Homeschool benefits and savings in Florence
The City of Florence Parks, Recreation, and Sports Tourism scholarship can pay up to 100% of your child's first youth sports registration in a calendar year, 50% of the second, and 25% of the third. Apply with your federal 1040 tax form at least two weeks before registration closes; the application asks about income, not school enrollment.
Who qualifies
Shows household income
Income verification requires your federal tax form 1040 with the application. The form also asks whether your child gets free lunch or other assistance.
Applies before registration closes
Turn in the completed application at least two weeks before the end of the program's registration. Incomplete applications are not reviewed.
Approved by the committee
A scholarship committee approves or denies each application and sets the percentage. Funding is limited, so not every applicant receives one.
What it is worth
Examples use the city's resident registration fees for 2026 youth programs: $60 football, $55 recreation soccer, and $45 baseball or softball.
- Football ($60), first application, 100%
- $0
- Recreation soccer ($55), second application, 50%
- $27.50
- Softball ($45), third application, 25%
- $33.75
- Cheerleading ($50), first application, 100%
- $0
The percentages are maximums per child per calendar year, and the committee can approve a lower level or deny an application when funds run short.
From applying to keeping it
- Before registration
Pick the sport
Find your child's program and its registration window on the city's Youth Sports Programs page.
- 2 weeks before it closes
Submit the application
Bring the form and your 1040 to 513 Barnes Street, or email them to afrederick@cityofflorence.com.
- After review
Get a decision
The committee approves 100%, 50%, or 25%, or denies the request and records a reason.
- Each calendar year
Apply per program
Each child can receive up to three scholarships a year at falling percentages, and the count restarts each calendar year.
What it pays for
Covered
- City youth sports registration fees
- Up to three programs per child each calendar year
Not covered
- Incomplete applications
- Applications turned in less than two weeks before registration ends
Funding is limited, and scholarships are not guaranteed to every applicant.
Who to contact
April Frederick at the Athletics and Sports Tourism office takes scholarship applications and answers questions, Monday through Friday, 8:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m.
afrederick@cityofflorence.com 843-665-3253 Athletics scholarship page
Homeschool rules and statewide help in South Carolina
Choose one legal route: district-board approval (Option 1), SCAIHS membership (Option 2), or membership in a qualifying homeschool association with at least 50 members (Option 3). Follow that route’s enrollment and renewal process.
South Carolina sets these rules:
- Subjects: Teach reading, writing, math, science, and social studies; add composition and literature in grades 7–12. Provide at least 180 instructional days; Option 1 also requires at least 4.5 hours per day.
- Testing: Option 1 requires the annual statewide tests for the student’s grade. Options 2 and 3 follow their association’s rules; Option 3 has no statutory standardized-test requirement.
- Records: Keep attendance and academic records. Options 1 and 3 require a planbook or diary, work portfolio, and semiannual progress reports; follow district or association submission rules.
- Teachers: A high-school diploma or GED is the minimum educational qualification. A bachelor’s degree is not required for SCAIHS (Option 2). Option 1 requires district approval under Section 59-65-40.
South Carolina also has an education savings account that home-educated students can use.
- The Education Scholarship Trust Fund pays $7,634 for 2026-27. Up to $3,000 of that award may cover approved transportation; it is not extra funding. The program excludes students in Option 1, 2, or 3 homeschool associations. Families on another home-education path must confirm eligibility with the program.
Read the South Carolina homeschooling guide See statewide programs in South Carolina
Questions parents ask
- Can my homeschooled child get a Florence sports scholarship?
- Yes. The application asks about your child, the sport, and your household income, not about school enrollment. Answer the free lunch question no if your child does not receive school meals and rely on your 1040.
- How much will Florence pay?
- Up to 100% of the fee on your child's first application in a calendar year, 50% on the second, and 25% on the third.
- What do I need to send?
- The completed application and your federal tax form 1040 for income verification. List any other assistance your household receives.
- Do we have to live inside city limits?
- Not as far as the city says. The scholarship page and form state no residency rule, but city programs charge non-residents more, so ask April Frederick before you apply.
- Can I apply after the season starts?
- No. The application must be in at least two weeks before registration for that program ends.
Turn support into your child’s next lesson
Your child can use our lessons between practices and games. The next lesson is ready when they are, without a class time to miss.
$149/month per child after the trial.
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