Homeschool benefits and savings in Ventura
Ventura's Youth Scholarship Program pays all or part of the fee for one city arts, enrichment, or recreation program per child each Activity Guide season, based on need and available funds. Children 17 and younger who live in the City of Ventura qualify through CalFresh, WIC, or household income up to $119,750 for a family of four, with no school enrollment requirement.
Who qualifies
Lives in the City of Ventura
Send a copy of your California ID or driver's license, or a lease, mortgage bill, utility bill, or vehicle registration showing an address within city boundaries.
Is 17 or younger
List each child and date of birth on the application; you can list up to three children on one form.
Shows need one of three ways
Send your latest IRS Form 1040 showing gross income and dependents, a current CalFresh Notice of Action, or a current WIC (Women, Infants, and Children) document showing active status.
Is under the income limit
The 2025 HUD limits for Ventura County run from $95,800 for two people to $158,100 for eight.
What it is worth
The application uses the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development's 2025 income limits for Ventura County.
- 2 people
- $95,800
- 3 people
- $107,800
- 4 people
- $119,750
- 5 people
- $129,350
- 6 people
- $138,950
- 8 people
- $158,100
The city does not publish a set award amount, so if the scholarship covers only part of a fee, you pay the rest when you are approved.
From applying to keeping it
- Before the season
Pick a program
Choose a first and second choice from the Activity Guide and write each activity number on the application.
- Before your child attends
Submit the application
Email it with your documents to parksandrec@cityofventura.ca.gov or drop it off at City Hall Room 226, the Ventura Aquatics Center, or Westpark Community Center. Black out Social Security numbers first.
- Up to three weeks
Wait for approval
City staff contact you once the application is processed. Your child cannot attend the program before approval, and requests are held until the program meets minimum enrollment.
- At approval
Pay any balance
If the award does not cover the full fee, pay the remaining balance then.
- Each season
Apply again
Requests are limited to one program per child per season: fall, winter and spring, and summer.
What it pays for
Covered
- City arts programs
- City enrichment programs
- City recreation programs
- Afterschool Program months within one season
Not covered
- More than one program per child per season
- Programs attended before approval
- Non-city programs
The Harry A. Lyon Youth Fund and the Ventura Community Partners Foundation help pay for the scholarships, and awards depend on available funds.
Good to know
The amount depends on need and funds
The scholarship may cover all or part of the program fee, depending on your need and the funds available. You find out when City staff contact you after processing.
Who to contact
Vanessa Guzman, senior office assistant, answers questions about the application and documents.
vguzman@cityofventura.ca.gov 805-677-3956 Scholarship 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 child take two classes in the same season with Ventura's scholarship?
- No. Only one program per child per Activity Guide season qualifies, and the Afterschool Program counts as one program even when you request several months.
- Can I email the application?
- Yes. Email it to parksandrec@cityofventura.ca.gov, or bring it to one of the three listed city offices.
- Can my child start the class while we wait?
- No. Your child may not attend a program before the scholarship is approved, so apply well before the class starts.
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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