Homeschool benefits and savings in Indianapolis
The Indiana State Museum in Indianapolis gives free admission to preregistered homeschool groups of at least 10 K-12 students, plus one free adult for every five students. Register at least one week before your visit; extra adults pay the $20 group rate. Other options include recreation and camp discounts, transit fare savings, and library educator cards and resources.
Benefits in Indianapolis
- Indiana State Museum homeschool field trips
- Indy Parks homeschool programs
- IndyGo youth fare
- Indianapolis Public Library homeschool services
Indiana State Museum homeschool field trips
Who qualifies
Is a homeschool group
Homeschool is one of the organization types on the museum's booking form, separate from K-12 schools and out-of-school-time groups.
Brings 10 or more students
The group needs at least 10 K-12 students. Kindergarten students must be 5 years old by August 1 of the school year.
Registers a week ahead
Book through the museum's field trip form at least one week before the visit, and list two different preferred dates.
What the visit costs
The Indiana State Museum's field trip pages list the homeschool group rate, group rates for extra visitors, and program fees.
- K-12 students in a group of 10+
- Free
- One adult per five students
- Free
- Each additional adult
- $20
- Younger child, ages 3-4
- $14
- Hands-on program, up to 15 students
- $75
- Each extra student in that program
- $5
Hands-on programs need at least 15 students, and IMAX prices are not listed on the field trip pages, so ask the school reservationist if you want either.
How to book the trip
- Before you book
Count your group
Confirm at least 10 K-12 students and plan one adult for every five students.
- At least 1 week ahead
Submit the booking form
Choose Homeschool as your organization type, give two different preferred dates, and add any program or lunch plans.
- After you submit
Watch for the museum's reply
If your first date is full, the museum contacts you to schedule a different date.
- On the day
Visit Wednesday to Sunday
The museum is open Wednesday through Sunday, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., and closed on Easter, Veterans Day, Thanksgiving, and Christmas Day.
What it includes
Included
- Museum admission for K-12 students
- One adult admission per five students
- Use of the lunchroom, if you request it
Not included
- Additional adults beyond the ratio
- Hands-on programs and assembly shows
- IMAX tickets
- Museum membership discounts
Who to contact about a field trip
The school reservationist and the education team book field trips and answer questions about programs and group rates.
education@indianamuseum.org 317-741-5832 Book a field trip
Indy Parks homeschool programs
Who qualifies
Is a homeschool family
These programs are built for homeschool families, and Indy Parks asks for no school enrollment or proof of homeschooling.
Fits the program's age range
The drop-in gym is for ages 5 to 13 (grades K-6), the hiking club for ages 5 to 12, and the Grassy Creek sessions for ages 6 to 13.
Registers ahead
Sign up through Indy Parks online registration. The hiking club is free but requires pre-registration, and several programs cap enrollment at 15 to 60 participants.
Has an adult present
Parents lead their child's lesson plan in the drop-in gym, join the hikes and Grassy Creek sessions, and are expected to stay for the Spooky Soiree.
What the programs cost
Prices and dates come from the fall 2026 listings in Indy Parks' online registration system.
- Drop-In Gym, Brookside Park, Mon. and Wed. 1-2 p.m.
- Free
- Hiking Club, Holliday Park, monthly Thursdays 2-3 p.m.
- Free
- Fall Homeschool Social, Brookside Park, Oct. 14
- Free
- Spooky Soiree, Grassy Creek Park, Oct. 28
- $8.00
- Entomology session, Grassy Creek Park, Nov. 17
- $7.50
The older Indy Parks homeschool page still lists $5 Homeschool Explorers and $3 homeschool PE from early 2025, which are not in the current registration system, so rely on the registration listings for prices.
How to join a program
- Before you sign up
Make an Indy Parks account
Search homeschool in Indy Parks online registration to see current programs, ages, and open spots.
- Before each program
Register your child
Register for each program, including the free ones. The Grassy Creek sessions each hold 20 children and the hiking club holds 15.
- Mondays and Wednesdays
Use the drop-in gym
Brookside Park Family Center provides the gym plus jump ropes, hula hoops, balls, cones, and floor scooters from 1 to 2 p.m. through December 30.
- Each season
Check for the next round
Programs run by season, such as the Holliday Park hikes from September through December, so look for new listings as each season ends.
What it includes
Included
- Gym space and equipment for physical education
- Guided nature hikes
- Hands-on science sessions
- Homeschool social events
Not included
- A teacher for the drop-in gym
- Unregistered drop-ins for capped programs
Who to contact about homeschool programs
Indy Parks answers questions about programs, registration, and park locations.
317-327-7275 Contact Indy Parks
IndyGo youth fare
Who qualifies
Is 18 or younger
Youth 18 and younger ride at the half-fare rate. The youth card expires on the rider's 19th birthday.
