Homeschool benefits and savings in St. Charles
St. Charles Community Unit School District 303 lets homeschooled students who live in the district attend district classes part time, such as elementary orchestra, when space is available. Submit your request to the building principal of your attendance area by May 1 for the next school year. Other options include college classes and scholarships.
St. Charles District 303 homeschool shared-time classes
Who qualifies
Homeschooled in District 303
Nonpublic students, including homeschoolers, who live in the district may attend district classes on a space-available basis.
Asks by May 1
Send the request to the building principal of your attendance area by May 1, so the school can plan sections and classes.
What part-time enrollment gives you
The terms come from District 303's October 10, 2025 clarification on Board Policy 7:40 and its registration and fee waiver pages.
- District classes, such as orchestra
- When space allows
- Grade on the report card
- Yes, for orchestra
- Interscholastic athletics
- IESA and IHSA rules
- Request deadline
- May 1
- Fee waiver with approved application
- 100%
District 303 bills registration fees in full at registration unless a fee waiver is on file, so ask the Business Office at 331-228-4927 what a part-time student pays.
How to enroll part time
- By May 1
Ask the principal
Write to the building principal of your attendance-area school with the class you want for the following school year.
- Before classes
Register in ParentVUE
Create a ParentVUE account, start new student registration, and upload proof of residency and the other required documents.
- During the year
Follow district policies
Part-time students follow all district discipline and attendance policies.
- Each year
Renew residency
District 303 requires proof of residency every year, and fee waiver applications must be renewed annually.
What it includes
Included
- District classes on a space-available basis
- Orchestra with a report card grade
- Athletics for eligible enrolled students
Not included
- Families living outside District 303
- Requests after May 1
- Athletes without 25 passing hours of coursework a week
Who to contact about part-time enrollment
The district office at 201 South 7th Street handles registration questions and directs part-time requests to your school.
331-228-2000 New student enrollment
Elgin Community College homeschool trustee scholarships
Who qualifies
Submits an ACT score
Homeschooled students are judged on ACT scores instead of class rank: a composite of at least 26 for Top 10 Percent and at least 24 for Top 20 Percent.
Lives in District 509
Your student must live in the ECC district for at least 30 days before the first term the award pays for, and stay in the district for the whole scholarship period.
Starts right after graduating
Your student enrolls at ECC as a freshman in the fall or spring semester immediately after high school graduation.
Enrolls full time in a degree
At least 12 credit hours a term, accepted into an associate degree program unless a vocational certificate is the only option. Non-credit courses do not count.
What it is worth
ECC charges in-district students $148 per credit hour from summer 2026, and its trustee scholarship procedure sets the award amounts.
- Full-time term tuition (12 hours)
- $1,776
- Full-time year tuition (24 hours)
- $3,552
- Top 10 Percent award, one year
- $2,000
- Top 20 Percent award, one year
- $1,000
- Top 10 Percent award, two years
- $4,000
- Top 20 Percent award, two years
- $2,000
Tuition alone for a full-time year is more than either award, and course and lab fees vary by class, so ask Financial Aid how the award is split across tuition, fees, and books each term.
From applying to keeping it
- Senior year
Take the ACT
Get an ACT composite of 26 or higher for Top 10 Percent, or 24 or higher for Top 20 Percent, and send the scores to ECC.
- Before you enroll
Submit the paper application
ECC requires a paper application, a one-page personal statement on educational plans, career goals, and community involvement, and transcripts. Incomplete applications are not processed.
- Before the award
Send the final transcript
A final transcript showing the graduation date must be on file before the award is made, and your student attends new student orientation.
- Each term
Complete scholar activities
Top 10 Percent scholars complete ten leadership and service activities a semester and Top 20 Percent scholars complete five, through the Academic Scholars Program.
- Year two
Keep a 3.0 GPA
Stay at 12 or more credit hours each fall and spring with a cumulative GPA of at least 3.0. Second-year students confirm eligibility instead of reapplying.
What it pays for
Covered
- Tuition
- Fees
- Books
- Up to 12 hours of remedial classes
Not covered
- Summer terms
- Part-time enrollment
- Non-credit courses
- Costs above the yearly award
The trustee procedure says the award goes toward tuition, fees, and books, up to the yearly amount.
Good to know
ACT scores replace class rank
ECC's procedure says homeschooled students submit ACT scores instead of a class rank. A composite of 26 puts your student in the running for Top 10 Percent, and 24 for Top 20 Percent.
The FAFSA is not required
The Top 10 and Top 20 Percent awards do not require the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA).
Who to contact
Financial Aid and Scholarships in Building B, Room B156, handles trustee scholarship applications and questions about homeschool ACT scores.
financialaid@elgin.edu 847-214-7360 Contact form
Homeschool rules and statewide help in Illinois
You do not have to file a homeschool notice.
Illinois sets these rules:
- Subjects: Teach language arts, math, biological, physical, and social sciences, fine arts, and physical development and health, in English, at least at public-school level.
- Testing: Illinois does not require standardized testing for homeschoolers.
- Records: Illinois does not require homeschool records.
- Teachers: The instructor must be competent; no state teaching certificate is required.
Read the Illinois homeschooling guide See statewide programs in Illinois
Questions parents ask
- Do we have to register with District 303 even for one class?
- Yes. Part-time students complete the standard registration process, including educational records, a birth certificate, immunization records, and proof of residency.
- Can my homeschooled child play District 303 sports?
- Yes, if your child enrolls in the district and meets IESA (middle school) and IHSA (high school) rules. You submit grades every week showing your child is passing 25 hours of coursework.
Turn support into your child’s next lesson
Local classes cover the subjects they offer. We teach the remaining subjects, so a local class can stay part of the year without becoming the whole curriculum.
$149/month per child after the trial.
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