Welcome

Our organization is an alliance of non-public schools that has been dedicated since 2003 to serving students with special needs or from low income families. The Coalition works with legislators and the Florida Department of Education, advocating for the rights and needs of private schools. The mission of the Florida Coalition of Scholarship Schools is to support and advocate for the independent schools of Florida. Our leadership are private school leaders themselves who both support and welcome the strength that is possible in the unity of all who value the privilege of school choice.

Scholarships

The Florida Tax Credit Scholarship (FTC) and the Family Empowerment Scholarship for Educational Options (FES-EO)

Available to all K–12 students, with preference given to lower-income families. As of July 1, 2023, scholarships are available to all students, regardless of household income.

Ensure your child has access to the educational support that aligns with their needs. These scholarships are designed to provide financial assistance for private school tuition and associated expenses, as well as public school transportation and more.

Key Details:

– Accessible to residents of Florida, without regard to their household income, who qualify for enrollment in a K-12 public school.*
– The scholarship will initially cover the expenses of private school tuition and related fees, or public school transportation.
– For the 2023-24 academic year, the average amount awarded for private school scholarships is $7,800.
– A minimum scholarship award of $750 is available for transportation.
– Florida students who do not attend private or public school full-time now have the opportunity to participate in the Personalized Education Program (PEP) through the Florida Tax Credit Scholarship Program.

*Priority will be given to families with a household income at or below 400% of the poverty level, as outlined in the income priority guidelines.

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The Family Empowerment Scholarship for Students with Unique Abilities (FES-UA)

Formerly known as the Gardiner and McKay Scholarship Programs, the Family Empowerment Scholarship for Students with Unique Abilities (FES-UA) is a program that helps families personalize the education of their children with special needs. The program is funded by the Florida Department of Education.

Tailor your child’s education to their unique abilities with the flexibility of this scholarship, which is structured as an Education Savings Account (ESA). With it, you have the freedom to allocate funds to a combination of programs and approved providers, including schools, therapists, specialists, curriculum, technology, and even a college savings account, among other options.

Key Details:

– Accessible to students ranging from age 3 through grade 12, or until they reach age 22, depending on which comes first, provided they have a specific diagnosis.
– The average award for an FES-UA scholarship is $10,000.
– These funds can be utilized for various educational purposes, such as covering tuition and fees for private schools, homeschooling alternatives, therapies, tutoring, and more.

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Hope Scholarship

The Hope Scholarship Program in Florida provides scholarships to public school students who have been subjected to violence or bullying at school. The scholarship allows students to attend an eligible private school instead of remaining in an unsafe school environment.

These scholarships offer financial support for either private school tuition and associated expenses or public transportation. The Hope Scholarship is accessible to students in grades K-12.

Key Details:

– Eligible for students in grades K-12 who have experienced a qualifying incident.
– The average award for private school scholarships is $7,800.
– A minimum of $750 is available for transportation scholarships.
– These scholarships cover private school tuition and related fees, as well as public school transportation.
– Eligibility is determined based on reported and documented incidents.

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New Worlds Scholarship

The New Worlds Scholarship Accounts Program expanded eligibility to include public school students enrolled in kindergarten through grade 5 who have a substantial deficiency in either reading or mathematics; exhibit characteristics of dyslexia or dyscalculia; or scored below a Level 3 on the statewide, standardized English Language Arts (ELA) or Mathematics assessment in the prior school year.

The New Worlds Scholarship aims to assist your child, enrolled in grades K-5, who may be experiencing challenges in their learning journey, particularly in reading and math. This scholarship is a $500 Education Savings Account (ESA) that can be used for expenses related to tutoring, after-school and summer programs, instructional materials, curriculum, and more.

Key Details:

The funds from this scholarship are applicable for various educational purposes, including part-time tutoring, summer and after-school literacy programs, instructional materials, and curriculum, among other options.
Accessible to public school students in grades K-5 who face difficulties in reading and/or math.

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Personalized Education Program Scholarship

PEP, funded through the Florida Tax Credit Scholarship (FTC), was created to serve Florida’s home education population who would like access to an education saving account to fund their student’s learning.

Students who are not enrolled full-time in private or public schools can now access the Personalized Education Program (PEP) through the Florida Tax Credit Scholarship Program. This scholarship offers an Educational Savings Account (ESA) to cover the educational needs of eligible students.

Key Details:

– This opportunity is open to K-12 Florida students who are not enrolled in full-time private or public schools, regardless of household income.
– To be eligible, students must be at least 5 years old by September 1 of the school year in which they intend to enroll.
– The program provides access to an ESA, which functions similar to a bank account, allowing families to allocate funds for various educational expenses.
– In the 2023-24 school year, the program is set to serve 20,000 students, with a plan to expand by 40,000 students annually.

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