Homeschool benefits and savings in Riverside
Riverside Parks, Recreation and Community Services gives partial scholarships of up to $80 per youth each July-June fiscal year for city recreation programs such as soccer, baseball, gymnastics, and dance, plus separate discounts on summer swim programs. Youth in low- and moderate-income households in the city's target areas qualify; apply at a community center.
Who qualifies
Lives in a target area
The Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) scholarships go to youth in identified low- and moderate-income target areas in the City of Riverside. Ask a community center whether your address is in one.
Meets the income level
Both scholarships are for low- and moderate-income households. The page does not list income limits, so ask what proof of income the application needs.
Signs up for a city program
CDBG scholarships apply only to specific city-sponsored recreation programs and activities, and aquatics scholarships to Parks swim programs.
What it is worth
Riverside's Parks, Recreation and Community Services scholarship page sets these amounts and rules.
- CDBG recreation scholarship, per youth per fiscal year
- Up to $80
- Share of the program fee covered
- Partial
- Aquatics scholarships (Operation Splash, LA84, Red Cross)
- Discount
- Ages for aquatics scholarships
- All ages
- Credit if you drop before the second class
- Full course
Day camps, aquatics, and special events give no credits, transfers, or refunds, and youth sports give only a credit when you ask in writing two weeks before the first game, so be sure before you register.
From applying to keeping it
- Before you register
Pick a city program
Choose an eligible city-sponsored program, such as flag football, soccer, rookieball, baseball, basketball, boxing, gymnastics, golf, cheer, or dance, or a summer swim program.
- To apply
Submit the application
Apply at a Riverside community center or with the application on the Parks forms page.
- At registration
Pay the balance
The CDBG scholarship is partial, so you pay whatever the program costs above the award.
- Each July
Start a new fiscal year
The $80 limit applies per youth per fiscal year, July through June.
What it pays for
Covered
- City-sponsored youth sports and recreation classes
- Summer swim lessons and Junior Lifeguard
- Silver Swimmers Club
Not covered
- Program costs above $80 a year
- Programs not run by the city
- Online registration transaction fees
Federal CDBG funding pays for the recreation scholarships, and Kaiser Permanente Operation Splash, LA84, and Red Cross Centennial grants pay for the aquatics discounts.
Good to know
Homeschooled children can apply
The scholarships depend on household income and where you live in Riverside, not on school enrollment.
Swim lessons have separate scholarships
For swim lessons, use the separate aquatics scholarships. Swim programs have their own, funded by Kaiser Permanente Operation Splash, LA84, and Red Cross Centennial grants, for low- and moderate-income residents of all ages in the summer.
Who to contact
The department answers questions about scholarships, target areas, and city programs, Monday through Friday, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.
parks@riversideca.gov 951-826-2000 Forms 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
- What if my child stops before the class ends?
- You usually get a credit only if you tell the department before the second class meeting. Refunds come only when a class is cancelled, and day camps and aquatics give no credits or refunds.
- Where do I apply?
- Visit a Riverside community center or complete the application on the Parks, Recreation and Community Services forms page.
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.
Find benefits for your ZIP code