Homeschool benefits and savings in Perinton
Perinton Program Scholarships pay part or all of the registration fee for Town of Perinton Recreation and Parks programs, such as a $75 youth soccer season or a $150-$200 week of summer camp. Any Perinton resident can apply, and awards are based on household size and annual income. Other options include library educator cards and resources and transit fare savings.
Benefits in Perinton
- Town recreation scholarship
- Monroe County Library System resident card and Udemy access
- RTS Access ADA paratransit and fixed-route fare benefit
Town recreation scholarship
Who qualifies
Lives in Perinton
Scholarships are for Town of Perinton residents. School enrollment is not part of the rules, so a homeschooled child qualifies the same way as any other child.
Registers for a town program
The money goes toward a youth or adult program run by the Perinton Recreation and Parks Department.
Shows financial need
You may be asked for supporting documents after you apply.
What it is worth
The Town of Perinton lists these program costs to show what a scholarship can pay for.
- Special event admission, one child
- $5
- Full youth soccer season
- $75
- Red Cross swim lessons, 8 classes
- $80
- One week of summer camp
- $150-$200
- One month of Fun Zone after-school
- $300
- Semester of Fun Zone, grades K-6
- $1,140
The town gives no fixed award amount: each scholarship depends on need, program cost, and funding left, so ask how much of your program's fee it will cover.
From applying to keeping it
- Before you register
Pick the programs
Choose the camps, classes, lessons, or leagues for each child from the town's recreation brochures.
- When you apply
Submit one application
Pick up a paper application at the Perinton Community Center, 1350 Turk Hill Road, and list each child and program on it.
- After you apply
Send documents if asked
Staff may ask for proof of household size and income. Only authorized staff review the application.
- Each new program
Apply again
Awards depend on funding available at the time, so ask for a scholarship before each season or session you sign up for.
What it pays for
Covered
- Summer camps
- After-school care
- Swim lessons
- Youth sports leagues
- Art and craft classes
- Special events
Not covered
- Programs not run by Perinton Recreation and Parks
- Families outside the Town of Perinton
The Friends of Perinton Recreation and Parks raise the scholarship money through donations, and awards are made only while funds are available.
Who to contact
The Recreation Department at the Perinton Community Center runs town programs and hands out paper scholarship applications.
585-223-5050 Email the Recreation Department
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.
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 a homeschooled child get a Perinton scholarship?
- Yes. The scholarship rules ask only that you live in Perinton, register for a town recreation program, and qualify by household size and income. Nothing about school enrollment is required.
- How much will a Perinton scholarship pay?
- Part or all of a program's registration fee. The town sets no fixed amount; each award depends on your need, the program's cost, and available money.
- 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 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
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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