Homeschool benefits and savings in Tucson and regional Sun services
Sun Tran buses, the Sun Link streetcar, Sun Express, Sun Shuttle, and Sun On Demand are all free to ride in Tucson until further notice, at the direction of the Mayor and Council. Sun Van paratransit is also free for riders with an ADA (Americans with Disabilities Act) eligibility letter, and none of these services asks for school enrollment. Other options include college classes and scholarships.
Tucson fare-free public transit
Who qualifies
Rides a fixed route
Sun Tran buses, Sun Link, Sun Express, and Sun Shuttle carry everyone without a fare. Sun Tran's pages set no school, age, or residency condition for the free fare.
Books On Demand in one zone
Sun On Demand is a shared, curb-to-curb ride inside a designated zone. Your pickup and your destination must fall in the same zone.
Has ADA eligibility for Sun Van
Sun Van is for riders who cannot use Sun Tran because of a disability and hold an eligibility letter from the City of Tucson ADA Paratransit Eligibility Office. Eligibility is based on disability, not age.
Under 5 rides with an adult
On Sun On Demand, a child under 5 must ride with an adult and bring a car seat.
What each service costs
Sun Tran's fares page says all six services remain fare free at the direction of the Mayor and Council, with no end date given.
- Sun Tran bus
- Free
- Sun Link streetcar (3.9 miles, 23 stops)
- Free
- Sun Express
- Free
- Sun Shuttle dial-a-ride
- Free
- Sun On Demand shared ride
- Free
- Sun Van paratransit
- Free
The city has not announced when fares will return, so check the fares page before you count on free rides for a full school year.
How to ride free
- Before you ride
Plan the trip
Use the free Sun Tran Trip Planner app for Android or iOS, or Google, to find the route your child needs.
- 1 to 7 days ahead
Book Sun On Demand
Request the ride in the app or call 520-798-1000 during service hours with the rider's name, the number of riders, and both addresses. Same-day rides are not guaranteed.
- Before using Sun Van
Apply for ADA eligibility
Apply through the City of Tucson ADA Eligibility Office at 149 N. Stone Avenue, 2nd Floor, or call 520-791-5409. The process may include reference checks and an in-person travel skills assessment.
- 24 hours ahead
Cancel trips you will not take
Cancel a Sun On Demand ride the same way you booked it, at least 24 hours before the pickup.
What it includes
Included
- Sun Tran buses
- Sun Link streetcar
- Sun Express and Sun Shuttle
- Sun On Demand shared rides
- Sun Van paratransit for ADA-eligible riders
Who to contact about riding
Sun Tran Customer Service answers questions about routes, the fare-free policy, and riding with children.
suntraninfo@tucsonaz.gov 520-792-9222 Feedback and inquiries form
Pima Community College Prop 308 homeschool-equivalent tuition classification
Who qualifies
Attended in Arizona for two years
Your student must have attended a public or private high school or homeschool equivalent while physically present in Arizona for at least two years. The two years need not be consecutive.
Graduated in Arizona
Your student must have graduated from an Arizona public or private high school or homeschool equivalent, or obtained a high school equivalency diploma in Arizona.
Meets the immigration-status rules
Qualifying non-citizen students can receive the rate regardless of immigration status, without Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals status. The college excludes specified nonimmigrant visa holders, including F1, F2, J1, H4, and H1.
Documents the classification
Send documents to the Registrar's Office. Proposition 308 changes tuition and state-aid eligibility, but does not change college admission requirements.
What you pay at the in-state rate
Pima's 2026-27 resident schedule charges $103 per lower-division credit and caps general tuition at 15 credits per semester.
- 3 credits
- $309
- 6 credits
- $618
- 12 credits
- $1,236
- 15 credits
- $1,545
- 18 credits
- $1,545
From applying to keeping it
- Before registration
Review eligibility
Check your student's Arizona attendance, physical presence, graduation, and immigration-status criteria against the college's Proposition 308 guidance.
- During admission
Submit documents
Email the Registrar's Office for the documents needed and send them to registrar@pima.edu.
- Before paying
Confirm the updated rate
Ask the Registrar's Office or an advisor to confirm that your student's tuition classification reflects the in-state rate.
- Each semester
Budget the remaining bill
Include course fees, first-day materials, and any differential tuition. An optional payment plan is available through MyPima with a $10 non-refundable enrollment fee.
What the classification provides
Included
- In-state tuition classification
- Eligibility for state and local aid
Not included
- Automatic tuition payment
- Course fees and materials
- Federal aid eligibility changes
Good to know
The proposition does not pay the tuition bill
Proposition 308 makes qualifying students eligible for resident tuition and some state-funded grants, scholarships, or waivers. Your student still owes the resulting charges unless separate aid covers them.
Who to contact
The Registrar’s Office receives Proposition 308 documents and answers questions about updating tuition classification.
registrar@pima.edu Proposition 308 FAQ
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
- How long will Sun Tran rides stay free?
- Until further notice. Sun Tran gives no end date, and the decision rests with the Tucson Mayor and Council.
- Can my child ride Sun Tran alone?
- Sun Tran does not say. Its pages set no minimum age for riding alone, so call Customer Service at 520-792-9222 and ask what age they recommend.
- Do the two Arizona years for Prop 308 have to be consecutive?
- No. Pima accepts nonconsecutive years, provided the attendance and physical-presence requirements are documented.
Turn support into your child’s next lesson
A student fare helps with trips to classes and activities. We handle the learning at home, with lessons built around your child's interests and feedback on their work. 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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