Homeschool benefits and savings in Ontario
An Ontario City Library Educator Library Card lets you check out up to 40 items for 30 days, borrow educational DVDs for 7 days, and use 4 free fee-based DVD checkouts a year, with no fee to replace a lost card. Ontario educators in public, private, and homeschool settings can apply in person or by an online form. Other options include college classes and scholarships.
Ontario City Library homeschool educator card
Who qualifies
Teaches in Ontario
The card is for educators in Ontario, and the library names homeschool settings alongside public and private schools.
Shows school details
Bring a school ID, school email, and school address to an Ontario City Library branch. Homeschools are not on the library's printed school list, so call 909-395-2207 first to ask what to bring.
Can open a library account
Ontario library cards require a valid government-issued photo ID, proof of mailing address, and a completed library card application.
What the card gives you
Ontario City Library's Services to Educators page sets these Educator Card terms.
- Items checked out at once
- 40
- Loan period
- 30 days
- Educational and nonfiction DVDs
- 7 days
- Courtesy renewals on those DVDs
- 2
- Free fee-based DVD checkouts
- 4 a year
- Card replacement fee
- None
The 4 free fee-based DVD checkouts must be used within the calendar year and do not roll over, and items other patrons have reserved cannot be renewed.
How to get the card
- Before you apply
Call the library
Homeschools are not on the printed list of qualifying schools, so call the Beverly Cleary Young Readers Room at 909-395-2207 to confirm what proof to bring.
- When you apply
Apply in person or online
Bring your school ID, school email, and school address to your local Ontario City Library, or fill out the online Educator Card form to have the card mailed to you.
- Each loan
Borrow for 30 days
Check out up to 40 items for 30 days, and educational DVDs for 7 days with two courtesy renewals.
- Each calendar year
Use the free DVD checkouts
Your 4 free fee-based DVD checkouts reset each calendar year and do not roll over.
What it includes
Included
- Up to 40 library materials at once
- Educational DVDs for 7 days
- Free card replacement
Not included
- Renewals on items reserved by others
- Unused free DVD checkouts after December 31
Who to contact about the card
The Young Readers Room confirms whether your school qualifies for an Educator Card and arranges librarian visits and tours.
Reference@ontarioca.gov 909-395-2207 Services to Educators page
Barstow Community College homeschool dual enrollment
Who qualifies
Is in grades 9-12
Middle and elementary school students can appeal with transcripts and a principal's letter.
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.
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.
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
- 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.
- After applying
Meet a counselor
Book a college counselor to build an education plan, then complete the online orientation in the MYBCC portal.
- 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.
- 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
- The $46-a-unit enrollment fee
- Up to 11.5 units each fall and spring
- Up to 6 units in summer
Not covered
- Physical education courses
- Remedial courses
- Any units once the limit is exceeded
- Class materials fees
Good to know
Too many units costs you the whole waiver
Your student loses the waiver and pays out of pocket for every unit that semester, not just the extra ones.
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
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 the Ontario Educator Library Card be mailed to me?
- Yes. Fill out the library's online Educator Card form instead of visiting a branch, and the card is mailed to you.
- What happens if I lose the Ontario Educator Library Card?
- You get a new one free. Educators pay no replacement fee for a lost, stolen, or damaged Educator Card.
- Do we fill out the Barstow agreement form once?
- No. The Dual Enrollment Agreement Form is required for every semester your student takes college courses, and it must list all of the planned classes.
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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