Homeschool benefits and savings in Gainesville
The Michelle Park Family Recreation Scholarship gives one low-to-moderate income Gainesville family $1,500 to spend on city recreation, nature, and cultural activities from January 1 to December 31, 2027. Any family inside city limits that meets federal poverty guidelines can apply by December 1, 2026, and homeschool families can prove income with a Florida Department of Children and Families (DCF) notice of case action letter.
Gainesville Michelle Park Family Recreation Scholarship
Who qualifies
Lives inside Gainesville city limits
Prove residency with a GRU (Gainesville Regional Utilities) bill or a voter registration card.
Meets federal poverty guidelines
The family's income must fall within federal poverty guidelines.
Shows an approved income letter
Show a current Alachua County school lunch letter or a DCF notice of case action letter; homeschool families use the DCF letter.
Signs the application agreement
The application form includes an agreement that must be signed and dated.
What it is worth
The city awards one scholarship valued at $1,500 for the 2027 calendar year, and the income table uses the 2026 federal poverty guidelines from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.
- Scholarship value
- $1,500
- Families awarded
- 1
- Poverty guideline, family of 3
- $27,320
- Poverty guideline, family of 4
- $33,000
- Poverty guideline, family of 5
- $38,680
The page asks for families who meet federal poverty guidelines but proves it only through a lunch or DCF letter, so a family with no DCF case should ask the parks department whether other proof is accepted.
From applying to keeping it
- Before you apply
Gather your proof
Get a GRU bill or voter registration card, plus your DCF notice of case action letter or SBAC lunch letter for the current school year.
- By Dec. 1, 2026
Send the application
Email the signed form and documents to prcasponsorship@gainesvillefl.gov, or mail them to PO Box 490, Station 24, Gainesville, FL 32627-0490, Attention: Michelle Park Scholarship.
- After the deadline
Lottery
The city picks one eligible family by lottery.
- Jan. 1 to Dec. 31, 2027
Use the scholarship
Spend the $1,500 on city programs, passes, and events during the 2027 calendar year.
What it pays for
Covered
- After-school program and school-break day camps
- Wellness Center access at the Martin Luther King, Jr. Multipurpose Center
- Tickets to cultural events
- An annual Sweetwater Wetlands Park pass
- Youth and adult recreation and sports
Who to contact
The parks department accepts applications and answers questions about the scholarship.
prcasponsorship@gainesvillefl.gov 352-334-5067 Scholarship page
Gainesville reduced-rate summer camps
Who qualifies
Lives in Gainesville
The reduced rate is 50% of the city-resident fee, and camp registration requires proof of residency, such as a GRU (Gainesville Regional Utilities) bill or voter ID.
Meets financial eligibility
Qualify through free or reduced-price lunch, SNAP or TANF benefits, or household income under federal poverty guidelines.
Is the right grade level
Adventures in Play takes children who finished kindergarten and are entering grades 1-5. Teen Life takes children who finished 5th grade and are entering grades 6-8.
What it saves
Gainesville's 2026 rates for Adventures in Play and Teen Life are $64.05 a week for city residents and $80.06 for non-residents.
- City-resident fee, one week
- $64.05
- Reduced rate, one week
- $32.03
- Reduced rate, all 8 weeks
- $256.24
- Full scholarship, one week
- $0
- Non-resident fee, one week
- $80.06
The page still shows 2026 rates and dates, so ask the parks department when the 2027 scholarship window opens and whether the fee changes.
From applying to camp
- January to February
Apply for a full scholarship
In 2026 the window ran January 19 to February 20 at 5 p.m., in person at the Thomas Center, with one application per child and one camp site.
- Outside the scholarship window
Apply for the reduced rate
Bring proof of financial eligibility to the Parks, Recreation and Cultural Affairs office at the Thomas Center, 306 NE Sixth Avenue, Building B, 3rd floor.
- From early March
Register for camp weeks
In 2026, city residents could register starting March 2. Spots are first come, first served, and registration closes the Friday before each session.
- June and July
Attend camp
The 2026 camps ran eight one-week sessions from June 8 to July 31, Monday to Friday, 7 a.m. to 6 p.m.
What it pays for
Covered
- Adventures in Play weekly camp fee
- Teen Life weekly camp fee
Not covered
- Non-resident fees
- Children who finished 8th grade
- A guaranteed camp spot
Families not picked for a full scholarship get the 50% reduced rate instead and must register and pay the rest.
Who to contact
The parks department runs Adventures in Play and Teen Life and handles reduced-rate and scholarship requests.
rec@gainesvillefl.gov 352-334-5067 Summer camps page
Homeschool rules and statewide help in Florida
You must file the initial written notice with the county superintendent within 30 days of starting. You must file a termination notice and the annual evaluation within 30 days of ending the program.
Florida sets these rules:
- Subjects: Parent-directed instruction; Florida law does not prescribe a specific curriculum for a home education program.
- Testing: Provide an annual educational evaluation using one statutory method; a portfolio review is one option, and an alternate method requires agreement with the district superintendent.
- Records: Keep a portfolio with an activities log made as instruction occurs, reading-material titles, and work samples. Preserve it for two years and make it available for inspection on 15 days’ written notice.
- Teachers: Florida does not require a teaching certificate or degree to homeschool your own child.
Florida also has two education savings accounts that home-educated students can use.
- The Personalized Education Program funds a Florida K-12 student's approved education costs through a scholarship organization, with income and priority rules. It is separate from registering a home education program with your district.
- The Family Empowerment Scholarship for Students with Unique Abilities funds approved education and disability costs for a student with a qualifying disability, including one in a registered home education program. The award depends on the disability and its services.
Read the Florida homeschooling guide See statewide programs in Florida
Questions parents ask
- Can a homeschool family apply for the Michelle Park scholarship?
- Yes. The scholarship has no school enrollment rule. Because homeschooled children do not get an SBAC lunch letter, use a DCF notice of case action eligibility letter as your proof of income.
- Is the Michelle Park scholarship paid to us in cash?
- No. The award is a scholarship valued at $1,500 that the family uses on city recreation, nature, and cultural activities during 2027.
- Can a homeschooled child get Gainesville's reduced summer camp rate?
- Yes. The camps and the reduced rate have no school enrollment rule. Without a school lunch letter, show SNAP or TANF benefits or proof that your income is under federal poverty guidelines.
- How do Gainesville camp grade levels work for a homeschooled child?
- The camps go by the grade your child is entering: grades 1-5 for Adventures in Play and grades 6-8 for Teen Life. Ask the parks office which camp fits if your child works across grade levels.
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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