Homeschool benefits: Indianapolis and IndyGo
Riders 18 and younger pay half fare on IndyGo buses: $1.35 for two hours of unlimited rides, capped at $3.00 a day and $12.15 a week. A homeschooled child without a K-12 student ID can apply with proof of age for a free Half Fare MyKey+ card issued in their name. Other options include library educator cards and resources.
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.
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
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
- 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.
- What is the most my teen will pay to ride IndyGo all week?
- $12.15. Once your child's registered MyKey+ card reaches the weekly cap, further rides that week cost nothing.
- 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.
- Which Indianapolis Public Library branches have the homeschool collection?
- Central Library, Fort Ben, Franklin Road, Glendale, Haughville, Lawrence, Nora, Pike, Southport, Wayne, and West Perry. You can place holds on those materials from any branch.
Turn support into your child’s next lesson
A student fare helps with trips to classes and activities. We handle the learning at home, with lessons built around your child's interests and feedback on their work.
$149/month per child after the trial.
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