Homeschool benefits and savings in Ashland
The Ashland Recreation Scholarship pays up to 100% of a Hanover County Recreation program fee, capped at $200 per person per program, for residents inside Ashland town limits. The share depends on household income, and every family member can apply, including homeschooled children.
Who qualifies
Lives in Ashland town limits
Include proof that you live inside the Town of Ashland limits with the application.
Shows financial need
Send proof of yearly income. The award is set by household income and family size against the federal poverty level (FPL).
Joins a Hanover County Rec program
Funds apply only to Hanover County Recreation programs such as sports, arts, camps, and fitness, and only to the program named on the application.
What it is worth
The town's guidelines use a sliding scale tied to the 2025 federal poverty guidelines, where 100% of FPL is $32,150 for a family of four.
- At or below 100% of FPL
- Up to $200
- 101%-150% of FPL (75% of fees)
- Up to $150
- 151%-200% of FPL (50% of fees)
- Up to $100
- Above 200% of FPL (25% of fees)
- Up to $50
Awards are first come, first served while funds last, so apply as soon as you pick a program.
From applying to keeping it
- Before you apply
Choose a program
Find a Hanover County Recreation program and note its start date and fee.
- 3 weeks before it starts
Send the application
Email the form with proof of residency and income to erichards@ashlandva.gov, or drop it off at Town Hall, 121 Thompson Street.
- Within 3 weeks
Get your rate
Parks and Recreation emails your approval status and the discounted or covered rate.
- After approval
Register and attend
Register for the program and attend all of it. Missing it without a valid reason can affect future eligibility.
What it pays for
Covered
- Hanover County Recreation sports
- Arts programs
- Camps
- Fitness programs
Not covered
- Residents outside Ashland town limits
- Programs not named on the application
- A second scholarship in the same fiscal year
Who to contact
Ashland Parks & Recreation reviews scholarship applications and answers questions about eligibility.
erichards@ashlandva.gov 804-798-9219 Forms and applications
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
- Can all my children apply for the Ashland Recreation Scholarship?
- Yes. There is no limit on how many people in a family apply, but each person gets one scholarship a fiscal year.
- What income counts as 100% of the poverty level for the Ashland scholarship?
- The town uses the 2025 guidelines: $21,150 for a household of two, $32,150 for four, and $43,150 for six. Add $5,500 for each person beyond eight.
- Can we use it for a summer camp?
- Yes, if the camp is a Hanover County Recreation program. The town links to the Hanover County Summer 2026 camps catalog.
- What if a program costs more than $200?
- You pay the rest. The scholarship stops at $200 per person per program.
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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