Homeschool benefits and savings in Los Angeles
A free Los Angeles Public Library Teacher Card lets a homeschool educator borrow up to 50 items, most for 16 weeks, alongside a personal library card. Apply online with proof of your homeschool educator status; cards are free to California residents and must be renewed each school year. Other options include transit fare savings and museum and arts admission.
Benefits in Los Angeles
- Los Angeles Public Library homeschool teacher card
- Los Angeles Metro LIFE fare program
- Natural History Museum of Los Angeles County Homeschool Days
Los Angeles Public Library homeschool teacher card
Who qualifies
Is a homeschool educator
The library issues Teacher Cards to preschool-12 teachers, homeschool educators, adult school instructors, teacher-librarians, and school library aides.
Shows proof of teaching status
Upload an image or PDF of your proof with the online application. The form gives a school ID or pay stub as examples, so ask the library which homeschool document it accepts if you are unsure.
Has a personal LAPL card
You need two cards: one for personal use and the Teacher Card. The application asks for your personal library card number.
Lives in California
Library cards are free to California residents. People whose permanent address is outside California pay a $50 non-resident fee in person.
What the card gives you
The limits come from the Los Angeles Public Library Teacher Card page and its borrowing policies.
- Items on the Teacher Card
- 50
- Loan period for most items
- 16 weeks
- Renewals on Teacher Card items
- None
- DVDs, videos, and music
- Not 16 weeks
- Card cost for California residents
- Free
- Card length
- 1 school year
You pay for any items that are lost or damaged on the Teacher Card, and some items need a librarian's approval.
How to get the card
- Before you apply
Get a personal card
Pre-register online for a personal library card, then pick it up at a branch with a California ID or proof of identity and address.
- When you apply
Submit the online form
Fill out the Teacher Card application with your personal card number and attach proof of your homeschool educator status.
- Within a few days
Receive your card number
The library processes applications within a few days and emails your new Teacher Card number.
- Each school year
Renew the card
Teacher Cards are valid for one year and must be renewed every school year with the same form.
What it includes
Included
- Up to 50 items on loan
- 16-week loans for most items
- A separate personal card for family use
Not included
- Renewals on Teacher Card loans
- Extended loans on DVDs, videos, and music
- Lost or damaged item charges
Who to contact about the card
Library staff process Teacher Card applications and answer questions about accounts and renewals.
888-577-5275 Teacher Card application
Los Angeles Metro LIFE fare program
Who qualifies
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.
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.
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.
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
- 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.
- 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.
- 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.
- First 90 days
Ride free
Ride Metro and 16 participating agencies as much as you want during the first 90 days.
- 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
- Metro buses and trains
- Metro Micro
- 16 participating LA County transit agencies
- Discounted passes on other agencies
Not included
- Commuter Express routes
- Interagency transfer charges
- Riders already on GoPass, College U-Pass, or an Employer Pass
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
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.
Comes on a Homeschool Day
The free admission and programs apply on the posted Homeschool Days only, which the museum offers twice a year.
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.
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
- 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.
- 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.
- 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.
- 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
- General museum admission for the day
- Themed Homeschool Day programs
- Activity stations with shared supplies
- Scavenger hunts and resources at the Welcome Table
Not included
- Special exhibitions
- Butterfly and Spider Pavilion
- Dinosaur Encounters and other ticketed experiences
- Parking
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:
- 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
- Do we have to live in the City of Los Angeles for an LAPL Teacher Card?
- No. Library cards are free to anyone who lives in California. Only the instant e-card is limited to Los Angeles city residents.
- Can I renew books borrowed on the Teacher Card?
- No. Most Teacher Card items go out for 16 weeks with no renewals, so return them by the due date.
- Do 20 LIFE rides mean 20 days?
- No. It means 20 individual boardings, and free 2-hour transfers do not count against them.
- What happens to LIFE rides we do not use?
- They roll over to the next month, and a TAP card can hold up to eight 20-ride passes.
- 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.
- Can we visit the Natural History Museum free on other days?
- Yes. L.A. County residents get in free weekdays from 3 to 5 p.m., and L.A. County Library cardholders can reserve free admission through Discover & Go.
Turn support into your child’s next lesson
Books and library resources give your child something to explore. We turn their interests into coursework, so library discoveries can lead to deeper study at home.
$149/month per child after the trial.
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