Homeschool benefits and savings in Fort Wayne
The Fort Wayne Fire Department lets home school groups book a session at the Survive Alive House, a full-size two-story house that simulates a fire so children can practice escaping. Groups and families can schedule during the summer months and after school hours by calling the Safety Education Division at 260-427-5179. Other options include recreation and camp discounts and transit fare savings.
Benefits in Fort Wayne
- Fort Wayne Survive Alive House homeschool groups
- Fort Wayne youth scholarship
- Fort Wayne Citilink youth fares
Fort Wayne Survive Alive House homeschool groups
Who qualifies
Comes as a home school group
The city lists home school groups, families, scouting groups, and neighborhood associations among the groups encouraged to visit the Safety Village and Survive Alive House.
Books outside the school day
During the school year, daytime programs serve area schools, mainly third graders.
Schedules ahead by phone
There is no online booking. Call the Fort Wayne Fire Department Safety Education Division to set a date.
What the visit includes
The Fort Wayne Fire Department describes its two-hour school-year Survive Alive program, which mixes classroom time with hands-on escapes.
- Classroom time
- Discussion and videos
- Upstairs escape
- Window, by ladder or hang and drop
- Downstairs escape
- Dark stairs, fake smoke
- After escaping
- Meeting place and a practice call
- Cost for area schools
- Free
- Cost for other groups
- Not listed
The city says programs are free for area public and private schools but lists no price for other groups, so ask about any fee and the session length when you call.
How to book a visit
- Before you call
Pick dates and count your group
Choose a few summer or after-school dates and know how many children and adults will come, with their ages.
- To book
Call the Safety Education Division
Call 260-427-5179 or 260-427-1483 to schedule a session at the Safety Village or Survive Alive House.
- On the day
Go to the Safety Village
The village is at 1270 South Phoenix Parkway on Fort Wayne's southeast side, directly behind Southtown Centre.
- After the visit
Practice at home
Download the free Survive Alive House activity book from the city's page to work through fire safety with your family.
What it includes
Included
- Classroom discussion and safety videos
- Practice escapes through simulated fire and smoke
- A practice emergency phone call
- Survive Alive House activity book (PDF)
The house uses strobe lights, a heated bedroom door, fire sounds, and non-toxic fog from a fog machine, so children practice decisions without any real danger.
Who to contact about a visit
The Safety Education Division schedules tours of the Survive Alive House and Safety Village for groups and families.
260-427-5179 Survive Alive House page
Fort Wayne youth scholarship
Who qualifies
Is 17 or younger
Each child in the household who is 17 or younger can receive a credit. The program lists no school enrollment requirement, so a homeschooled child qualifies the same way.
Household income qualifies
The credit level depends on your household's size and income. Show your most recent IRS tax return with Social Security numbers blacked out, or an official state letter showing you qualify for SNAP food assistance.
Uses Fort Wayne Parks programs
The credit applies to Fort Wayne Parks youth classes, camps, and programs, but not to Zoo classes or programs.
What it is worth
Fort Wayne Parks gives each eligible child a $50 or $100 credit for the calendar year, depending on household income.
- One child at the lower credit
- $50
- One child at the higher credit
- $100
- Two children at $100 each
- $200
- Three children at $100 each
- $300
- Zoo classes and programs
- Not eligible
The city does not publish the income chart that decides $50 or $100, so ask Rob Hines which level your household size and income meet.
From applying to keeping it
- Before you register
Gather your proof
Get your most recent federal tax return with Social Security numbers blacked out, or your state SNAP qualification letter.
- To apply
Submit online or in person
Upload your documents through the online Youth Scholarship form, or bring them to 705 E. State Blvd., Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.
- At registration
Pay any balance
Bring a credit card, check, or cash for any fees above your child's credit.
- By Dec. 31
Use the credit
The credit covers registrations in the same calendar year and can be split across more than one class.
- Spring 2027
Plan for summer camps
The 2027 camp brochure for Franke Park Day Camp, Farmin' Fun, and River Camp comes out next spring, with its own registration forms.
What it pays for
Covered
- Fort Wayne Parks youth classes
- Youth camps
- Youth programs
Not covered
- Zoo classes and programs
- Fees above the credit amount
- Credit left after December 31
Donations from organizations and individuals pay for the scholarships, and the department offers a limited number as funds are available.
