they are.
Rachel LaMontagne remembers what life looked like before they found the EFA program. Her neurodivergent son, diagnosed with school-related anxiety, was struggling. Public school wasn’t working – academically, socially, or emotionally.
“He was constantly stressed and couldn’t focus,” she says. “I didn’t even know ‘school-related anxiety’ was a real diagnosis until our behavioral specialist named it. But it made sense.”
Once they stepped away from the traditional model and built a more flexible, interest-based program supported by EFA funds, everything changed. The anxiety melted away. His ability to focus improved. And for the first time, he was excited to learn.
Now entering their fourth year with the EFA program, the LaMontagnes have used funds in nearly every way the program allows. They’ve tried homeschooling with private tutors, enrolled in Montessori programs, and even tested out private school settings. Every year, they tweak the approach based on what each child needs most.
“This past year was our best yet,” Rachel says. “It was a patchwork of tutors, programs, and home learning, but it was rich with growth.”
James, age 15, thrived with a Consumer Math curriculum that taught him real-world skills. David, 12, used EFA-funded dyslexia testing and dove into hands-on learning projects while listening to audiobooks. Samantha, 11, studied the history of horses and explored art through pottery. And little Theo, age 5, proudly summed up his favorite subject with four simple words: “More books! More books!”
And books they now have.
“Before EFA, I was always trying to homeschool on a shoestring,” Rachel explains. “Used books, donated resources, whatever I could find. We’ve always been the top borrowers at the local library. But with EFA, we were finally able to build our own home library with books at each child’s reading level.”
That one change has transformed their relationship with reading. Instead of viewing it as a chore, her kids now beg to add new titles to their shelves. James joked, “I would use all my funds buying chapter books if my mom would let me!”
For Rachel, EFA means something deeper than academics. It means freedom. It means dignity. And most of all, it means being able to affirm the differences between her children instead of forcing them into the same mold.
“We don’t try to confine them to in-the-box learning,” she says. “We work through their weaknesses by building on their strengths. That’s something public school just couldn’t give us.”
The list of resources the family has accessed with EFA support is long, from Kumon math and dyslexia testing to speech and occupational therapy, learning camps in agriculture and coding, and enrichment classes in pottery, sports, and art. Their educational week looks nothing like a standard school schedule, but it works. More than that, it inspires.
“Our only daughter told me pottery class was her favorite thing this year,” Rachel says. “And our son who struggles with reading now listens to books every day. They’ve found their own ways to love learning.”
Even their homeschool portfolio reviewer took notice.
“She was amazed at how engaged and confident the kids were,” Rachel recalls. “She said it was clear the courses were working because they were tailored to who the kids are.”
In New Hampshire, families who homeschool are required to keep a portfolio of their child’s learning progress throughout the year. A homeschool portfolio reviewer is a certified teacher or qualified educator who evaluates that portfolio annually to ensure the child is making educational progress. It’s one of the accountability options parents can choose instead of standardized testing.
Rachel hopes more families come to see what’s possible when education is personalized. And she wishes critics of the EFA program could hear what her kids are saying.
“I like learning at my own pace,” James told her. “I like building things with my hands,” David added. “I love to make things,” Samantha chimed in.
For Rachel, that’s the heart of it.
“Not even 200 years ago, education was mostly done by tutors,” she says. “Public education as we know it is a modern idea. Learning doesn’t have to be one-size-fits-all. It can happen anywhere – and often, it happens best when we let it.”
To everyone who made the EFA program possible, the LaMontagnes are deeply thankful.
“You’ve given our children the freedom to grow as themselves,” Rachel says. “And that’s the greatest gift any family can receive.”
Want to discover how EFAs are helping New Hampshire families like the LaMontagnes personalize their children’s education?
