Homeschool benefits and savings in Oakland
The City of Oakland offers a limited number of scholarships and fee waivers for its week-long summer boating and sailing camps for ages 7-17 at Lake Merritt and the Oakland Estuary. Oakland residents with financial need qualify, awards go first come, first served, and summer 2027 camp registration opens to Oakland residents in February.
Who qualifies
Lives in Oakland
Financial assistance is reserved for Oakland residents. A driver's license or state ID, utility bill, lease, case manager letter, third-party document, or a self-certification statement proves residency.
Shows financial need
The application asks for total yearly household income, the number of people it supports, and a short explanation of why you need help.
Has county childcare aid
If your family already has a childcare assistance contract through Bananas, 4C's of Alameda County, Hively, or Davis Street, give your case manager's contact information and skip the income section.
Fits the camp's age range
Explorer Boating Camp is for ages 7-10, Basic and Intermediate Sailing for ages 10-17, Advanced Sailing for ages 12-17, and Junior Leadership for ages 14-17.
What it is worth
Oakland's camp pages list these extended care and withdrawal charges; the city does not post a set award amount.
- One camp session
- 1 week, Mon-Fri
- Extended care at Lake Merritt, per day
- $20
- Extended care at Lake Merritt, per week
- $100
- Withdrawal 31 or more days ahead
- 25% of fee
- Withdrawal 11-30 days ahead
- 50% of fee
- Withdrawal 10 or fewer days ahead
- 100% of fee
You write the amount you are requesting for each camp on the application, and staff fill in the amount awarded and the balance you owe, so ask the Boating Program Coordinator what share of the fee a waiver usually covers.
From applying to keeping it
- By December 1, 2026
Check the 2027 flyer
Oakland plans to post the 2027 Boating & Sailing Camps flyer with dates and details by December 1, 2026.
- Before you register
Apply for assistance
Fill out the OPRYD Financial Assistance Application for each child, attach proof of Oakland residency, and send it to the Lake Merritt Boating Center.
- February 2027
Register for camp
Registration opens to Oakland residents in February and to non-residents in March, online through Perfect Mind under Towncamp Summer, then Boating.
- Before camp starts
Complete the swim evaluation
Every sailing camper completes a swim evaluation at an Oakland public pool or any pool with a certified lifeguard.
What it pays for
Covered
- Youth boating and sailing camp fees
- Lake Merritt and Jack London Aquatic Center camps
Not covered
- Families outside Oakland
- Any balance left after the award
Awards are first come, first served and depend on available funding; the boating program's scholarships are supported by an Aquatic Center Grant from the California State Parks Division of Boating and Waterways.
Good to know
Homeschooled children can apply
The application asks about Oakland residency and household income, not school enrollment, so a homeschooled child applies the same way as any other Oakland child.
Who to contact
Laura DeFelice, the Boating Program Coordinator, sends the application and confirms whether your family qualifies.
ldefelice@oaklandca.gov 510-238-2196 Youth Boating and Sailing Camps 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:
- 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
- How much does the Oakland boating scholarship pay?
- It varies. Oakland does not publish a fixed amount: you request an amount for each camp, staff decide what to award, and you are responsible for any balance due.
- Can I apply for all my children on one form?
- No. Each child needs a separate application, and every application must include proof of Oakland residency.
- Does applying guarantee a spot or a waiver?
- No. Submitting the form does not guarantee assistance, and funding goes first come, first served, so apply as soon as the 2027 information is posted.
Turn support into your child’s next lesson
Camps and local activities give your child new interests to explore. Their discoveries can shape the examples and questions they study at home.
$149/month per child after the trial.
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