Homeschool benefits and savings in Clarksville

Austin Peay State University (APSU) charges dual enrollment students $620.55 for a 3-credit course, and the Tennessee Dual Enrollment Grant can make your student's first five semester courses free. Homeschooled juniors and seniors qualify with a 3.0 unweighted GPA or a 21 ACT, a parent authorization form, and a recommendation from the parent or homeschool counselor. Other options include recreation and camp discounts and transit fare savings.

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

Benefits in Clarksville

1. Austin Peay State University homeschool dual enrollment
2. Clarksville Parks S.P.A.R.K. financial assistance
3. Clarksville Transit System youth fare waiver

Austin Peay State University homeschool dual enrollment

Who qualifies

1. Is a homeschooled junior or senior

   APSU's homeschool route lets juniors and seniors earn college credit online or on the Clarksville campus.

2. Has a 3.0 GPA or 21 ACT

   Your student needs a cumulative unweighted high school GPA of 3.0 on a 4.0 scale or a 21 ACT composite. Some courses add placement minimums, such as an ACT English score of 18.

3. Sends the homeschool paperwork

   You complete the Parent Authorization Form and the High School Recommendation Form as the parent or homeschool counselor, and email an official transcript to the dual enrollment office.

4. Applies for the grant

   The Tennessee Dual Enrollment Grant has its own application through the Tennessee Student Assistance Corporation (TSAC) Student Portal. Without it, you pay tuition yourself.

What it is worth

APSU charges $197 per credit hour plus a 5% maintenance fee, and the state grant pays tuition and the fee for courses one through five and up to $100 per credit hour for courses six through ten.

3-credit course without the grant

$620.55

4-credit course without the grant

$827.40

Courses 1-5 with the grant

$0 tuition

Courses 6-10, 3 credits, after the grant

$320.55

Science lab fee per lab

$33

Homeschool students need both a 21 ACT composite and a 3.0 high school GPA to receive more than one grant award in the same semester.

From applying to keeping it

1. Before the term

   Apply to APSU

   Submit the online application, the Parent Authorization Form, the High School Recommendation Form, and an emailed official transcript.

2. After admission

   Apply for the grant

   Apply for the Tennessee Dual Enrollment Grant in the TSAC Student Portal. The FAFSA is not required, and College for TN lists June 30 as the grant deadline for all semesters of the academic year.

3. Registration

   Pick 1000- or 2000-level courses

   The grant pays only for 1000- and 2000-level courses, and online sections begin with W in the class schedule.

4. Several weeks into the term

   Pay what is left

   APSU applies the grant to your account several weeks into the semester and emails you, then you pay any remaining balance.

5. Each term

   Keep a 2.0 college GPA

   Your student must keep a 2.00 cumulative college GPA to keep the grant, and a lost grant cannot be regained.

What it pays for

Covered

• Tuition for the first five courses
• The 5% maintenance fee on those courses
• Up to $100 per credit hour for courses 6-10

Not covered

• Textbooks and digital textbook charges
• Science lab fees of $33 per lab
• Structured Learning Assistance fees of $75 per course
• Proctored exam fees of $10 an hour
• 3000-level and higher courses

Who pays first

1. Tennessee Dual Enrollment Grant
2. Your family

The grant is applied first, and you pay any tuition it leaves plus books and course fees.

Who to contact

The Office of Dual Enrollment, called GovNow, answers admission, grant, and billing questions for dual enrollment students.

govnow@apsu.edu 931-221-7175 Homeschool dual enrollment

Clarksville Parks S.P.A.R.K. financial assistance

Who qualifies

1. Lives inside Clarksville city limits

   The program is for families who reside within the city limits of Clarksville, and it covers all ages in the household.

2. Meets the income limit

   Gross household income cannot exceed HUD's Section 8 very low income limit for Tennessee, which the city lists by household size.

3. Shows proof of income

   Send a tax return, a government assistance letter, SNAP, a WIC card, or another official record of household income with the application.

