AB-84 Moves to the Suspense File: A Step Toward Protecting Educational Freedom

This week brought encouraging news for homeschool and charter school families across California: AB-84 has been placed in the Senate Appropriations Committee’s “suspense file.”

But what does that mean? In simple terms, the suspense file is where bills with significant financial impact are set aside for further review. Many of these bills never make it out of the file, especially when their costs to the state are too high or their consequences too far-reaching. For families who value educational choice and flexibility, this is a hopeful sign.

AB-84 threatened to strip away the freedoms that allow parents to design the best educational paths for their children. It proposed layers of new oversight without providing adequate funding, which would have hurt homeschoolers, charter school students, and the educators who serve them. By moving into the suspense file, AB-84 faces a much steeper path forward—and could ultimately stall.

This moment shows the power of community. Families, educators, and advocates raised their voices, wrote letters, made phone calls, and showed up. Together, we reminded lawmakers that educational freedom matters and that one-size-fits-all policies don’t serve the diverse needs of California’s students.

While we can’t celebrate victory just yet, this is a significant step. Let’s stay engaged, keep speaking up, and continue working to ensure that every child in California has access to the safe, supportive, and flexible education they deserve.