Homeschool benefits and savings in the Apache Junction Unified School District boundary
Apache Junction Parks and Recreation pays 50% of the fee for city recreation programs, and 100% of swim lessons and youth Multi-Generational Center memberships, for children 17 and younger in lower-income families. Any family living inside the Apache Junction Unified School District boundary can apply with proof of income, so homeschooled children qualify the same way as everyone else.
Who qualifies
Lives in the AJUSD boundary
Your family must live inside the Apache Junction Unified School District (AJUSD) boundary. The form asks where you live, not where your child is enrolled, so a homeschooled child qualifies.
Is 17 or younger
Assistance is only for participants 17 years of age and younger, listed by name and age on the form.
Meets federal poverty guidelines
Household income must fall within the Federal Poverty Level guidelines. Attach one proof: your latest federal tax return, proof of unemployment, a Social Security or SSDI award letter, a DES food stamp benefits statement, or a SNAP school meals letter or Head Start referral.
Registers for a city program
Only recreation classes and memberships payable to the City of Apache Junction qualify, and a signed Program Registration Form must come with the request.
What it is worth
The rates come from the city's Program Fee Assistance Request Form and Scholarship Program Guidelines, revised June 25, 2025.
- Recreation program over $15
- 50% of fee
- Program costing $15 or less
- Not eligible
- Swim lessons
- 100%
- Youth center membership, ages 8-17
- 100%
- Family pool pass or family center membership
- Youth's rate
- Requests per calendar year
- One
After the first free month, a youth membership renews only if your child visits the Multi-Generational Center an average of twice a week, or 8 days a month.
From applying to using it
- From December
Apply for the next year
Requests for the coming calendar year open in December. Fill in the Program Fee Assistance Request Form with every child 17 or younger you want covered.
- With your request
Attach proof and registration
Include one accepted proof of income and a completed, signed Program Registration Form for the program you want.
- After approval
Register for programs
Assistance is applied when registration or membership begins, based on donor funds available then, and every enrollment depends on open spots.
- Before the first class
Cancel at least a day ahead
If you drop out, give notice at least one working day before the class.
- By December 31
Use it or lose it
Approval covers activities that begin by December 31. Submit a new request, and a new membership addendum, each year.
What it pays for
Covered
- City recreation programs over $15
- Swim lessons
- Youth Multi-Generational Center memberships
- Family pool passes and family center memberships at the youth's rate
Not covered
- Programs costing $15 or less
- Programs not run by the City of Apache Junction
- Participants 18 or older
- Fees forfeited for late cancellation
The city asks each family to pay as much of the remaining fee as it can, so more children can be helped.
Donor funds pay for the assistance, and the amount given depends on what is available when registration or membership begins.
Good to know
Most programs are covered at half the fee
For most recreation programs, you pay the other half of the fee. Swim lessons and youth center memberships are covered in full, and programs that cost $15 or less get no help.
Who to contact
Parks and Recreation staff at the Multi-Generational Center answer questions about who qualifies and how to apply.
ajpr@apachejunctionaz.gov 480-474-5240 Parks and Recreation page
Homeschool rules and statewide help in Arizona
Within 30 days of starting, file an affidavit of intent and a certified birth certificate or other authorized ID with the county superintendent. The ID rule exempts homeless pupils. Within 30 days, notify the superintendent if you stop or file a new affidavit if you resume.
Arizona sets these rules:
- Subjects: Reading, grammar, math, social studies, and science required.
- Testing: Arizona does not require standardized testing for homeschoolers.
- Records: Arizona does not prescribe routine academic portfolios or attendance reports; required identity documentation is filed with the county superintendent.
- Teachers: Arizona does not require a teaching certificate or degree to homeschool your own child.
Arizona also has an education savings account that home-educated students can use.
- The Empowerment Scholarship Account pays about 90% of the state funding your child's district or charter school would have received, for curriculum, tutoring, and other approved expenses. Using it is a separate path from homeschooling under state law.
- TheHomeschoolingCompany is an approved vendor for it.
Read the Arizona homeschooling guide See statewide programs in Arizona
Questions parents ask
- Can my teenager use the Apache Junction center's fitness area?
- Yes, after a fitness orientation. Youth 13-17 need an orientation on file, and those 13-15 must have an adult with them in the fitness area. Children under 13 need an adult in the center at all times.
- Can I apply more than once a year?
- No. Only one request is accepted per calendar year, so list every eligible child on the same form.
- What if my child has to drop a class?
- Without notice, your co-payment is forfeited, the scholarship amount must be repaid, and future requests may be denied.
Turn support into your child’s next lesson
Put eligible education funds toward a curriculum that teaches the courses and grades the work. Check the program’s purchasing rules before paying. We are an approved Empowerment Scholarship Account (ESA) vendor, so your ClassWallet balance can pay for it.
$149/month per child after the trial.
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