Homeschool benefits and savings in Monroe County
A free Monroe County Library System (MCLS) card lets Monroe County residents, including homeschooled children with a guardian's approval, borrow at any public library in the county and use online resources such as Udemy's more than 20,000 video courses, Britannica School, and Peterson's Test and Career Prep. Register in person for full borrowing, since the online e-card covers only digital collections. Other options include college classes and scholarships and transit fare savings.
Benefits in Monroe County
- Monroe County Library System resident card and Udemy access
- Monroe Community College College Now homeschool consortium
- RTS Access ADA paratransit and fixed-route fare benefit
Monroe County Library System resident card and Udemy access
Who qualifies
Lives in Monroe County
Show identification that verifies who you are and that you live in Monroe County.
Has a guardian's approval
Youth and children's cards are issued at most ages with a guardian's approval.
Registers at a library
Full borrowing and library privileges need on-site registration. The online e-card gives access to e-books, e-audiobooks, videos, and research databases only.
Pays $25 if out of county
Out-of-county residents pay a $25 charge unless they own, rent, or lease property in Monroe County.
What the card gives you
The terms come from the library system's card policy, out-of-county card page, and database list.
- Card for Monroe County residents
- Free
- Libraries that honor the card
- Every public library in the county
- Udemy video courses
- 20,000+
- Online e-card
- Digital collections only
- Out-of-county card
- $25
- Hoopla and Kanopy for out-of-county cards
- Not available
Each member library sets its own borrowing limits, fines, and fees, so ask your branch about checkout limits.
How to get the card
- Before you go
Bring ID
Take identification that shows your identity and Monroe County address.
- At any county library
Register in person
Sign up yourself and, with your approval, your children for full borrowing privileges.
- From home
Use the databases
Sign in through the library's login to reach Udemy, Britannica School, Gale In Context, and Peterson's Test and Career Prep.
- Any time
Renew by phone or online
Renew borrowed items online or on the 24-hour renewal line at 585-428-8484.
What it includes
Included
- Borrowing at any Monroe County public library
- E-books, e-audiobooks, and videos
- Udemy online video courses
- Britannica School and Gale In Context for students
- Peterson's Test and Career Prep
Not included
- Physical borrowing on an online e-card
- Hoopla and Kanopy on out-of-county cards
- Digital resources and holds on restricted cards
Who to contact about the card
Library Account Services answers questions about library accounts when the Central Library is open, and your local library handles the rest.
Monroe Community College College Now homeschool consortium
Who qualifies
Belongs to a registered consortium
MCC partners with established, registered homeschool consortiums that have appropriate classroom environments and laboratories.
Has a certified instructor
Students earn MCC credit only when seated in the class of a College Now-certified teacher, who follows the MCC curriculum and required textbooks and materials.
Meets course prerequisites
If an MCC course has a prerequisite, your student must show proof of meeting it.
Files residency forms on time
Out-of-county students send an original Certificate of Residency with the raised seal to MCC Student Accounts by the term deadline.
What it is worth
MCC's College Now table for fall 2026 and spring 2027 charges $74 per credit plus fees that step up at 5 and 9 credits.
- 1 credit
- $143
- 3 credits
- $291
- 4 credits
- $365
- 6 credits
- $574
- 8 credits
- $722
- 11 credits, the maximum
- $1,066
A one-time $8 enrollment fee is added each semester, and students eligible for free or reduced-price lunch can get a scholarship for all College Now tuition and fees, so ask how a homeschool student shows eligibility.
From applying to keeping it
- Before the term
Join a consortium course
Confirm your consortium's course is taught by a College Now-certified instructor using the MCC curriculum.
- Feb. 1 to March 5, 2027
Register for spring
Register during the window and give a personal email, not a school email. Out-of-county residency forms are due March 1.
- By April 20, 2027
Pay tuition
Students with a balance are dropped from the MCC roster on April 29 and earn high school credit only.
- By June 24, 2027
Withdraw only if needed
June 24 is the last day to withdraw with a W for spring 2027.
- After the course
Send transcripts
Order a free official MCC transcript through Parchment whenever your student applies to college.
What it pays for
Covered
- MCC credit for College Now courses
- The MCC curriculum taught by a certified instructor
- Free official transcripts through Parchment
Not covered
- Homeschoolers outside a registered consortium
- Courses without a College Now-certified instructor
- More than 11 credits a semester
The College Now rate is the same for every credit, but fees rise when your student takes 5 or more credits, and again at 9.
