Homeschool benefits and savings in Appleton and Fox Cities
Valley Transit's youth fare is $0.75 a ride for riders ages 5-18, and on the UMO app or a WisGo card your child never pays more than $1.50 a day or $22 a month. The rate is based on age, so a homeschooled child qualifies once Valley Transit certifies proof of age. Other options include college classes and scholarships.
Valley Transit Fox Cities youth fare
Who qualifies
Is 5 to 18 years old
Riders under 5 ride free.
Is certified by Valley Transit
Fill out the Reduced Fare Application, check the age 5 to 18 box, and bring it with photo ID and proof of age to the administrative office.
Pays with the app or card
Choose the UMO smartphone app or a reloadable WisGo ID card on the application. Cash fares do not get fare capping or transfers.
Uses it only themselves
Lending the card or app to someone else can cost your child the reduced fare.
What the fare saves
Valley Transit's fare page lists these prices for the WisGo fare system, which launched August 1, 2025.
- Youth ride, ages 5-18
- $0.75
- Youth daily cap
- $1.50
- Youth monthly cap
- $22
- Adult ride, ages 19-64
- $2.00
- Adult monthly cap
- $60
- Children 4 and under
- Free
New WisGo cards cost $2 after September 30, 2025, and a lost card costs $5 to replace.
How to get the youth fare
- Before you go
Fill out the application
Download the Reduced Fare Application, check the age 5 to 18 box, enter your child's birth date, and choose the app or a WisGo card.
- At the office
Get certified
Bring the form, photo ID, and proof of age to 801 S Whitman Ave in Appleton, Monday through Friday, 8:00 AM to 5:00 PM. Incomplete applications cannot be processed.
- Each ride
Tap the app or card
After the first paid ride, transfers are free for 90 minutes, and rides are free once the daily or monthly cap is reached.
- Each month
Watch the cap reset
The monthly cap runs from the first to the last day of the calendar month.
What it includes
Included
- Youth fare on Valley Transit buses
- Daily and monthly fare capping
- Free 90-minute transfers with the app or card
Not included
- Fare capping on cash fares
- Transfers on cash fares
- Replacement WisGo cards
Who to contact about the youth fare
Valley Transit's administrative office answers questions about reduced fare certification and WisGo cards, Monday through Friday, 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.
valley.transit@appletonwi.gov 920-832-5800 Reduced fare application
Lakeshore College Promise Scholarship for homeschool graduates
Who qualifies
Graduates in spring 2027
The program explicitly includes on-time home school graduates in spring 2027. Your homeschooled student must live within the Lakeshore College district.
Qualifies for a Pell Grant
Complete the 2027-28 Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA). The scholarship FAQ requires Pell Grant eligibility, not simply submission of the form.
Completes admission by March 1
Apply for admission, finish program admission steps, and submit the Promise application by March 1, 2027. Select an academic program eligible for financial aid.
Starts full time in 2027
Begin in summer or fall 2027 with at least 12 credits. Complete program enrollment requirements before fall term begins.
Tuition examples at the current rate
These illustrations multiply the published 2026-27 tuition of $157.45 per credit; the 2027-28 rate and your grant aid will determine your actual award.
- 12 credits at current tuition rate
- $1,889.40 before fees and grants
- 15 credits at current tuition rate
- $2,361.75 before fees and grants
- Four terms of 12 credits
- $7,557.60 before fees and grants
- Four terms of 15 credits
- $9,447 before fees and grants
From applying to keeping it
- Now
Apply for Promise
The summer and fall 2027 scholarship application is open on the Promise page.
- By March 1, 2027
Complete admission and aid forms
Submit the college admission application, program admission steps, Promise application, and 2027-28 FAFSA.
- Summer or fall 2027
Begin full-time study
Start your financial-aid-eligible program at 12 or more credits; Promise coverage is limited to 15 credits each semester.
- Each semester
Meet renewal conditions
Maintain a cumulative grade point average of at least 2.0 and program eligibility, and meet your academic counselor once a semester.
- Each academic year
Renew financial aid eligibility
File the FAFSA again and continue meeting Pell Grant criteria and full-time consecutive enrollment requirements.
What it pays for
Covered
- Tuition for approved programs
- College-billed program fees
Not covered
- Textbooks
- Living expenses
Who pays first
- Federal and state grants
- Lakeshore Promise Scholarship
Federal and state grants reduce the bill first, then Promise pays the remaining eligible tuition and fees.
Donations to the Lakeshore Foundation support the scholarship.
Who to contact
The Dual Credit Team helps high school students and parents discuss Promise eligibility and program options.
lennysleap@lakeshore.edu 920-693-1366
Homeschool rules and statewide help in Wisconsin
You must file PI-1206 with DPI each year between July 1 and October 15. For withdrawal from public or private school after October 15, submit or update it on or before the date attendance ends. Update it when changing districts or the number of enrolled children.
Wisconsin sets these rules:
- Subjects: Provide at least 875 instructional hours each year and a sequentially progressive curriculum in reading, language arts, mathematics, social studies, science, and health.
- Testing: Wisconsin does not require standardized testing for homeschoolers.
- Records: Keep copies of submitted PI-1206 reports; DPI retains them for seven years. Detailed instructional records are recommended, with no routine state submission required.
- Teachers: Wisconsin does not require a teaching certificate or degree to homeschool your own child.
Read the Wisconsin homeschooling guide See statewide programs in Wisconsin
Questions parents ask
- Can a homeschooled child get the Valley Transit youth fare?
- Yes. The youth fare depends only on age, so your child qualifies with proof of being 5 to 18. No school ID is required.
- Can we pay the Valley Transit youth fare in cash?
- Yes, but cash riders need exact change from January 1, 2026, and get no fare capping, transfers, or day passes.
- Is the 2026 Lakeshore Promise cycle still open?
- No. The page now takes applications from students graduating in 2027 and starting that summer or fall, with a March 1, 2027 deadline.
- Does filing the FAFSA guarantee a Lakeshore Promise award?
- No. Your aid results must identify you as Pell-eligible, and you must also satisfy graduation, admission, residence, and enrollment requirements.
Turn support into your child’s next lesson
A student fare helps with trips to classes and activities. We handle the learning at home, with lessons built around your child's interests and feedback on their work.
$149/month per child after the trial.
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