Homeschooling can be costly, considering the things you need to purchase to set up a study corner among other gadgets that your kid will need. There are lots of options online for homeschooling program and prices vary but what if the government itself will pay for your child’s homeschooling?
Nevada’s Homeschool $5,000 Fund
Many parents ask about homeschool funding in Nevada. It is the The Transforming Opportunities for Toddlers and Students or so called TOTS Grant.
Kimberley McGee of Vegas Kids Zone published, “The legislative Interim Finance Committee gave the final approval on August 18 for the Nevada State Treasurer to enact the TOTS grant program. This awards $5,000 tax-free grants with a wide range of allowable uses to families for each eligible special-needs child.
Grants will be made through the existing ABLE Savings program administered by the Nevada State Treasurer. Funds can be used for a variety of educational needs, including the costs of tutoring, microschooling and services available through diverse providers, assistive technology, even transportation.
You must first set up an ABLE account, https://savewithable.com/nv/home.html, and then apply for a TOTS grant.”
Who can apply for this grant?
Those parents with children of special needs under 18 years of age can apply for the TOTS grant program but the Nevada State Treasurer will still make the decision. Parents must have medical proof or a letter certifying the disability at the time of the application.
“As defined in Nevada statute, “expenses related to education, housing, transportation, employment training and support, assistive technology, personal support services, health care costs, financial management and other qualified disability expenses.” This includes tutoring costs (including microschooling or other educational supports for homeschoolers), private school tuition. Also as defined, the program is to benefit: “persons [under 18 years of age] with disabilities who have been negatively or disparately 17 impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic.” Kimberley McGee added.
Remember that grants will only be through the ABLE Savings program by the Nevada State Treasurer, so interested parents or guardians should open an ABLE account right away before applying for the said grant.
And then, a parent or guardian of a learner with disability will have to submit an initial grant application at NevadaTreasurer.gov/TOTS.
Again, to be eligible to receive a grant under this program, an individual must:
- Be a Nevada resident;
- Be under the age of 18;
- Have a qualfying disability to open an ABLE account; and
- Have been negatively impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic or its economic effects.
TOTs Grant Program State of Nevada Office of the Governor published on their website, “The Transforming Opportunities for Toddler and Students (TOTS) Grant Program is utilizing $5 million from the American Rescue Plan to provide grants to children with disabilities to help them recover from the COVID-19 pandemic and allow them to save for a brighter future. Eligible children can receive grants of $5,000 to use for everyday expenses related to education, transportation, housing, healthcare, assistive technology, other disability-related expenses.” This is a great initiative in helping parents and children with disabilities especially when coping with COVID-19.