Who to contact
The College Now Office answers questions about registration, billing, and consortium courses.
collegenow@monroecc.edu 585-292-2135 Tuition and deadlines
RTS Access ADA paratransit and fixed-route fare benefit
Who qualifies
Cannot use some or all buses
Eligibility is based on the functional skills needed to ride the RTS fixed-route bus. A diagnosis or the use of a mobility aid does not qualify a rider by itself.
Has a completed application
You and your child's medical provider fill out the paper application, including the medical records (HIPAA) release and self-assessment. RTS returns incomplete applications.
Attends an assessment if asked
RTS may schedule an in-person meeting, partly outdoors, to see under which conditions your child can ride fixed-route buses. The ride there is free inside the ADA service area.
What rides cost
RTS Access fares are set by the service area where the trip takes place.
- ADA and regular service area
- $2
- On-demand service area
- $4
- Supplemental service area
- $8
- One personal care attendant
- Free
- Guest riding along
- Same fare
- RTS fixed-route bus with ID card
- Free
Pay with exact change or a punch pass: operators do not make change and cannot take round-trip fares.
How to get certified and ride
- Before you apply
Complete the application
Download the Application for Paratransit Eligibility Certification and have your child's medical provider fill out their section.
- After you send it
Attend the meeting if scheduled
Mail or email the form as it directs. If RTS needs an in-person meeting, bring any mobility device your child uses and dress for the weather.
- Within 21 days
Get the decision
If RTS has not decided within 21 days of a complete application, your child is treated as eligible until it does. You can appeal a denial.
- Up to 7 days ahead
Book rides
Call scheduling at 585-224-8330, option 3, from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. on weekdays, or book online.
- Every 3 years
Recertify in person
RTS mails renewal forms 90 days before eligibility ends. Temporary eligibility lasts up to one year and cannot be renewed.
What it includes
Included
- Shared-ride paratransit trips
- Free fixed-route rides with an RTS Access ID card
- One personal care attendant per rider
- Service animals
Not included
- Riders whose only basis is a diagnosis or mobility aid
- ID cards for temporary eligibility
- Change from the driver
Who to contact about RTS Access
RTS answers questions about RTS Access eligibility, applications, and appeals, with Spanish help at the same number.
585-288-1700 Contacting RTS Access
Homeschool rules and statewide help in New York
Send a letter of intent by July 1 each year, or within 14 days of a midyear start. You must submit the IHIP within four weeks after receiving district forms or by August 15, whichever is later.
New York sets these rules:
- Subjects: Teach the subjects required for each grade band by Part 100.10, including patriotism and citizenship. Provide the equivalent of 180 days: 900 hours annually in grades 1–6 and 990 hours in grades 7–12.
- Testing: Annual assessment: grades 1–3, test or written narrative; grades 4–8, standardized test at least every other year, with a written narrative permitted in alternate years; grades 9–12, standardized test annually. A score above the 33rd percentile or one year of growth meets the progress standard.
- Records: Keep attendance records and make them available to the district on request. Submit an annual IHIP, quarterly reports, and the annual assessment.
- Teachers: New York requires the instructor to be competent; it does not require a teaching certificate.
Read the New York homeschooling guide See statewide programs in New York
Questions parents ask
- Can my homeschooled child get a Monroe County library card?
- Yes. Cards are free to Monroe County residents, and children's cards are issued at most ages with a guardian's approval.
- Can I sign up for an MCLS card online?
- Only for an e-card, which covers digital collections only. Register at a library for full borrowing privileges.
- Can a homeschooled student take MCC College Now courses?
- Yes, through an established, registered homeschool consortium with a College Now-certified instructor. Outside a consortium, MCC's Pathways to MCC program earns credits toward a New York State high school equivalency diploma.
- Will MCC College Now credits transfer?
- Usually, if your student earns a C or better. Most colleges require that grade to transfer a course, and some require a B.
- Can a homeschooled child get RTS Access?
- Yes, if your child's disability keeps them from riding fixed-route buses for some or all trips. RTS decides on functional ability, so school enrollment plays no part.
- Does an autism or other diagnosis qualify my child for RTS Access automatically?
- No. RTS says a specific diagnosis or the use of a mobility aid does not automatically make a rider eligible. The application and any assessment look at whether your child can use the bus independently.
Turn support into your child’s next lesson
Books and library resources give your child something to explore. We turn their interests into coursework, so library discoveries can lead to deeper study at home.
$149/month per child after the trial.
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