Governor DeSantis on May 9, 2024, signed into law several critical changes to Florida’s scholarship programs.
The following changes take effect July 1, 2024.
GENERAL FAQ
Q. I’m an active-duty military and currently live out of state, but I’ve been assigned to a base in Florida and plan to move soon. Are my children eligible for a scholarship?
A. Yes. If you are active duty and have been given permanent change of station orders to Florida you will be eligible for the Family Empowerment Scholarship for Educational Options (FES-EO), Family Empowerment Scholarship for Students with Unique Abilities (FES-UA), Personalized Education Program (PEP), or Florida Tax Credit Scholarship (FTC) before you make your move. You can apply with your base address or new Florida home address (if you have one) and upload your permanent change of station paperwork with your application.
Q. Can I apply for more than one scholarship at a time for my child?
A. No. Law changes prohibit applying for more than one private school or parent-directed scholarship at a time for your student. You can apply for a new scholarship once you’ve been denied or have declined an awarded scholarship. However, you may apply for both the Transportation Stipend and New Worlds Scholarship Account if your student qualifies.
Q. How can I decline a scholarship that I’ve applied for?
A. You can use this form here to decline a scholarship.
Q. My student was attending a private school on scholarship, but now we attend a public school. What happened to my scholarship? Am I eligible for anything else?
A. If you had an FTC, FES-EO, FES-UA, PEP, or Hope scholarship and enrolled in a public school, your scholarship will end, and the remaining funds will be returned to the state. As a public-school student, you may be eligible for a New Worlds Scholarship Account or a Transportation Stipend.
Q. I was awarded a FES-EO or FTC scholarship for my student, but we now want the FES-UA scholarship instead. How do I apply?
A. You will need to decline the scholarship you were awarded and apply for the scholarship you want as a new student. You can decline a scholarship using this form here.
Q. What is the scholarship value for my county?
A. Official scholarship values will be posted once the new budget is approved by the governor.
TRANSPORTATION
Q. I applied for a Transportation Stipend for my student to attend another public school. Can I also apply for another scholarship?
A. Yes, you can apply for a New Worlds Scholarship Account if your student meets the eligibility requirements.
Q. How much is the Transportation Stipend worth?
A. A one-time payment of $750 per household.
Q. I have students attending different public schools, can I get more than one Transportation Stipend?
A. No, stipends are limited to one $750 stipend per household.
Q. My student attends a virtual school, but can we use the Transportation Stipend to cover expenses related to field trips or other assignments that may require travel?
A. No. Students attending a virtual school are not eligible for a Transportation Stipend.
Q. Do I have to report the Transportation Stipend as income on my taxes?
A. No. The state legislature has specified that the Transportation Stipend is not considered income.
Transportation Stipend for Public School
Join the Pre-Registration List for the 2024-25 school year to be among the first notified when applications open.
Partners in Public Education
Every child has unique needs and sometimes the best school may be one other than the one he/she is assigned. To support the transportation costs associated with traveling to a different public school than the one the student has been assigned, families of K-8 students can benefit from a transportation stipend of $750.
Bridging the Gap: Supporting Students Through Transportation Stipends
Easy to Apply: Families can easily apply for the stipend through Step Up For Students.
Financial Assistance: $750 stipend per eligible household to help with transportation costs.
Access to Education: Enables students to attend a Florida non-virtual public school different than their assigned school.
Who Is Eligible?
A new Transportation Stipend is now available for K-8 students in Florida to help cover the costs of transportation to any non-virtual public school they attend outside of their assigned school zone, regardless of household income. Students who previously benefited from a Transportation Scholarship in the 2023-2024 school year will be given preference for this stipend.
Legislative Updates
How Does It Work?
The new Transportation Stipend goes into effect on July 1, 2024, and applications for the 2024-25 school year will be available in the fall. Priority to receive the transportation stipend will be given to students who received a Transportation Scholarship during the 2023-24 school year.
New families interested in the stipend can fill out pre-registration form for the 2024-25 school year and will be among the first to be contacted when the application is available.
Stepping Up To Success
Video Library
2023-2024 |
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| Persons in family/household | Priority 1 up to 185% |
Priority 2 185%-400% |
| 1 | Up to $26,973 | Up to $58,320 |
| 2 | $36,482 | $78,880 |
| 3 | $45,991 | $99,440 |
| 4 | $55,500 | $120,000 |
| 5 | $65,009 | $140,560 |
| 6 | $74,518 | $161,120 |
| 7 | $84,027 | $181,680 |
| 8 | $93,536 | $202,240 |
| 9 | $103,045 | $222,800 |
| 10 | $112,554 | $243,360 |
| 11 | $122,063 | $263,920 |
| Each additional member +$9,509 |
Each additional member +$20,560 |
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| Based on guidelines published by the Department of Health & Human Services in National Registry on January 2023 | ||