Who to contact
Rob Hines answers questions about the Youth Scholarship program, and the department office at 705 E. State Blvd. takes in-person registrations.
rob.hines@cityoffortwayne.org 260-427-6000 Youth Scholarship form
Fort Wayne Citilink youth fares
Who qualifies
Is 5 to 18 years old
Citilink offers reduced fares to children ages 5-18. Children under 5 ride free.
Shows a picture ID
Special fares require a Citilink or school-issued picture ID card. A homeschooled child without a school ID can get the Citilink card, which costs $3.75 and lasts three years.
Tells the driver first
If your child pays cash, they must tell the driver they are paying the reduced fare before putting money in the farebox. Riders without an ID card pay the regular fare.
What the fare saves
Prices come from Citilink's fare table, which lists the reduced price for youth ages 5-18 next to the full fare.
- Ticket to Ride
- $0.75 ($1.50)
- All Day Pass
- $1.85 ($3.75)
- 31-Day Pass
- $27.00 ($54.00)
- Youth Summer Fun Pass
- $30, or $25 on Token Transit
- Children under 5
- Free
- Citilink reduced fare ID
- $3.75 for 3 years
Citilink gives no refunds on the ID card, and the fare page does not list the Summer Fun Pass dates, so ask Customer Service before buying it.
How to ride at the youth fare
- Before the first ride
Get a Citilink ID
If your child has no school-issued picture ID, visit Citilink's office to get a reduced fare ID for $3.75.
- Buying fares
Choose the reduced fare
Buy passes in the Token Transit app, in Citilink's online pass store, or pay cash on board after telling the driver.
- On the bus
Show the ID
Your child shows the Citilink or school picture ID with each reduced fare. Without it, the regular fare applies.
- Every 3 years
Renew the ID
Citilink reduced fare ID cards are valid for three years.
What it includes
Included
- Fixed-route bus rides in Fort Wayne
- Single rides, All Day Passes, and 31-Day Passes
- Free rides for children under 5
Not included
- Reduced fares without a picture ID
- Refunds on the ID card
- Riders over 18 who do not otherwise qualify
Good to know
Homeschooled children get the youth fare
The youth fare depends on age, 5 to 18, not school enrollment. Your child needs a picture ID, and a Citilink-issued ID works when there is no school ID.
Who to contact about youth fares
Customer Service answers fare and route questions, 6:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. weekdays and 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. Saturdays.
Homeschool rules and statewide help in Indiana
No state registration or homeschool number is required. On withdrawal, notify the school in writing. For a high-school student, a parent or guardian must also sign the Withdrawal to Non-Accredited Non-public School Located in Indiana form.
Indiana sets these rules:
- Subjects: Provide 180 days of instruction and instruction equivalent to public schools; state law does not define equivalency, and public-school curriculum rules do not apply.
- Testing: Indiana does not require standardized testing for homeschoolers.
- Records: Indiana requires you to keep attendance records.
- Teachers: Indiana does not require a teaching certificate or degree to homeschool your own child.
Indiana also has an education savings account that home-educated students can use.
- The Indiana Education Scholarship Account pays about 90% of state tuition support, for students with a qualifying disability or an eligible sibling. Once enrolled, your child is no longer an independent homeschool student, and the money stays in ClassWallet for approved costs.
Read the Indiana homeschooling guide See statewide programs in Indiana
Questions parents ask
- Is a Survive Alive House visit free for a homeschool group?
- The city does not say. Its programs are free for area public and private schools, but no price is listed for home school groups or families, so ask when you call 260-427-5179.
- What will the children do at the Survive Alive House?
- In the school program, children escape a second-story window by ladder or hang and drop, go down stairs past fake smoke and fire, meet at a set spot, and practice a fire call.
- Can a homeschooled child get a Fort Wayne youth scholarship?
- Yes. The scholarship is based on your child's age and your household's income, and the city lists no school enrollment requirement.
- We did not file a tax return. What can we show for the Fort Wayne youth scholarship?
- An official letter from the state showing that your household qualifies for SNAP food assistance can replace the tax return.
- Where do we get the Citilink ID?
- At Citilink's main office, 801 Leesburg Road, open weekdays 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Call 260-432-4977 to confirm before you go.
Turn support into your child’s next lesson
Put eligible education funds toward a curriculum that teaches the courses and grades the work. Check the program’s purchasing rules before paying.
$149/month per child after the trial.
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