Homeschooling Freedom in Louisiana: How Ty Salvant Built NOLA Homeschoolers

When Ty Salvant couldn’t find a single place to save and share her favorite education resources, she built one. In 2010, she created NOLA Homeschoolers, a website that started as a simple resource hub and has since evolved into a lifeline for New Orleans homeschooling families. Today, NOLA Homeschoolers offers clubs, field trips, group subscriptions, a co-op, and a resource center—supporting parents who want to give their children a customized, flexible education.

Ty’s Journey to Homeschooling

Ty is a homeschooling mom of six children (ages 5–22), an author, advocate, and advisor. With a background in psychology and a passion for educational best practices, she began exploring school options when her oldest was three. Finding no local programs that reflected the global best practices she had studied, Ty and her husband chose to homeschool.

What started as a one-year experiment turned into a lifelong commitment. Ty recalls that even her husband needed time to fully embrace homeschooling. But when their children scored high on ACT and SAT practice tests as preteens, the results spoke for themselves: homeschooling was working.

Three Essentials for New Homeschoolers

Ty offers parents three key steps to start strong:

1. Define Education for Yourself: Decide what you value most—academic rigor, flexibility, real-world learning—and build your approach around it.

2. Write Down Your Top Three Reasons: On hard days (and there will be hard days), revisit your “why” to stay grounded.

3. Know Your Educational Philosophy: Understand whether you lean toward classical, Charlotte Mason, Montessori, or unschooling before buying curriculum, so you choose resources that fit your family.

Why Customization Matters

Ty shares the story of her son who hated handwriting. Instead of forcing worksheets, she switched to oral lessons and let him learn at his own pace. Eventually, after losing a competition due to illegible handwriting, he asked to learn cursive—and never looked back.

This flexibility allowed him to grow on his own timeline without labeling him a failure. “Homeschooling should not look like school at home,” Ty says. “It’s about creating an environment where children can learn in the way that works for them.”

Louisiana’s Homeschooling Laws Explained

Louisiana is a relatively friendly state for homeschoolers, offering two options:

• Non-Public (Not Seeking State Approval): Families register as their own private school and keep attendance records. Minimal oversight.

• Home Study Program: Families submit annual paperwork, including progress evidence, to remain in compliance. This option is recommended for high schoolers because it qualifies them for TOPS, Louisiana’s state scholarship program.

Currently, there are no state funds or ESA (Education Savings Account) programs for homeschoolers, meaning parents self-fund their child’s education—but they gain full freedom over curriculum and schedule.

Building a Strong Homeschool Community

One of Ty’s biggest contributions is connecting families. NOLA Homeschoolers organizes weekly field trips, not just monthly, giving kids consistent opportunities to explore museums, science centers, and cultural events. The group also provides:

• Clubs and Co-ops for shared learning experiences

• Group Subscriptions to online education programs

• Parent Resources that guide families through homeschooling’s challenges

Ty has watched libraries and museums become more homeschool-friendly over the years, offering dedicated homeschool days and programming. This level of support makes homeschooling more accessible than ever before.

Looking Ahead: Normalizing Homeschooling

Ty’s vision is simple: homeschooling should be as normalized as public or private school. She advocates for:

• School partnerships that refer struggling students to homeschool resources instead of just pushing them through

• Athletic and extracurricular access for homeschoolers

• Collaboration between schools and homeschoolers for community events and volunteer opportunities

Her favorite metaphor is the story of the farmer with the “best corn” who shares his seeds with neighbors so everyone’s crops improve: “When the whole community is better, our kids are better.”