Homeschool benefits and savings in Columbia County
Columbia County Parks, Recreation & Events' FLY (Funding for Learning & Youth Recreation) program gives a fee discount on its youth and teen programs, including summer camps, to households with financial need. Families on free or reduced lunch, SNAP, housing vouchers, Medicaid, or SSI, or who document their income, can apply online any time of year.
Who qualifies
Gets public assistance
Households on free or reduced lunch, SNAP, housing choice vouchers including Section 8, Medicaid, SSI or SSDI, or other public assistance are eligible. The application's lunch letter option is for Columbia County Schools letters only.
Or documents household income
If you receive no public assistance, list your annual household income and household size and upload proof of income.
Names the program
List the camp or program you want your child to attend. Assistance depends on need and program space.
What it is worth
These terms come from Columbia County's FLY page, its application form, and its 2026 summer camp listings; the county does not publish the discount amount.
- Fee discount
- Set by need
- How long the discount lasts
- 1 year
- Review time
- Up to 2 weeks
- Teen Adventure Camp deposit
- $250
- If approved after you paid
- Refund or credit
The FLY page lists youth and teen programs, but the application form says assistance is only for summer camp programs, so ask which programs your discount can be used for.
From applying to keeping it
- Before you apply
Gather proof of need
Collect your assistance letters or income documents and mark through all Social Security numbers.
- Any time
Submit the online form
Fill out section A for public assistance or section B for income, attach documents, and list the camps you want.
- Within 2 weeks
Hear back
The county notifies you by email or phone. You can register and pay while you wait.
- After approval
Use the discount
The discount is added to your account, and earlier payments can be refunded or credited for later use.
- Each year
Apply again
A new application is required yearly, because discounts last one year from approval.
What it pays for
Covered
- Summer camps
- Youth and teen recreation programs
Not covered
- Automatic registration in a program
- Guaranteed spots
Applying does not register your child, and assistance is approved based on need and program space.
Who to contact
The Parks, Recreation & Events office answers FLY application questions and helps families without email register.
anabel@columbiacountyga.gov 706-868-3484 FLY application
Homeschool rules and statewide help in Georgia
You must submit the Declaration of Intent within 30 days after establishing the home study program, then by September 1 each subsequent year.
Georgia sets these rules:
- Subjects: Teach reading, language arts, mathematics, social studies, and science, for the equivalent of 180 school days each year with at least 4.5 hours per day.
- Testing: Use an appropriate nationally standardized test at least every three years beginning at the end of grade 3, administered in consultation with a person trained in norm-referenced testing. Retain the scores and assessment records.
- Records: The instructor writes an annual progress assessment for each student in each required subject. Keep these reports for at least three years and retain standardized-test scores and assessment records.
- Teachers: The teaching parent needs a high school diploma or GED in Georgia.
Georgia also has an education savings account that home-educated students can use.
- The Georgia Promise Scholarship pays up to $6,500 for 2026-27, but your child usually must have attended an eligible Georgia public school for two semesters, or be entering kindergarten, and withdraw before it is funded. It does not pay for a homeschool you already run.
Read the Georgia homeschooling guide See statewide programs in Georgia
Questions parents ask
- Can a homeschooled child get FLY assistance?
- Yes. FLY is based on household financial need, not school enrollment. Without a Columbia County Schools lunch letter, use another assistance document such as SNAP or Medicaid, or apply with proof of household income.
- How much is the FLY discount?
- The county does not publish a set amount. It approves assistance based on need and program space and adds any discount to your account.
- Should I wait for approval before I register?
- No. You can register and pay while the application is reviewed. If you are approved, the payment can be refunded or credited for future use.
- Is my information kept private?
- Yes. The county says all application details and supporting documents are strictly confidential.
- Do we need a recreation account?
- Yes. New families create an online account to register for programs, or call 706-868-3484 if you do not have an email address.
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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