Homeschool benefits and savings in Portsmouth
Portsmouth Recreation gives free or reduced prices on its programs to children who hold a #areuin? card, and the discount is applied automatically when you register. The card is for students living in towns served by the Exeter, Hampton, Portsmouth, and Seabrook school districts, and a homeschooled child can qualify through NH Medicaid or a referral from a doctor or social worker.
Who qualifies
Has NH Medicaid
Send a screenshot of your child's NH Easy account showing active coverage dates, or a Medicaid card image with current coverage dates.
Or has a lunch letter
A federal free or reduced lunch acceptance letter on school letterhead for the current school year also qualifies.
Or gets a validator referral
School nurses, doctors, social workers, and counselors can refer a student into the program.
What the card gives you
Portsmouth Recreation and The KEY Collective, which runs the #areuin? program, describe these benefits.
- Portsmouth Recreation programs
- Free or reduced
- How the discount applies
- Automatic
- Income paperwork
- None
- Partner after-school programs
- Pre-qualified
Neither page gives the size of the Portsmouth discount, so ask the Recreation Department what a specific program costs with the card.
How to get the card
- Before you apply
Pick your proof
Gather your child's NH Easy screenshot with active Medicaid dates, or ask a doctor, nurse, social worker, or counselor to refer your child.
- To apply
Submit online
Apply at areuincard.org, run by The KEY Collective.
- After approval
Link the card
Portsmouth Recreation notes the card on your account.
- Each registration
Register as usual
The discount applies automatically, so you do not need to ask for it each time.
What it includes
Included
- Portsmouth Recreation Department programs
- After-school activities from #areuin? partners
- Singlar Family Foundation activities such as music, karate, dance, art, and STEM
Who to contact about the #areuin? card
The KEY Collective runs the #areuin? card and answers questions about applying and accepted proof.
info@keycollective.org 603-231-1513 Portsmouth Recreation
Homeschool rules and statewide help in New Hampshire
Since July 1, 2026, a declaration is optional except upon public-school withdrawal or to obtain public-school program access. The declaration identifies the child’s name, birth date, and address and is signed by a parent. There is no general annual filing deadline.
New Hampshire sets these rules:
- Subjects: Parents direct the home education program; current RSA 193-A does not prescribe a subject list or require the district’s calendar or hours.
- Testing: No annual evaluation or standardized-test requirement under RSA 193-A after July 1, 2026. Education Freedom Account participants follow a separate program.
- Records: RSA 193-A no longer requires a portfolio or annual assessment records. Families may keep progress records and optionally certify completion.
- Teachers: No state degree or teaching-license requirement for parents directing home education under RSA 193-A.
New Hampshire also has an education savings account that home-educated students can use.
- The Education Freedom Account directs state adequacy funding to home education, tutoring, classes, and other approved costs, with no income limit since 2025. The 2026-27 enrollment cap has been reached, so new applicants may be waitlisted.
- TheHomeschoolingCompany is an approved vendor for it.
Read the New Hampshire homeschooling guide See statewide programs in New Hampshire
Questions parents ask
- My homeschooled child has no school lunch letter. Can we still get the #areuin? card?
- Yes. Active NH Medicaid coverage or a referral from a doctor, nurse, social worker, or counselor also qualifies your child.
- How do we apply for the #areuin? card?
- Online at areuincard.org, run by The KEY Collective. After approval, Portsmouth Recreation notes the card on your account.
- Will an old Medicaid card work?
- No. The program no longer accepts images of physical NH Medicaid cards without current coverage dates.
- Who do I call about Portsmouth Recreation programs?
- The Recreation Department's central office is at 603-427-1547.
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. We are an approved Education Freedom Account (EFA) vendor, so your ClassWallet balance can pay for it.
$149/month per child after the trial.
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