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Homeschool benefits through Orange County Department of Education

The Orange County Department of Education's Community Home Education Program (CHEP) gives homeschooling families in grades TK-8 free state-adopted curriculum, a credentialed teacher who meets with you every month, and weekly classes, tutoring, and field trips at its Tustin campus. Families in Orange County and adjacent counties qualify by getting a Community School Referral from their district of residence and enrolling in this public independent study program. Other options include public school classes and services, college classes and scholarships, and transit fare savings.

By , founder of TheHomeschoolingCompany. Reviewed .

What it offers

  1. OCDE Community Home Education Program
  2. Pacific Coast High School independent study
  3. Barstow Community College homeschool dual enrollment
  4. OC Bus Youth Ride Free
  5. Los Angeles Metro LIFE fare program
  6. Natural History Museum of Los Angeles County Homeschool Days

OCDE Community Home Education Program

Who qualifies

  1. Is in grades TK-8

    CHEP serves students from transitional kindergarten through eighth grade. Seventh and eighth graders can also take online transitional courses built with Pacific Coast High School.

  2. Lives in or near Orange County

    CHEP serves Orange County and adjacent counties from its site in Tustin.

  3. Gets a district referral

    Every applicant needs a Community School Referral from the school district where you live. CHEP's enrollment team contacts you once it receives the completed referral.

  4. Enrolls in public independent study

    Your child becomes a CHEP public school student, and you agree to plan and teach daily lessons, grade the work, and follow CHEP rules. The parent and the school must agree that CHEP is in your child's best interest before enrollment.

What the program gives you

CHEP's enrollment and FAQ pages describe what the program provides and what it asks of families.

Tuition
Free
Core curriculum, student and teacher's editions
Free
Meetings with your CHEP teacher
At least monthly
Daily instruction, kindergarten
3.5 hours
Daily instruction, grades 1-3
4.5 hours
Daily instruction, grades 4-8
5 hours

You pay only for curriculum you lose or damage. If you buy your own curriculum instead, your academic plan still has to follow the California Content Standards for your child's grade.

How to enroll

  1. Before you apply

    Watch the orientation

    Review CHEP's online orientation on the enrollment page, and book a campus tour if you want to see the Tustin site.

  2. To start applying

    Get a district referral

    Ask your district of residence for a Community School Referral; nothing moves until CHEP receives it.

  3. At enrollment

    Meet your teacher

    You are paired with a California-credentialed CHEP teacher and receive the core curriculum and support materials.

  4. Every month

    Turn in work

    Meet your teacher to review the month's work, hand in samples in each subject, and set goals. Your child earns attendance credit for the work done at home this way.

What it includes

Included

Not included

Who to contact about enrolling

CHEP's Admissions and Records Technician answers enrollment questions and schedules campus tours.

cdeperry@ocde.us 714-245-6491 CHEP enrollment page

Pacific Coast High School independent study

Who qualifies

  1. Gets a district referral

    Your home district of residence's student services department must submit an online Community School Referral for your student. PCHS's admissions panel reviews eligibility once the referral arrives.

  2. Sends a transcript

    The Fall or Spring application needs a transcript with current classes, grades, and credits in progress. Incoming 9th graders can send 8th grade report cards instead, and applications are not reviewed without them.

  3. Agrees to independent study

    Your student, you, and the school must agree before enrollment that PCHS is in your student's best interest. Your student becomes a public school student earning attendance credit for completed assignments.

  4. Accepts teacher-led courses

    PCHS teachers set course content and grading, which PCHS says differs from traditional homeschooling, where the parent decides content and materials. Parents can design alternative courses graded credit or no credit.

What the program gives you

PCHS's online orientation and enrollment pages describe its program and requirements.

Typical semester
3-4 courses
Credits per semester
30
Minimum units taken at PCHS
20
Parent-designed alternative courses
Credit/no credit
Online grade access for parents
24 hours a day

Your student may count community college, ROP (Regional Occupational Program), or private classes toward graduation, so ask the faculty advisor how those credits transfer.

How to enroll

  1. Before you apply

    Read the orientation

    Read PCHS's online orientation and Minimal Acceptance Considerations, and book a campus tour if you want to visit.

