Homeschool benefits and savings in Shawnee County
Shawnee County Parks + Recreation (SCP+R) youth scholarships give each qualifying child a set amount of program money for February 1, 2026 to January 31, 2027, depending on available funds. Children 17 and under who live in Shawnee County qualify when household income meets the federal free or reduced-price lunch guidelines.
Who qualifies
Lives in Shawnee County
Your child must be 17 or younger and live within Shawnee County. If your address differs from your income documents, add two of: a recent utility bill, a lease or mortgage statement, or a current state photo ID.
Meets lunch income guidelines
SCP+R follows the federal income guidelines for free or reduced-price school lunch.
Sends your tax return
Attach the parents' or guardians' most recent federal tax return showing adjusted gross income and claimed dependents. Use the income verification form only if you cannot get the return.
Listed as a dependent
Each child must be claimed as a dependent on the tax return, with a separate form for each child.
What it is worth
The terms come from SCP+R's 2026 Youth Scholarship Program application.
- Scholarship amount per child
- Set yearly by available funds
- Approval period
- Feb. 1, 2026 to Jan. 31, 2027
- Decision
- Within 10 business days
- Where you can use it
- Online or at any SCP+R location
- Refunds or transfers
- Not allowed
SCP+R does not publish the dollar amount or the list of excluded activities, so ask the scholarship coordinator how much each child receives this year and which programs it can pay for.
From applying to keeping it
- Before you register
Apply first
Completed paperwork must be received before you register for the program.
- When you are ready
Send the application
Email it with your tax return to Darlene.streeter@snco.us, or drop it off or mail it to any SCP+R location, attention Darlene Streeter.
- Within 10 business days
Get a decision
SCP+R notifies you whether the scholarship is approved or declined.
- During the year
Register and attend
Use the scholarship online or at any location. Missing a class or camp it paid for can cost you future help.
- By January 31, 2027
Reapply for the next year
Approval ends January 31, 2027, so plan to apply again for the following year.
What it pays for
Covered
- Shawnee County Parks + Recreation youth programs and camps
- Online and in-person registration
Not covered
- Certain excluded activities
- Refunds or transfers of scholarship registrations
Good to know
Homeschooled children can apply
Eligibility depends on age, Shawnee County residency, and household income, not school. You prove income with your federal tax return.
The amount depends on available funds
SCP+R does not post the amount. Each qualifying child gets a set amount per year that depends on available funds, so ask when you apply.
Who to contact
Darlene Streeter receives scholarship paperwork, and the main office at 3137 SE 29th Street answers questions Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Darlene.streeter@snco.us 785-251-6800 Scholarship opportunities
Homeschool rules and statewide help in Kansas
You must register the school name, address, and records custodian with KSDE once, not annually. You must notify the previous school when transferring a student.
Kansas sets these rules:
- Subjects: Parents choose the curriculum. Instruction must be competent and substantially equivalent in time to the local public school term.
- Testing: Kansas does not require standardized testing for homeschoolers.
- Records: KSDE recommends complete progress records for transfers and college admission; it does not prescribe a homeschool portfolio or attendance-record format.
- Teachers: Courses must be taught by competent instructors; a state teaching license is not required.
Read the Kansas homeschooling guide See statewide programs in Kansas
Questions parents ask
- Can I apply after I sign up for a class?
- No. SCP+R must receive the completed paperwork before you register for the program.
- Is there help for adults with disabilities?
- Yes. SCP+R also offers an income-based adaptive scholarship for people over 18 with disabilities, with its own 2026 application.
- Is there a Spanish application?
- Yes. The scholarship page links a 2026 Spanish youth scholarship application.
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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