Shows student ID or card
Riders show a valid K-12 student ID or a personalized reduced fare MyKey+ card. A homeschooled child without a student ID uses the Half Fare card.
Applies with proof of age
The Reduced Fare Identification Card application asks for your child's name, address, and birth date, and the youth category requires proof of age.
What the fare saves
IndyGo's current fare table lists full and half fares, with daily and weekly caps that apply when you pay with MyKey+.
- 2 hours of unlimited rides
- $1.35
- Daily fare cap
- $3.00
- Weekly fare cap
- $12.15
- Full fare for 2 hours, for comparison
- $2.75
- Children 5 and under with a paying adult
- Free, limit two
- Replacement Half Fare card
- $5.00
Weekly capping works only on a tap card registered to your MyKey+ account, so register your child's card online after you get it.
How to get the youth fare
- Before you apply
Gather proof of age
Have a document that shows your child's birth date, and fill out the Reduced Fare Identification Card application.
- To apply
Visit Customer Care
Take the application to IndyGo Customer Service at the Julia M. Carson Transit Center, 201 East Washington Street.
- After you get the card
Register and load it
Register the card to a MyKey+ account so weekly capping applies, then add money online, in the app, at retail partners, or at the Customer Care Desk.
- At age 19
Card expires
The youth Half Fare card expires on your child's 19th birthday, when full fares apply.
What it includes
Included
- Half fare on IndyGo fixed-route buses
- Daily and weekly fare caps
- A free Half Fare MyKey+ card
Not included
- Riders 19 and older
- Replacement cards, at $5 each
Who to contact about the youth fare
IndyGo Customer Service answers eligibility questions and issues Half Fare cards at the Julia M. Carson Transit Center.
Indianapolis Public Library homeschool services
Who qualifies
Lives in Marion County
Residents of Marion County, except Speedway, get a free card. Marion County property owners, business owners, teachers, and students at Marion County schools also qualify.
Homeschools at any stage
The library's homeschool services are for families who have homeschooled for years or are just starting, with no proof of homeschooling required.
Lives elsewhere in Indiana
Residents of unserved districts can buy a non-resident card, and cardholders of another Indiana library can buy a Public Library Access Card (PLAC) at a fee set yearly by the Indiana State Library.
What the library gives you
The terms come from the Indianapolis Public Library's homeschool, educator services, library card, and exam proctoring pages.
- Library card for Marion County residents
- Free
- Homeschool programs and meet-ups
- Free
- Topic collection gathered by staff
- 30 books
- Exam proctoring, first two hours
- $25.00
- Exam proctoring, each extra hour
- $10.00
- Card renewal period
- Every 3 years
Proctoring is random, intermittent monitoring in public spaces, and the library cannot proctor video-monitored exams or exams that need special software, so check your test's rules first.
How to use it
- Before you start
Get a library card
Apply online or at any location with ID showing your current address, or bring a piece of mail if your ID does not show it.
- Any time
Borrow from the homeschool collection
Browse curriculum and textbooks at Central Library and 10 branches, or place holds from any branch or from home.
- For a group visit
Book the Learning Curve
Schedule field trips, tours, and group programs at Central Library by calling 317-275-4222, or ask your home branch for a tour.
- 2 weeks before a test
Book a proctor
Contact the location where your student will test, and return the Examination Proctoring Services Agreement Form before the appointment.
- Every 3 years
Renew the card
Cards expire after three years. Renew at a library location with ID and current address, and pay any fees in full.
What it includes
Included
- Homeschool curriculum and textbook collection
- Homeschool programs and meet-ups
- Learning Curve field trips and tours
- Staff-gathered topic collections
- Ask-a-Librarian help by phone, text, or email
Not included
- Exam proctoring fees
- Video-monitored exams
- Exams that need installed software
- Free cards for Speedway residents
Who to contact about homeschool services
The Learning Curve at Central Library schedules homeschool field trips, tours, and group programs.
317-275-4222 Group visit request
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
- We only have six students. Can we still visit the Indiana State Museum free?
- Not under the homeschool field trip rate, which needs at least 10 K-12 students. Combining families into one co-op group can reach the minimum.
- Do we have to prove we homeschool to join Indy Parks homeschool programs?
- No. Indy Parks lists these as homeschool programs but asks only for registration in its online system, not for school or homeschool records.
- My homeschooled child has no student ID. Can they still ride IndyGo for half fare?
- Yes. Youth 18 and younger qualify by age. Without a K-12 student ID, your child uses a personalized Half Fare MyKey+ card, which requires proof of age.
- Do homeschool families need special proof to use Indianapolis Public Library homeschool services?
- No. The homeschool collection, programs, and group visits are open to library users without proof of homeschooling. You only need a library card to borrow.
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