Homeschool benefits and savings in Windsor
The Town of Windsor recreation scholarship gives a family up to $200 between April 1, 2026 and March 31, 2027 toward town recreation classes for children under 18. A homeschool family qualifies by living within Windsor town limits and showing CalFresh, WIC, General Assistance, or another listed public assistance program. Other options include library educator cards and resources and transit fare savings.
Benefits in Windsor
- Windsor recreation scholarship
- Sonoma County Library homeschool educator card
- Sonoma County Transit youth fare
Windsor recreation scholarship
Who qualifies
Lives in Windsor town limits
Families must live within Windsor town limits or attend Windsor Unified School District. A homeschool family uses residency: bring a utility bill from the last 60 days and a picture ID.
Gets public assistance
Show CalFresh eligibility from the last 60 days, WIC (Women, Infants, and Children) eligibility from the last 30 days, County Relief or General Assistance, or AFDC (Aid to Families with Dependent Children).
School lunch proof may not help
The form lists school lunch participation, but notes meals are currently free to all students, so a family that is not in a school uses one of the other programs.
Picks an eligible program
Town Early Childhood Education programs such as Children's Circle and Kinder Club, and programs only for adults, are not eligible.
What it is worth
Windsor pays up to $200 per family per scholarship year, and only the amount needed for a specific class.
- $75 class
- $75
- $150 class
- $150
- $300 class
- $200, you pay $100
- Two $100 classes in one year
- $200
- Most per family, April 1-March 31
- $200
If your child misses more than half of a class paid with scholarship money, or drops out without following the refund policy, the family loses eligibility for the next calendar year.
From applying to keeping it
- Before you go
Gather documents
Bring proof of financial need and a utility bill from the last 60 days with a picture ID.
- Monday-Thursday, 8 a.m.-5 p.m.
Apply in person
Bring the 2026-27 application to the Parks and Recreation office at 9291 Old Redwood Hwy., Bldg. 300D, Windsor.
- At approval
Register for the class
Approved funds are used toward the class at the time of approval, and you pay any balance when you register.
- During the year
Use the rest
You do not reapply for each class within the same scholarship year.
- From March 16
Reapply each spring
A new application is needed each scholarship year. Applications for 2026-27 opened March 16, 2026, ahead of summer registration on April 1.
What it pays for
Covered
- Town of Windsor recreation classes for youth
- Town recreation programs for youth
Not covered
- Children's Circle, Montessori in Motion, Kinder Club, and Creative Thinkers
- Programs only for adults 18 and older
- Amounts above $200 a year
Community donations pay for the scholarships, so awards are made only while funds last.
Who to contact
The Parks and Recreation office takes scholarship applications and answers questions about the program and donations.
707-838-1260 Scholarship program page
Sonoma County Library homeschool educator card
Who qualifies
Teaches a certified home school
Educator Cards go to teachers at Sonoma County educational institutions, and the library lists certified home schools alongside public, private, and religious schools.
Shows proof of home school
Bring proof of home school status. The library also accepts a school ID badge, an employment letter, or a paystub for other educators.
Teaches or lives in Sonoma County
The school must be in Sonoma County, or you must live in Sonoma County if you teach in another county.
Confirms each year
Cards renew on August 1, when you confirm you are still part of an educational institution.
What the card gives you
The limits come from Sonoma County Library's Educator Card page.
- Items checked out at once
- 100
- Loan period
- Up to 6 weeks
- Holds at a time
- 50
- Lost or damaged items with fees waived
- 4 per school year
- Card cost
- Free
- Renewal date
- August 1
Items borrowed from Lake County, Mendocino County, or LINK+ keep their regular loan periods, not the six-week educator period.
How to get the card
- Before you go
Gather your proof
Bring proof of your home school status and a photo ID.
- At the branch
Ask for an Educator Card
Apply in person at any Sonoma County Library location; the library lists no online application for this card.
- Each checkout
Return within six weeks
After four lost or damaged items in a school year, you pay replacement fees.
- By August 1 each year
Renew the card
Confirm you are still homeschooling so the card stays active for the next school year.
What it includes
Included
- Up to 100 library items at once
- Six-week loans
- Up to 50 holds
- A general card also allows 100 items, but the Educator Card adds loans of up to six weeks, up to 50 holds, and waived replacement fees on up to four items a school year.
Not included
- Wi-Fi hot spots
- Chrome Kits
- Discover and Go museum passes
- Extended loans on Lake, Mendocino, and LINK+ items
Who to contact about the card
Sonoma County Library's Ask Us service answers questions from patrons, and branch staff handle account questions by phone through option 3.
ask@sonomacounty.libanswers.com Ask Us
Sonoma County Transit youth fare
Who qualifies
Is 5 to 18 years old
Sonoma County Transit says all passengers between 5 and 18 years of age ride free. Younger children ride free when they travel with an adult.
Carries proof of age
Riders in a discount category need proof of age, and a rider without valid ID pays the full adult fare. The agency does not list which documents count for youth, so ask customer service what your child should carry.
No school enrollment required
The free fare is based on age alone, so a homeschooled child qualifies exactly like a public school student.
What the free fare saves
Sonoma County Transit's fare page lists these one-way adult cash fares, and youth pay nothing on any of them.
- Nine local routes
- Free for all
- First zone
- $1.50
- Between two zones
- $2.10
- Across three zones
- $3.00
- Across five zones
- $4.80
- Zone upgrade on a transfer
- Free for youth
A parent riding along still pays: adults owe the zone fare, and seniors 65 and older and riders with disabilities pay half.
How to ride free
- Before you ride
Bring proof of age
Have your child carry something that shows their age, since a rider without valid ID is charged the adult fare.
- On the bus
Board and ride free
Youth do not pay the fare, and transfers to another Sonoma County Transit bus within three hours are free.
- At 19
Start paying the adult fare
The free youth fare covers riders through age 18.
What it includes
Included
- All Sonoma County Transit routes
- Every fare zone
- Transfers and zone upgrades
Not included
- Riders 19 and older
- Adults riding with your child
Who to contact about youth fares
Sonoma County Transit customer service answers fare and route questions on weekdays from 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.
707-565-7433 Discount fare categories
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 we apply for the Windsor scholarship now, in October?
- Yes, if money is left. The 2026-27 scholarship year runs to March 31, 2027, and funds are given while they last, so call 707-838-1260 to ask.
- Can I mail or email the Windsor scholarship application?
- No. The policy says to bring the completed application to the Parks and Recreation office during business hours, Monday through Thursday, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.
- Can I borrow a hot spot or museum pass on the Educator Card?
- No. Hot spots, Chrome Kits, and Discover and Go museum passes are excluded from Educator Cards.
- Do we need to sign up or buy a Sonoma County Transit youth pass?
- No. Sonoma County Transit lists no application or pass for youth, and riders ages 5-18 board free with proof of age.
- Is the Sonoma County Transit free fare good on long trips across the county?
- Yes. Youth ride free in every zone, including trips across five zones where adults pay $4.80 one way.
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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