Homeschool benefits and savings in Tavares
The City of Tavares Recreation team runs hands-on homeschool programs for grades K-12, with four sessions on the fall calendar: a wastewater lab tour on October 22, butter making on November 3 or 5, a therapy dog visit on November 17 or 19, and a reptile program on December 10. Any homeschool family can sign up through the city's online registration system, and space may be limited.
Who qualifies
Is in grades K-12
Every program on the fall calendar lists grades K-12, so younger and older siblings can attend the same session.
Registers for each program
Sign up for each program separately through Tavares Recreation's online registration. Registration opens program by program, and the city encourages early sign-up because space may be limited.
Picks one time slot
Most programs run twice, either at two times on one day or on two different days, so choose the slot that fits your week.
What is on the calendar
The dates, times, and places come from the City of Tavares Home School Programs page, which does not list the year for each date or a program fee.
- Wastewater Lab Tour, Tavares Wastewater Treatment Plant
- Oct. 22, 9:30 or 11:00 a.m.
- Moove & Churn: Making Butter, Tavares Agricultural Center
- Nov. 3 or 5, 10-11 a.m.
- PAWS Therapy Dogs, Tavares TRA Room
- Nov. 17 or 19, 10-11 a.m.
- What is a Reptile?, Tavares Civic Center
- Dec. 10, 9:30 or 10:45 a.m.
The page does not state a cost. Ask the Recreation office whether a program has a fee and how many spots each session holds before you register.
How to sign up
- Before you register
Check the calendar
Read the Home School Programs page for the topic, place, and two time slots of each program.
- When registration opens
Sign up online
Register through Tavares Recreation's online system. The wastewater tour is open now; the butter, therapy dog, and reptile programs are marked registration opening soon.
- Program day
Arrive at the listed site
Programs meet at different city sites, including the wastewater plant, the Agricultural Center, the TRA Room, and the Civic Center.
- Each month
Watch for new programs
The city adds programs such as tours, nature activities, recreation, and workshops at indoor and outdoor locations around Tavares.
What it includes
Included
- Guided facility tours
- Hands-on science and farm activities
- Nature and animal programs
- Service projects such as cards for seniors
Who to contact about the programs
The Recreation office runs the homeschool programs and answers questions about dates, registration, and space.
recreations@tavaresfl.gov 352-742-6477 Program registration
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
- Do we have to live in Tavares to join its homeschool programs?
- Not as far as the city says; the Home School Programs page lists no residency rule. Email recreations@tavaresfl.gov to confirm before you register if you live outside the city.
- Can a homeschooled child sign up for Tavares programs without any paperwork?
- Yes. The programs are built for homeschool families, and the page lists no school enrollment or documentation requirement, only online registration for each program.
- Can I bring children of different ages?
- Yes. Each fall program is listed for grades K-12, so siblings across grade levels can attend together.
- What happens at the wastewater tour?
- Students see how wastewater is cleaned, treated, and reused, with spectrophotometer demonstrations, bacteriological testing, and microscope viewing.
- What if registration for a program has not opened yet?
- Three fall programs are marked registration opening soon. Check the registration page again, or ask the Recreation office at 352-742-6477 when sign-up opens.
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