Homeschool benefits and savings in Fairfax
City of Fairfax Parks and Recreation takes 25%, 50%, or 75% off city classes, camps, and programs for residents below its income limits; a family of four earning under $31,200 gets 75% off. School enrollment is not part of the application, so homeschool families apply on household size and income.
Who qualifies
Lives in the City of Fairfax
The program is for City of Fairfax residents, not all Fairfax County addresses.
Is under the income limit
Total household income must be less than the limit for your household size. Proof of income is required.
Completes the application
Fill out the Financial Assistance Application, available in English and Spanish, and send it with your income proof.
What it is worth
The city's sliding scale sets the discount by household size and total household income.
- Family of 4, under $31,200
- 75% off
- Family of 4, under $62,400
- 50% off
- Family of 4, under $93,600
- 25% off
- Family of 6, under $41,960
- 75% off
- Family of 6, under $125,880
- 25% off
The page does not list a yearly cap or which programs are left out, so ask the Recreation Manager before you register for a costly program.
From applying to keeping it
- Before you apply
Gather income proof
Collect proof of your total household income and fill out the Financial Assistance Application.
- To apply
Email or book a meeting
Email the forms to Recreation Manager Katie MacCammon, or call 703-385-7858 to go over them with a staff member.
- 2-3 days later
Get your discount level
Staff process the application in two to three days and set your discount at 25%, 50%, or 75%.
- By June 1
Apply for summer camp
Requests for summer camp assistance must be in by June 1.
What it pays for
Covered
- City recreation classes
- Camps
- City programs and services
The discount is a share of the program fee, so you pay the remaining 25%, 50%, or 75%.
Who to contact
Recreation Manager Katie MacCammon reviews financial assistance applications and meets with families by appointment.
kmaccammon@fairfaxva.gov 703-385-7858 Financial assistance
Homeschool rules and statewide help in Virginia
You must file the annual notice of intent by August 15. If you move into a Virginia division or begin after the school year starts, notify the division as soon as practicable and complete the filing within 30 days of the notice.
Virginia sets these rules:
- Subjects: Provide a curriculum and include a list of the coming year’s subjects with the annual notice. The home-instruction statute does not require the public-school curriculum.
- Testing: Submit evidence of progress by August 1 after the school year. Children under six on September 30 of that school year are exempt from this assessment requirement.
- Records: Submit the annual notice, subject list, proof of a qualifying route, and required evidence of progress. Keep copies; no routine portfolio or attendance-log filing is required.
- Teachers: Qualify through a high-school diploma, Board-prescribed teaching qualifications, providing a curriculum or program of study, or evidence that you can provide an adequate education.
Read the Virginia homeschooling guide See statewide programs in Virginia
Questions parents ask
- We have a Fairfax mailing address but live in the county. Can we apply?
- No, only City of Fairfax residents qualify. Ask the Recreation Manager if you are unsure.
- What are the City of Fairfax 75% limits for smaller families?
- Household income must be under $15,060 for one person, $20,440 for two, and $25,820 for three to get 75% off.
- When should we apply for summer camp?
- By June 1. Summer camp assistance requests must be in by that date.
- Can I apply in Spanish?
- Yes. The city posts the Financial Assistance Application in English and Spanish.
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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