Home School Legal Defense Association
The information on this page was last updated 4/4/2025. If you see errors or omissions, please email: [email protected]
Summary
HSLDA is a non-profit advocacy organization that makes homeschooling possible by protecting homeschooling families and equipping them to provide the best educational experience for their children. We have been trusted for over 35 years to care for homeschooling families as we safeguard their freedom and secure the future of home education.
Contact information
Mailing address:
Home School Legal Defense Association
PO Box 3000
Purcellville, VA 20134
Website: hslda.org
Phone: 540-338-5600
Email: [email protected]
Organization details
EIN: 521354365
CEO/President: James Mason
Chairman: Mike Farris
Board size: 5
Founder: Mike Farris
Ruling year: 1986
Tax deductible: Yes
Fiscal year end: 03/31
Member of ECFA: Yes
Member of ECFA since: 2003
Purpose
HSLDA is the trusted movement leader that makes homeschooling possible by caring for member families and protecting and securing the future of homeschooling. Our vision is to see every homeschooling family have the resources they need to provide the best education they can for their children.
Mission statement
We believe that every child deserves a quality education-and homeschooling is one of the best ways to achieve that.
No other form of education allows the kind of customization and personalization that homeschooling does. As a homeschooling parent, you are free to teach your child at her own pace, follow her interests, and craft an education plan that meets her specific needs. The result is a unique educational experience that equips your child with the skills and opportunities she needs to really thrive.
We also believe that parents are typically better suited than the government to determine what kind of education works best for their children. Parents know their children's needs and abilities much better than any government official can-and they're better able to find ways to meet those needs and nurture those abilities. And so when parents are free to choose and direct their children's educational experience, it sets the stage for children to thrive.
Statement of faith
Our leaders, directors, and employees all live by the foundational teachings of Christianity. Although we come from a variety of Christian denominations and traditions, we share the following beliefs:
There is one God, who exists eternally in three Persons (the Trinity): Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. Because human beings are sinful by nature and inherently in need of salvation, God became a flesh-and-blood human to save us-Jesus Christ, the Son, who was conceived by God in a virgin woman, Mary. In His death, Jesus received the consequences for sin that we deserved. He then rose bodily from the dead and will literally come again to earth in the Second Advent.
The salvation that Jesus Christ made possible for us is exclusively found by faith alone in Him and His shed blood. We find all these truths in the Holy Bible, which is the inspired and infallible Word of God. Because of our thankfulness to God for saving us, we try to imitate Christ in all we do.
Donor confidence score
Transparency grade
A
To understand our transparency grade, click here.
Financial efficiency ratings
Sector: Advocacy
| Category | Rating | Overall rank | Sector rank |
| Overall efficiency rating | 221 of 1118 | 7 of 38 | |
| Fund acquisition rating |  | 651 of 1119 | 20 of 38 |
| Resource allocation rating | | 323 of 1119 | 13 of 38 |
| Asset utilization rating | | 120 of 1118 | 5 of 38 |
This ministry has a negative net worth, making it impossible to assign it a valid financial efficiency rating.
Financial ratios
| Funding ratios | Sector median | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 |
Return on fundraising efforts Return on fundraising efforts = Fundraising expense / Total contributions | 9% | 14% | 8% | 49% | 46% | 13% |
Fundraising cost ratio Fundraising cost ratio = Fundraising expense / Total revenue | 7% | 3% | 2% | 12% | 12% | 11% |
Contributions reliance Contributions reliance = Total contributions / Total revenue | 96% | 21% | 21% | 25% | 25% | 86% |
Fundraising expense ratio Fundraising expense ratio = Fundraising expense / Total expenses | 8% | 3% | 2% | 12% | 12% | 12% |
Other revenue reliance Other revenue reliance = Total other revenue / Total revenue | 4% | 79% | 79% | 75% | 75% | 14% |
| Operating ratios | Sector median | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 |
Program expense ratio Program expense ratio = Program services / Total expenses | 80% | 83% | 89% | 85% | 82% | 82% |
Spending ratio Spending ratio = Total expenses / Total revenue | 95% | 98% | 112% | 99% | 95% | 93% |
Program output ratio Program output ratio = Program services / Total revenue | 76% | 82% | 99% | 84% | 78% | 77% |
Savings ratio Savings ratio = Surplus (deficit) / Total revenue | 5% | 2% | -12% | 1% | 5% | 7% |