What it is worth

The city uses HUD's fiscal year 2025 very low income limits for Tennessee, based on gross income.

2 people

$37,550

3 people

$42,250

4 people

$46,900

5 people

$50,700

6 people

$54,450

8 people

$61,950

The discount for each program is set at 25%, 50%, or 100% depending on the activity, and not every program is discounted, so check the S.P.A.R.K. filter in the city's program catalog.

From applying to keeping it

1. Before you apply

   Gather income proof

   Collect a tax return, SNAP or WIC record, or another official record of household income.

2. Any time of year

   Submit the application

   Send the online application with your documents. Funds are limited and awarded first come, first served.

3. Within 10 business days

   Get your decision

   The department emails you, and if you are approved it tells you the adjusted program prices.

4. After approval

   Register for programs

   Sign up for discounted programs. Applying does not hold a spot, so apply well before the program you want fills.

5. Each January

   Reapply

   Assistance runs by calendar year, so submit a new application and updated income records each year even if nothing changed.

What it pays for

Covered

• Eligible Parks and Recreation programs
• Activities for every age in the household

Not covered

• Facility rentals
• Programs not marked for S.P.A.R.K.

Funds are limited and awarded first come, first served during the year.

Who to contact

Parks and Recreation reviews S.P.A.R.K. applications and answers questions about which programs are discounted.

parksrec@cityofclarksville.com 931-645-7476 S.P.A.R.K. application

Clarksville Transit System youth fare waiver

Who qualifies

1. Is under 18

   The promotion is open to children under the age of 18. Children 4 and under already ride free under the regular fare table.

2. Rides a fixed-route bus

   The promotion applies specifically to fixed-route buses, not to CTS MyRide paratransit.

What the fare saves

CTS's fare page lists the regular fares a rider pays without the youth promotion.

Children under 18, fixed route

Free

Full fare

$1.50

Student fare with ID card

$1.00

1-day pass

$4.00

31-day Liberty Pass

$50.00

Transfers

$0.25

The city calls this a promotion, its fare page still lists the student fare, and the announcement gives no end date, so call the transit center before relying on free rides for the year.

How to ride free

1. Before riding

   Confirm the promotion

   Call the transit center to check that free youth rides are still running before you plan around them.

2. Each ride

   Board any fixed-route bus

   Your child rides free on fixed-route buses. Parents and other adults still pay the regular fare.

3. At 18

   Switch to a regular fare

   Once your child turns 18, the full fare or a pass applies.

What it includes

Included

• Fixed-route bus rides
• Riders under 18

Not included

• CTS MyRide paratransit
• Adult riders traveling with children

Who to contact about free youth rides

The transit center at 200 Legion Street answers fare questions Monday through Friday, 5:30 a.m. to 8 p.m., and Saturday, 6:30 a.m. to 8 p.m.

931-553-2429 CTS fares

Homeschool rules and statewide help in Tennessee

For independent homeschools, file a notice with the local education agency before each school year. A first-time filing may be made at any time during the school year; there is no fixed August 1 deadline.

Tennessee sets these rules:

• Subjects: Independent homeschool parents select and identify their curriculum and provide at least four hours of instruction per day for 180 days each year. Church-related schools set their own program requirements.
• Testing: Testing in grades 5, 7, and 9 for registered independent homeschools.
• Records: Independent homeschool parents keep attendance records, permit inspection, and submit them at year end. Maintain grades, transcripts, student records, and copies of final diplomas; provide required test results to the recipients specified in the current testing rule.
• Teachers: An independent homeschool parent-teacher needs a high-school diploma or equivalent. Church-related umbrella schools set their own enrollment and parent requirements.

Tennessee also has an education savings account that home-educated students can use.

• The Individualized Education Account pays a student with a qualifying disability and an active IEP the state and special-education funding for their district, including an independently homeschooled student. Most students must have spent the prior year in a Tennessee public school, and 2026-27 applications are closed.

Read the Tennessee homeschooling guide See statewide programs in Tennessee

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