Homeschool benefits: Tustin Unified School District
Tustin Connect is Tustin Unified School District's tuition-free K-12 independent study and blended learning school, where your child works at home on district online courses 4-6 hours a day and meets a credentialed teacher weekly. Any K-12 student in Orange County can enroll, though families outside Tustin Unified first need an approved interdistrict transfer. Other options include transit fare savings.
Tustin Connect independent study
Who qualifies
Lives in Orange County
Enrollment is open to all K-12 students in Orange County. Students outside Tustin Unified's boundaries complete interdistrict transfer paperwork with their home district first, and Tustin Unified must approve it.
Enrolls in Tustin Unified
Tustin Connect is a public school, so your child becomes a Tustin Unified student instead of a private homeschool student.
Meets with a lead teacher
New families complete an intake form and meet a lead teacher to decide whether the program is a good fit.
Keeps the weekly schedule
K-8 students attend their assigned class days, and every student checks in with a teacher weekly to submit work and get new assignments.
What the program gives you
The terms come from Tustin Connect's About Us page and its K-8 and high school FAQs.
- Tuition
- Free
- Daily schoolwork expected
- 4-6 hours
- K-8 class time on campus
- 6-7 hours over 2 days
- High school open campus help
- 8 a.m.-3 p.m. Mon-Thu
- Classes at a home high school
- Up to 2
- Device
- District iPad or laptop
Space is limited, and some mid-year periods have no openings, so start the intake before the school year you want.
How to enroll
- Before the school year
Submit an interest form
Use the K-8 or high school Interest to Enroll form on the Tustin Connect site.
- If you live outside Tustin Unified
Request a transfer
File interdistrict transfer paperwork with your home district, which Tustin Unified must approve before your child enrolls.
- Intake
Meet a lead teacher
Learn about the program and confirm it fits your child before you enroll.
- Each week
Check in and attend class days
Turn in work and pick up new assignments. High school lab science, Spanish, and Honors or AP courses have a required live weekly session.
- High school, before April 1
Mid-year transfers
High school enrollment is ongoing, and students can transfer in during the year before April 1 if space is available.
What it includes
Included
- Teacher-led online courses using the district curriculum
- In-person classes for K-8 and select high school courses
- A district iPad or laptop
- Sports, music, and electives at a comprehensive school
- Dual enrollment at community colleges
Not included
- Choosing your own curriculum
- Independent homeschool status while enrolled
- Enrollment for out-of-district students without an approved transfer
Who to contact about enrolling
The Tustin Connect office at 14741 North B Street in Tustin answers enrollment and program questions.
714-430-2052 About Tustin Connect
OC Bus Youth Ride Free
Who qualifies
Is 6 to 18 years old
Your child stays eligible until the end of the month they turn 19.
Shows proof of age
A passport, vaccination record, California DMV ID or license, or a current school document with your child's name and birth date or grade works. Diplomas, certificates, and school IDs without a grade or school year do not.
Has a Wave card and account
Wave is OCTA's fare payment system. Create a Wave account first, then link your child's Wave card number in the application.
Has signed parental consent
Upload a signed parental consent form and a recent photo of your child. OCTA closes youth accounts that have no consent form.
What the fare saves
OCTA's fare page lists what a rider pays on OC Bus with a Wave card and without Youth Ride Free status.
- Youth Ride Free, ages 6-18
- Free
- Regular one-way fare
- $2.00
- Regular fare daily cap with Wave
- $4.50
- Regular fare monthly cap with Wave
- $69.00
- First Wave card at the OCTA Store
- Free
Until the application is approved, your child's Wave card may be charged the regular fare, and replacement Wave cards carry a fee.
How to get free rides
- Before you apply
Set up Wave
Create a Wave account, get your child's Wave card number, and download the parental consent form.
- By December 31, 2026
Apply online or in person
Upload the proof-of-age document, a recent photo, and the signed consent form online. At the OCTA Store, your child must come along, and approval may come the same day.
- After approval
Ride free
Youth Ride Free is added to the Wave account linked to your child's card, for school trips, weekends, and every other ride.
- Every two years
Reapply
Submit a new application every two years until your child ages out at the end of the month they turn 19.
What it includes
Included
- OC Bus rides throughout Orange County
- Weekend and non-school trips
- The first Wave card from the OCTA Store
Not included
- Replacement Wave cards
- Riders past the month they turn 19
Good to know
The program is still running
As of October 12, 2026, OCTA's page tells families to complete registration by December 31, 2026 to keep rides free.
The pass works outside school hours
OCTA says the pass is good all the time, including weekend trips to the beach, the movies, or the mall.
Who to contact about Youth Ride Free
OCTA Customer Relations answers questions about eligible documents and Youth Ride Free applications, Monday through Friday, 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.
customers@octa.net 714-636-7433 Youth Ride Free application
Homeschool rules and statewide help in California
For the home-based private-school pathway, file the Private School Affidavit during the October 1–15 annual filing period. New schools may use the online filing system during its separate August 1–June 30 opening window. Other legal pathways have their own rules.
California sets these rules:
- Subjects: The private-school pathway must provide instruction in English in the branches of study required for public schools; the parent chooses the materials and course sequence.
- Testing: California does not impose a statewide standardized-testing requirement on private-school students.
- Records: Private schools must keep the records required by California law, including attendance and faculty information.
- Teachers: Private-school instructors must be capable of teaching; California does not issue a separate homeschool-parent credential.
Read the California homeschooling guide See statewide programs in California
Questions parents ask
- Can my Tustin Connect high schooler play sports?
- Yes. CIF sports are available at your student's school of residence, and students living outside Tustin Unified may play at Tustin High School.
- How much does a parent have to do in Tustin Connect?
- Parents supervise time management during the 4-6 hours of daily work, and Tustin Connect calls parent participation essential, especially in elementary school.
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.
$149/month per child after the trial.
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