Homeschool benefits: Omaha metropolitan

Metro's K-12 Rides Free program lets students in kindergarten through grade 12 ride Metro buses, ORBT, and MOBY in the Omaha area free, instead of paying the $1.25 cash fare. Nebraska homeschool students qualify with a signed Acknowledgement Letter from the Nebraska Commissioner of Education. Other options include college classes and scholarships.

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

Omaha Metro K-12 Rides Free

Who qualifies

1. In grades K-12

   Any student from kindergarten through grade 12 in the Omaha metro or surrounding area qualifies, and visiting students do too.

2. Shows homeschool proof

   Metro also accepts other proof of enrollment, such as online provider verification or curriculum receipts.

3. Iowa families use state forms

   Iowa homeschoolers can show Competent Private Instruction (CPI) Form A or the Independent Private Instruction (IPI) response report.

4. High schoolers carry an ID

   High school students show an ID when boarding. Metro makes a free photo ID at its office if your student brings proof of enrollment.

What the fare saves

Metro's fares page lists what riders pay without K-12 Rides Free.

K-12 Rides Free

Free

Regular cash fare

$1.25

30-day unlimited pass

$55.00

MOBY cash fare

$2.50

Children 5 and under

Free

Metro runs K-12 Rides Free as a pilot it has extended until further notice, so check the program page before you count on it for a full school year.

How to ride free

1. Before you go

   Find your proof

   Have your signed Acknowledgement Letter or another proof of enrollment ready. Metro cannot issue a K-12 pass without at least one.

2. At the Metro office

   Get a high school ID

   Bring your high schooler to 2222 Cuming Street, Omaha, weekdays 8:30 a.m. to 4 p.m., for a free photo ID. Your student must be there for the photo.

3. Each ride

   Board free

   High school students show their ID.

4. For MOBY

   Register as a client

   Students who need MOBY paratransit must apply as registered MOBY clients first.

What it includes

Included

• Metro bus rides
• ORBT rides
• MOBY paratransit for registered clients
• Bikes on bus racks, first come, first served

Who to contact about K-12 Rides Free

Metro Customer Service answers questions about K-12 Rides Free, accepted documents, and student IDs.

k-12@ometro.com 402-341-0800 K-12 Rides Free page

Metropolitan Community College Nebraska homeschool tuition waiver

Who qualifies

1. Current Nebraska homeschool student

   The waiver covers current grade 9-12 Nebraska high school students, including homeschool students, subject to any program requirements.

2. In grade 9 or higher

   Ninth graders become eligible starting in MCC's fall quarter.

3. Takes MCC credit courses

   CollegeNOW! and Kickstart Online are open to every eligible student. Career Academy, for juniors and seniors, requires an application and acceptance.

4. Graduating seniors get one more term

   A senior who finishes high school in May stays eligible through the summer quarter after graduation.

What it is worth

MCC's fall 2026 rate for Nebraska residents is $72 tuition plus a $5 facility fee per credit hour.

1 credit hour

$77

3 credit hours

$231

5 credit hours

$385

8 credit hours

$616

12 credit hours

$924

Other course fees, equipment, tools, and textbooks are still yours to pay, and MCC lists no dollar amounts for them, so check each course before you register.

From applying to keeping it

1. Before you register

   Apply to MCC

   Complete MCC's free application to get an MCC ID number, then browse the catalog or call 531-622-2400 to book a Success Navigator appointment.

2. When registration opens

   Send the registration form

   Email the CollegeNOW! registration form, with any test scores, to centralreg@mccneb.edu. Spring 2027 registration opens January 15, 2027.

3. After registration

   Watch the charges clear

   Charges stay on your student's account until shortly after registration, when the waiver is applied.

4. Through 2026-27

   Keep taking courses

   The waiver runs through the end of the 2026-27 year. A course failed with a D or F can be retaken at no cost.

What it pays for

Covered

• Tuition on MCC credit courses
• The facility fee
• Retaking a course failed with a D or F

Not covered

• Other course fees
• Equipment and tools
• Textbooks

If your student fails a course or drops it after the census date, you do not have to repay the waiver.

Who to contact

Secondary Partnerships runs MCC's programs for high school students and answers questions about the tuition waiver and registration.

secondarypartnerships@mccneb.edu 531-622-2213 Tuition waiver page

Homeschool rules and statewide help in Nebraska

You must file the annual exempt-school election and assurances with NDE by July 15. For a midyear start, file promptly and begin after NDE receives it. NDE advises waiting for that receipt before withdrawing. Include identity documents in your first filing. Report address and enrollment changes. An active abuse-investigation notice blocks withdrawal and new elections for 14 days after receipt or until further agency notice, whichever comes first.

Nebraska sets these rules:

• Subjects: Provide basic skills in language arts, math, science, social studies, and health, with 1,032 instructional hours annually for K–8 and 1,080 for grades 9–12. Midyear hours may be prorated. Curriculum details are no longer filed with NDE.
• Testing: Nebraska does not require standardized testing for homeschoolers.
• Records: NDE does not require progress reports or a prescribed portfolio. Keep immunization or exemption evidence unless you filed for religious reasons.
• Teachers: No formal education credential is required; assure that instructional monitors are qualified for the five basic subjects. Instructors and monitors cannot have convictions for the felony offenses specified in §79-1601(5)(b).

Read the Nebraska homeschooling guide See statewide programs in Nebraska

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