Homeschool benefits and savings in Garland

Garland's Recreation Financial Assistance Program takes 60% off registration fees for city recreation classes, swim lessons, fitness classes, and camps, up to $100 per family member and $500 per family each year. Garland residents with limited income qualify, and the rules say nothing about school enrollment, so a homeschooled child qualifies the same way.

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

Who qualifies

1. Lives in Garland

   Bring a utility bill, mortgage statement, or lease agreement that shows your Garland address, plus a valid driver's license or Texas ID.

2. Has limited income

   Need is measured against the Extremely Low, Very Low, and Low income standards of the federal Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) program. Bring proof of income for every household member 18 or older, with the most recent 1040 tax form.

3. Documents each child

   Bring a birth certificate for each child under 18 and proof that you are the parent or legal guardian.

What it is worth

Garland gives $100 per family member each fiscal year, up to $500 per family, paid as 60% off regular-priced program fees.

1 person

$100

2 people

$200

3 people

$300

4 people

$400

5 or more people

$500

Because the city pays 60%, one person reaches the $100 limit after about $167 in regular-priced fees, and you pay the other 40% of every fee.

From applying to keeping it

1. Before you go

   Gather your documents

   Collect proof of residency, a photo ID, birth certificates, proof of guardianship, and income proof with your latest 1040 for every adult in the home.

2. At a recreation center

   Apply in person

   Fill out the Financial Assistance Application and turn it in at any Garland recreation center with your documents.

3. When you register

   Sign up in person or by phone

   Tell staff you are on the PARD Scholarship Program. Online and mail-in registration cannot be used, and paperwork can take up to 72 hours.

4. Each October

   Reapply

   Approval lasts one fiscal year. Apply again in October when the new fiscal year starts.

What it pays for

Covered

• Instructional recreation classes
• Swim lessons
• Fitness classes
• Preschool classes
• Camps

Not covered

• Pool admission and concessions
• Already discounted fees, such as STARS Camp, punch cards, and swim passes
• Extended trips and facility rentals
• Supplies and other costs beyond registration

The program has a fixed budget each fiscal year: once it runs out, assistance stops until October 1, even if your family has not used its full limit.

Good to know

• Register in person or by phone for the discount

  The discount only applies when you register at a recreation center or by phone, not online. Say you are on the PARD Scholarship Program.

Who to contact

Garland's five recreation centers take Financial Assistance applications and register approved families for programs.

Recreation center phone numbers

Homeschool rules and statewide help in Texas

You do not have to file a homeschool notice to the state.

Texas sets these rules:

• Subjects: Instruction in Texas must include reading, spelling, grammar, math, and good citizenship.
• Testing: No routine annual homeschool standardized test is required. UIL participation and public-school transfer can have separate testing requirements.
• Records: Texas does not require homeschool records, but keeping them is recommended.
• Teachers: Texas does not require homeschool parents to hold a teaching certificate.

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

• The Texas Education Freedom Account (TEFA) awards $2,000 a year to selected home-education students for approved expenses. Applications for 2026-27 closed March 31, 2026; families who missed that cycle can join the 2027-28 interest list.

Read the Texas homeschooling guide See statewide programs in Texas

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