  2. To start applying

    Request a referral

    Contact your district of residence's student services department and ask it to submit an online Community School Referral to PCHS. PCHS's referral guide lists the district phone numbers.

  3. With the referral

    Submit the application

    Send the Fall or Spring application with a transcript. CHEP families also have their CHEP teacher complete and fax the CHEP Teacher Questionnaire.

  4. After review

    Pre-register

    Applications are reviewed in the order received, and PCHS contacts you about the next step in pre-registration.

  5. Each semester

    Work with your advisor

    Your faculty advisor helps choose courses, evaluate transcripts, and plan college or career goals.

What it includes

Included

Not included

Who to contact about applying

The School Records Technician answers questions about the referral and application process.

scalabria@ocde.us 714-245-6502 PCHS contact page

Barstow Community College homeschool dual enrollment

Who qualifies

  1. Is in grades 9-12

    Middle and elementary school students can appeal with transcripts and a principal's letter.

  2. Files the private school affidavit

    A home-based private school attaches a copy of its annual affidavit filed with the California Superintendent of Public Instruction.

  3. Or uses a satellite or tutor

    In a private satellite program, the program's principal or counselor signs the agreement. With a private tutor, the person signing as principal must hold a valid California teaching credential.

  4. Stays within the unit limit

    Going over the limit removes the waiver for every unit that term, and physical education and remedial courses are not allowed.

What the waiver saves

Barstow Community College charges California residents a $46 enrollment fee per unit.

One 3-unit class
$138
Summer limit (6 units)
$276
Fall or spring limit (11.5 units)
$529
Fall and spring at the limit
$1,058
Fall, spring, and summer at the limit
$1,334

Barstow's fees page says concurrently enrolled students are exempt at 10.5 units or fewer, not 11.5, so confirm the limit with Admissions and Records before your student registers for more than 10.5 units.

From applying to keeping it

  1. Before the semester

    Apply through OpenCCC

    Use a personal email and choose the major "K-12 concurrent enrollment." A student ID number arrives by email within 48 hours.

  2. After applying

    Meet a counselor

    Book a college counselor to build an education plan, then complete the online orientation in the MYBCC portal.

  3. Every semester

    Submit the agreement form

    Fill out and sign the Dual Enrollment Agreement Form listing every class, with the affidavit attached, and send it to Admissions and Records.

  4. After processing

    Register for classes

    Register once Admissions and Records processes the agreement, and keep within the free unit limit.

What it pays for

Covered

Not covered

Good to know

Who to contact

The dual enrollment office and Admissions and Records answer questions about homeschool documents, unit limits, and agreement forms.

dual@barstow.edu 760-252-2411 Dual enrollment page

OC Bus Youth Ride Free

Who qualifies

  1. Is 6 to 18 years old

    Your child stays eligible until the end of the month they turn 19.

  2. 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.

  3. 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.

  4. 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

  1. Before you apply

    Set up Wave

    Create a Wave account, get your child's Wave card number, and download the parental consent form.

  2. 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.

  3. 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.

  4. 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

Not included

Good to know

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

Los Angeles Metro LIFE fare program

Who qualifies

  1. Lives in Los Angeles County

    LIFE is for qualifying Los Angeles County residents and works on Metro and 16 participating transit agencies in the county.

  2. Meets one quick check

    Any one of these qualifies: an EBT card for CalFresh, Supplemental Security Income (SSI), General Relief or other public assistance, or household income below the limit for your family size.

  3. Children apply as dependents

    A K-12 student is eligible when enrolled as a dependent on an eligible adult's application, so a homeschooled child joins through a parent.

  4. Has no other Metro subsidy

    Riders who already get GoPass, College U-Pass, or an Employer Pass cannot also enroll in LIFE.

What LIFE saves you

Metro's regular one-way fare is $1.75, and the LIFE page lists each pass discount.