Reserve accumulation rate Reserve accumulation rate = Surplus (deficit) / Net assets | 8% | -6% | 37% | -4% | -23% | -21% |
General and admin ratio General and admin ratio = Management and general expense / Total expenses | 10% | 13% | 10% | 3% | 5% | 6% |
| Investing ratios | Sector median | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 |
Total asset turnover Total asset turnover = Total expenses / Total assets | 0.98 | 2.59 | 2.54 | 2.39 | 2.02 | 2.52 |
Degree of long-term investment Degree of long-term investment = Total assets / Total current assets | 1.31 | 1.61 | 1.89 | 1.26 | 1.33 | 1.73 |
Current asset turnover Current asset turnover = Total expenses / Total current assets | 1.73 | 4.18 | 4.80 | 3.00 | 2.69 | 4.36 |
| Liquidity ratios | Sector median | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 |
Current ratio Current ratio = Total current assets / Total current liabilities | 16.14 | 0.38 | 0.36 | 0.55 | 0.51 | 0.31 |
Current liabilities ratio Current liabilities ratio = Total current liabilities / Total current assets | 0.06 | 2.60 | 2.77 | 1.81 | 1.96 | 3.23 |
Liquid reserve level Liquid reserve level = (Total current assets - Total current liabilities) / (Total expenses / 12) | 6.22 | -4.60 | -4.42 | -3.22 | -4.28 | -6.13 |
| Solvency ratios | Sector median | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 |
Liabilities ratio Liabilities ratio = Total liabilities / Total assets | 20% | 182% | 171% | 144% | 147% | 187% |
Debt ratio Debt ratio = Debt / Total assets | 0% | 0% | 0% | 0% | 0% | 0% |
Reserve coverage ratio Reserve coverage ratio = Net assets / Total expenses | 69% | -32% | -28% | -18% | -23% | -34% |
Financials
| Balance sheet | |||||
| Assets | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 |
| Cash | $3,306,578 | $3,171,583 | $5,790,766 | $5,204,478 | $2,488,812 |
| Receivables, inventories, prepaids | $685,174 | $1,014,545 | $563,748 | $561,392 | $479,624 |
| Short-term investments | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 |
| Other current assets | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 |
| Total current assets | $3,991,752 | $4,186,128 | $6,354,514 | $5,765,870 | $2,968,436 |
| Long-term investments | $0 | $0 | $27,007 | $53,334 | $84,345 |
| Fixed assets | $100,262 | $218,464 | $42,307 | $58,352 | $210,169 |
| Other long-term assets | $2,346,771 | $3,511,221 | $1,563,960 | $1,783,426 | $1,867,935 |
| Total long-term assets | $2,447,033 | $3,729,685 | $1,633,274 | $1,895,112 | $2,162,449 |
| Total assets | $6,438,785 | $7,915,813 | $7,987,788 | $7,660,982 | $5,130,885 |
| Liabilities | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 |
| Payables and accrued expenses | $2,470,525 | $3,063,045 | $2,769,841 | $2,705,485 | $2,525,035 |
| Other current liabilities | $7,918,740 | $8,521,078 | $8,711,462 | $8,587,116 | $7,058,934 |
| Total current liabilities | $10,389,265 | $11,584,123 | $11,481,303 | $11,292,601 | $9,583,969 |
| Debt | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 |
| Due to (from) affiliates | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 |
| Other long-term liabilities | $1,316,343 | $1,974,988 | $0 | $0 | $0 |
| Total long-term liabilities | $1,316,343 | $1,974,988 | $0 | $0 | $0 |
| Total liabilities | $11,705,608 | $13,559,111 | $11,481,303 | $11,292,601 | $9,583,969 |
| Net assets | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 |
| Without donor restrictions | ($5,961,326) | ($6,482,854) | ($5,230,615) | ($5,557,512) | ($5,493,053) |
| With donor restrictions | $694,503 | $839,556 | $1,737,100 | $1,925,893 | $1,039,969 |
| Net assets | ($5,266,823) | ($5,643,298) | ($3,493,515) | ($3,631,619) | ($4,453,084) |
| Revenues and expenses | |||||
| Revenue | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 |
| Total contributions | $3,649,808 | $3,827,036 | $4,856,241 | $4,143,100 | $11,946,792 |
| Program service revenue | $474,426 | $1,619,688 | $1,912,644 | $1,768,792 | $1,530,860 |
| Membership dues | $12,356,101 | $11,979,495 | $11,910,041 | $10,009,397 | $0 |
| Investment income | $93,182 | $177,885 | $0 | $0 | $35,401 |
| Other revenue | $454,992 | $416,045 | $552,101 | $408,991 | $363,590 |
| Total other revenue | $13,378,701 | $14,193,113 | $14,374,786 | $12,187,180 | $1,929,851 |
| Total revenue | $17,028,509 | $18,020,149 | $19,231,027 | $16,330,280 | $13,876,643 |
| Expenses | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 |
| Program services | $13,923,283 | $17,874,220 | $16,170,525 | $12,741,987 | $10,637,047 |
| Management and general | $2,254,464 | $1,914,881 | $542,283 | $842,480 | $755,903 |
| Fundraising | $523,750 | $314,071 | $2,380,115 | $1,924,348 | $1,548,913 |
| Total expenses | $16,701,497 | $20,103,172 | $19,092,923 | $15,508,815 | $12,941,863 |
| Change in net assets | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 |
| Surplus (deficit) | $327,012 | ($2,083,023) | $138,104 | $821,465 | $934,780 |
