Homeschool benefits and savings in Wyandotte County and Kansas City metro

RideKC's Reduced Fare cuts Kansas City area bus fares in half: $1 a ride, $2 a day, $10 a week, or $31.25 for 30 days. Households on SNAP, WIC, TANF, Medicaid, Section 8, or LIHEAP or LIEAP energy aid qualify, and children ages 6-18 qualify by age alone, so a homeschooled child can apply without a school ID.

By Andrew Garber, founder of TheHomeschoolingCompany. Reviewed August 25, 2026.

Who qualifies

1. Gets a qualifying benefit

   SNAP, WIC, TANF, Medicaid, Section 8 or other federal housing aid, LIHEAP in Missouri, or LIEAP in Kansas. Send proof of participation with your application.

2. Or is 6 to 18

   Children and teens ages 6-18 are eligible for the reduced fare without a benefit program. Each child needs a separate application with the parent's name on it.

3. Has a RideKC Go account

   Download the RideKC Go app and create an account before you apply, because the discounted passes are issued to that account.

4. Sends a valid ID

   Every applicant includes a copy of a valid ID.

What the fare saves

RideKC's fare page lists regular and reduced prices; fares returned on June 1, 2026 after a fare-free period.

Single ride

$1 ($2)

Day pass

$2 ($4)

Weekly pass

$10 ($20)

30-day pass

$31.25 ($62.50)

Children ages 0-5

Free

The 50% discount works on all fixed routes, but not on RideKC Freedom paratransit or IRIS ride share.

How to get reduced fares

1. Before you apply

   Set up RideKC Go

   Download the app and create an account for each person who will apply.

2. When you are ready

   Apply online or in person

   Apply through United Way of Greater Kansas City at unitedwaygkc.org/ridekcapp. If you cannot apply online, go to KCATA's East Village Transit Center, 700 E 12th Street, Kansas City, Missouri.

3. After review

   Get the discount

   United Way reviews the application and tells you the status, and the Kansas City Area Transportation Authority (KCATA) issues the Reduced Fare pass to your account.

4. Each trip

   Ride at half price

   Use your RideKC Go account to pay the reduced fare on any fixed route.

What it includes

Included

• Single rides, day, weekly, and 30-day passes
• All RideKC fixed routes
• Children 6-18 by age

Not included

• RideKC Freedom paratransit
• IRIS ride share

Good to know

• Homeschooled children qualify

  A child 6 to 18 qualifies by age alone, without a school ID. Each child needs a separate application listing you as parent.

• RideKC is no longer free

  RideKC was fare-free until fares returned on June 1, 2026.

• Adults have several ways to qualify

  Adults qualify through a listed benefit program, Medicare, a qualifying disability benefit, or by being 65 or older, and each household member files a separate application.

Who to contact about Reduced Fare

The KCATA Regional Call Center answers fare and Reduced Fare questions, Monday through Friday, 6 a.m. to 6 p.m.

816-221-0660 Reduced Fare application

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

Find benefits for your ZIP code