First 90 days on Metro and 16 agencies
Unlimited, free
20 free rides a month at the regular fare
$35
K-12 student 30-day pass discount
$10 off
Regular 30-day pass or EZ Pass discount
$24 off
Regular 7-day pass discount
$6 off
Unused rides
Roll over, up to 8 passes

LIFE covers the base fare only: Commuter Express routes and transfers between Metro and another agency cost extra, though free 2-hour Metro transfers do not use up a ride.

How to get free rides

  1. Before you apply

    Check one qualifier

    Have your EBT card or benefit proof ready, or compare your household income with the table: the limit is $58,300 for one person, $83,300 for four, and $6,650 more for each person beyond four.

  2. Any time

    Apply in under 10 minutes

    Apply online, at a Metro Customer Center, or at a community sign-up event, and list your children as dependents. Paper applications are available by phone or email.

  3. Within 10 business days

    Get confirmed

    Metro confirms by email or phone. If your LIFE TAP card has not arrived within 14 days, contact the LIFE program.

  4. First 90 days

    Ride free

    Ride Metro and 16 participating agencies as much as you want during the first 90 days.

  5. Each month after

    Load your rides

    Opt in to have 20 rides loaded on the 1st of each month, or pick a discounted pass for another agency instead.

What it includes

Included

Not included

Who to contact about LIFE

The LIFE program answers eligibility questions, mails paper applications, and checks application status.

lifeinfo@metro.net 213-922-2378 LIFE program page

Natural History Museum of Los Angeles County Homeschool Days

Who gets in free

  1. Is a homeschooling family

    Homeschoolers and their families receive free admission during Homeschool Days. The museum lists no residency or paperwork requirement for the event.

  2. Comes on a Homeschool Day

    The free admission and programs apply on the posted Homeschool Days only, which the museum offers twice a year.

  3. Reserves ahead if possible

    Advance registration is not required but is highly encouraged. Tickets for limited Homeschool Day programs go out first come, first served.

  4. Stays with a chaperone

    Students of any age stay within view of a teacher or chaperone, including in the grill, the store, and ticketed spaces.

Free and low-cost ways in

The terms come from the museum's Homeschool Days page and its Homeschool Day Tips flyer.

Homeschool Day general admission
Free, all day
Limited Homeschool Day programs
Free tickets, first come
L.A. County residents, any weekday
Free 3-5 p.m. with ID or bill
L.A. County Library Discover & Go
2 adults and 4 children free
Electronic Benefit Transfer (EBT) cardholders and children 2 and under
Free daily
Special exhibitions and the Butterfly and Spider Pavilion
Extra ticket

Parking costs $20 in the NHM Car Park or the California Science Center structure if the car park is full.

How to attend

  1. Before the event

    Watch for the next date

    Check the Homeschool Days page and sign up for the homeschool mailing list, since upcoming dates are posted there.

  2. When a date is posted

    Reserve tickets

    Reserve free tickets in advance if you can, and print or download the program schedule and museum map.

  3. From 9:30 a.m. on the day

    Check in

    Check in at any admissions kiosk or scan your reserved tickets, then stop at the Welcome Table in the Grand Foyer for scavenger hunts and the day's schedule.

  4. During the visit

    Pick up program tickets

    Ask a staff member where to get tickets for limited programs, which run at set times.

What it includes

Included

Not included

Who to contact about Homeschool Days

The Call Center answers questions about Homeschool Days, accessibility, and visiting the museum.

info@nhm.org 213-763-3466 Homeschool Days page

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:

Read the California homeschooling guide See statewide programs in California

Questions parents ask

Is CHEP a homeschool or a public school?
A public school. CHEP is a public independent study program, so your child is enrolled in a public school while you teach at home. You plan and deliver daily instruction, and a CHEP teacher supervises and assesses progress.
How is PCHS different from homeschooling on our own?
PCHS teachers create and grade the courses, while your student completes the work at home with your help. In traditional homeschooling, the parent decides content, materials, activities, and grading.
Do 20 LIFE rides mean 20 days?
No. It means 20 individual boardings, and free 2-hour transfers do not count against them.
Do we need proof that we homeschool for NHM Homeschool Days?
No. The museum does not ask for any, and homeschool families check in at an admissions kiosk on the day to get free general admission.

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.

Start your 14-day free trial

$149/month per child after the trial.

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