| Other changes in net assets | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 |
| Total change in net assets | $327,012 | ($2,083,023) | $138,104 | $821,465 | $934,780 |
Compensation
| Name | Title | Compensation |
| James R Mason | President and Director | $334,370 |
| Steven Oberlander | VP Finance and Technology | $238,959 |
| Charles Hurst | VP of Administration | $235,461 |
| Scott Woodruff | Director of Legal and Legislative Advocacy | $229,052 |
| Suzanne Stephens | VP of Communications and Marketing | $218,536 |
| Darren Jones | Senior Counsel and Director of Group Services | $187,055 |
| Thomas Schmidt | Senior Counsel | $184,097 |
| Peter Kamakawiwoole | Director of Litigation | $183,460 |
| Kevin Boden | Director of Global Outreach | $177,922 |
| J Michael Smith | President Emeritus Director | $80,341 |
Compensation data as of: 3/31/2024
Response from ministry
No response has been provided by this ministry.
The information below was provided to MinistryWatch by the ministry itself. It was last updated 4/4/2025. To update the information below, please email: [email protected]
History
In the early 1980s, homeschooling was practically unheard of. Even though the model of parents teaching their children at home was one of the earliest (and most effective) forms of education in history, homeschooling had fallen into obscurity. Families who chose such a "nontraditional" education route often encountered major opposition and legal challenges. Some homeschooling parents were even put in jail for truancy or "contributing to the delinquency of a minor."
So when Mike Farris-an attorney and homeschooling dad in Olympia, Washington-started getting calls from other homeschooling families looking for legal representation, he quickly realized that this was bigger problem than he could solve on his own.
Farris knew that families homeschooling without competent legal counsel would stand little chance of prevailing against the government. But he could only help so many families-and beyond that, competent legal counsel was prohibitively expensive.
So Farris hatched a plan-but he needed a partner.
A chance encounter
Meanwhile in Santa Monica, California, Mike Smith and his wife were homeschooling their kids . . . and local homeschoolers were contacting Mike for legal representation. (He's an attorney, too.) At the time, many California school districts took the position that parents could only homeschool their kids if they were certified to teach.
As it happened, the two Mikes ran into each other at a homeschool conference in Sacramento, California, in early 1983.
After meeting Smith and hearing his story, Farris excitedly shared his plan: start a non-profit membership organization aimed at making homeschooling legal in every state. The idea was to have a large enough organization to fund legal representation of homeschooling families from all across the nation-in other words, to make homeschooling possible for everyone through advocacy in the courts, legislatures, and marketplace of ideas.
To Smith, that seemed like a huge hill to climb. So naturally, when Farris asked if he would be interested being on the founding board of directors of this organization, he jumped at the chance.
Turning the tide
HSLDA started with a handful of member families. Farris worked from his home in Washington state, and Smith from his law office in Santa Monica. But within a few years, Farris and Smith had both relocated to Washington, D.C., set up a dedicated HSLDA office, and hired several full-time employees to help keep up with the rising number of member families.
As HSLDA and the homeschool movement grew, so did the freedom to homeschool. Working alongside state homeschool organizations-and backed by a rapidly expanding community of homeschooling families-we slowly but surely turned the tide.
Over the years, we've convinced state legislatures to adopt statutes acknowledging the right of parents to teach their children at home. We've won a number of high-profile cases on behalf of families whose ability to homeschool has been threatened. And we've expanded our services to help make homeschooling possible for families not only legally, but practically as well.
In the process, homeschooling has gone from a relatively unknown fringe movement to a flourishing and popular educational option for families of every shape and size.
Looking ahead
Today, homeschooling is legal in every state-but that doesn't mean our work is done. We continue to protect and advance the freedom to homeschool, defend member families facing legal challenges, and equip homeschooling parents to give their children the best possible educational experience.
Although we're constantly re-evaluating ourselves and adapting to meet the needs of the homeschool community, the focus of our work and the reason we exist will always stay the same: to help kids thrive by making homeschooling possible.