Homeschool benefits and savings in Murfreesboro
Murfreesboro Parks and Recreation gives city residents who cannot afford activity fees free admission or 50% off designated activities for children 15 and under, and 50% off for anyone 16 and older. Apply with a tax return or food assistance letter, and recertify every September 1. Other options include transit fare savings.
Murfreesboro Parks financial assistance
Who qualifies
Lives in Murfreesboro city limits
The applicant must be a permanent resident of the City of Murfreesboro.
Shows proof of income
Send a recent tax return or food assistance letter; the lunch-letter option is for county school students.
Is approved before signing up
You must fill out the department's form and be approved before the discount applies.
Carries identification
Participants must show identification when asked so staff can verify eligibility.
What it is worth
The Murfreesboro Parks and Recreation Financial Assistance Policy sets the discount by age and by where income falls on the department's Guide for Fee Reduction.
- Child 15 or under
- Free or 50% off
- Teen 16 or 17
- 50% off
- Adult 18 or older
- 50% off
- Activities with a daily admission fee
- Annual pass
- Pavilion and facility rentals
- Not covered
The department gives a copy of its Guide for Fee Reduction on request, so ask for it to see whether your child's income level means free admission or 50% off.
From applying to keeping it
- Before you apply
Gather proof of income
Get a copy of your most recent tax return or your food assistance letter. The policy says no other forms are accepted.
- To apply
Submit the application
Fill out the online application, or return the paper form to 2140 N Thompson Lane, Patterson Park Community Center, or Sports*Com.
- Within 30 days
Wait for approval
Processing normally takes 30 days and can take longer if staff need more information.
- After approval
Register for activities
Sign up for designated activities at your approved discount. Families who need daily admission get passes for the year.
- By September 1 each year
Recertify
Eligibility lasts one year, so apply again for each recertification date.
What it pays for
Covered
- Designated recreation activities with a fee
- Annual passes for daily-admission activities
Not covered
- Pavilion rentals
- Facility rentals
- Specified programs the department excludes
- Families outside Murfreesboro city limits
Who to contact
Murfreesboro Parks and Recreation takes financial assistance applications and answers questions about which activities qualify.
615-890-5333 Online application
Murfreesboro Rover youth fare
Who qualifies
Is 6 to 16 years old
The student fare covers ages 6-16 only. Children 5 and under ride free with an adult.
Carries ID if asked
The fare table says ID may be required for the student fare. It does not list which IDs count, so ask the Transit Operations Office what a homeschooled child should carry.
Pays the exact fare
Drivers need the exact fare, or your child can buy a $2.00 half-fare day pass on board.
What the fare costs
Murfreesboro Transit's fare table and Reduced Fare Policy list these prices for youth, seniors, and riders with disabilities.
- Student ride, ages 6-16
- $0.50
- Adult ride
- $1.00
- Half-fare day pass, bought on board
- $2.00
- Half-fare 7-day pass, bought at City Hall
- $10.00
- Half-fare 31-day pass, bought at City Hall
- $22.50
- Transfer at a designated location
- Free
Lost, damaged, or stolen passes cannot be replaced, so keep your child's pass clean, dry, and safe.
How to ride
- Before the first ride
Plan the route
Check the route guide or the Murfreesboro Transit app, and ask which ID your child should carry.
- On the bus
Pay the fare
Pay the exact $0.50 student fare or buy a $2.00 half-fare day pass from the driver.
- For regular riders
Buy a multi-day pass
Buy a 7-day or 31-day half-fare pass at City Hall, 111 West Vine St. It expires 7 or 31 days after the first use.
- First use of a pass
Insert, then swipe
Insert the pass into the ticket slot the first time, which prints the expiration on the back, then use the card swipe slot after that.
What it includes
Included
- Rides on Murfreesboro Transit routes
- Free transfers at designated locations
- Unlimited rides on a pass until it expires
Not included
- Sunday service
- Service on 12 listed holidays
- Replacement of lost passes
- Student fare for riders 17 and older
Who to contact about fares
The Transit Operations Office answers rider questions, Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.
615-217-6837 Reduced Fare Policy
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
Questions parents ask
- Can a homeschooled child get Murfreesboro Parks and Recreation financial assistance?
- Yes, if you live in Murfreesboro and meet the income guide. Prove income with your tax return or food assistance letter.
- Will my child's Murfreesboro activities be free?
- It depends. Children 15 and under get free admission or 50% off, based on income; teens 16 and older get 50% off.
- Does a homeschooled child get the Murfreesboro Transit student fare?
- Yes. Murfreesboro Transit sets the $0.50 fare by age, ages 6-16, and does not mention school enrollment. Carry an ID in case the driver asks for proof of age.
- Do we need to fill out a Murfreesboro Transit reduced fare application for our child?
- Not as far as the fare table says; it lists the student fare with only an ID note. A Reduced Fare Policy application exists, mailed to Murfreesboro Transit, 4765 Florence Rd., so call 615-893-6441, ext. 1643, to ask whether a youth rider needs it.
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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