How To Support The Hope Scholarship

 For Automobile Dealers
For Car Purchasers
For County Tax Collectors

How It Works

In the 2017-18 school year, Step Up awarded more than 100,000 scholarships to lower-income students through the Florida Tax Credit Scholarship Program. Additionally, Step Up helps administers the Gardiner Scholarship Program and provides scholarships to nearly 10,000 students with certain special needs.

In 2018, the Florida Legislature created the Hope Scholarship Program. This program was established to provide the parent of a public-school student who was subjected to violence, harassment, and or bullying the opportunity to transfer the student to another public school or request a scholarship for the student to enroll in and attend an eligible private school.

Beginning on October 1, 2018, the purchaser of a motor vehicle is given a dollar-for-dollar sales tax credit against any tax imposed by the state and collected by a dealer or private tag agent, up to $105, for a contribution to Step Up For Students. The funds invested provide K-12 Hope scholarships for children negatively impacted by bullying, violence and/or harassment.

This innovative scholarship opportunity allows students who are systemically bullied to refocus on their education by providing financial assistance to attend a Florida Department of Education-approved private school or for transportation to an out-of-district public school.

 For Automobile Dealers
For Car Purchasers
For County Tax Collectors

Information For Automobile Dealers

What Is The Hope Scholarship

In March 2018, the Florida Legislature enacted the Hope Scholarship Program to provide the parent of a public school student who was subjected to battery, harassment, hazing, bullying, kidnapping, physical attack, robbery, sexual offenses, threat or intimidation, or fighting at school the opportunity to transfer that student to another public school or to request a scholarship for the student to enroll in and attend an eligible private school.

How It Impacts Auto Dealers

The Hope Scholarship is funded by dollar-for-dollar sales tax credits on the purchase of a motor vehicle. Beginning on October 1, 2018, the purchaser of a motor vehicle will be given a 100% sales tax credit, up to $105, for a contribution to Step Up For Students to support the Hope Scholarship Program. Dealers provide the purchaser with the Contribution Election Form, collect the contribution, remit the contribution to Step Up and report the contributions to the Florida Department of Revenue. If you have any additional questions, please click here to view the FAQ.

Step 1

At the time of purchase, a dealer shall provide the purchaser of the motor vehicle the contribution election form, as provided by the Department of Revenue.

Step 2


The dealer shall collect the eligible contributions.


Step 3

Prior to the 20th of each month, the dealer, using a form provided by the DOR, will remit the total contribution designated to Step Up For Students made for the preceding month.

Step 4

Using the same form from Step 3, the dealer will also report the total contribution amount to the DOR no later than the 20th of each month for the preceding month.

Step 5

Step Up For Students will report to the DOR, by the 20th of each month, the total amount of contributions received in the preceding calendar month on a form provided by the DOR.

Frequently Asked Questions For Automobile Dealers

When does the Hope Scholarship go into effect?

Am I required to give the purchaser the Contribution Election form?

What form do I show the car purchaser?

How much of the sales tax can be redirected?

How often do I remit payment to Step Up For Students?

When is payment due to Step Up For Students?

How do I report to the DOR the amount that I submitted to Step Up?

What am I required to report to the DOR?

How can Step Up For Students help me market this program and our involvement?

Are used and new car purchases available to participate?

Are leased vehicles eligible for participation?

How do I submit payment to Step Up For Students?

Is there a cap on the Hope Scholarship Program, and how will a dealer or tax collector’s office know when the cap is reached?

Are sales taxes on auxiliary purchases made at the time of vehicle purchase available to be invested in the Hope Scholarship Program?

I have more questions, who should I contact?

Information For Car Purchasers

Beginning on October 1, 2018, automobile purchasers will be authorized to receive a dollar-for-dollar tax credit, up to $105, on the sales tax imposed by the state as a result of the purchase of a motor vehicle in Florida. The purchaser will select Step Up For Students for the contribution, and the amount of the contribution will then be deducted from the total sales tax liability. The purchasers may not designate a specific student as the beneficiary of the contribution.

How many kids are bullied in Florida?

How do I help a bullied child?

How much money of the sales tax can I donate/designate?

How easy is the process?

Will this qualify as a charitable deduction for my personal income taxes?

Can I designate to a specific student or school?

Where can I find out about other scholarships offered by Step Up?

How does the child qualify? How much is the scholarship? And, how many scholarships are given?

Do I have to decide at the time of purchase?

I have more questions, who should I contact?

Information For County Tax Collectors

What Is The Hope Scholarship

In March 2018, the Florida Legislature enacted the Hope Scholarship Program to provide the parent of a public school student who was subjected to battery, harassment, hazing, bullying, kidnapping, physical attack, robbery, sexual offenses, threat or intimidation, or fighting at school the opportunity to transfer that student to another public school or to request a scholarship for the student to enroll in and attend an eligible private school.

How It Impacts Tax Collectors

The Hope Scholarship is funded by dollar-for-dollar sales tax credits on the purchase of a motor vehicle. Beginning on October 1, 2018, the purchaser of a motor vehicle will be given a 100% sales tax credit, up to $105, for a contribution to Step Up For Students to support the Hope Scholarship Program. At the time of registration and collection of sales tax due to a casual sale, the tax collector will provide the purchaser with a Contribution Election Form, collect the contribution, remit the contribution to Step Up and report the contributions to the Florida Department of Revenue. 

Frequently Asked Questions For County Tax Collectors

When does the Hope Scholarship go into effect?

Am I required to give the purchaser the Contribution Election Form?

What form do I show the car purchaser?

How much of the sales tax can be redirected?

How often do I remit payment to Step Up For Students?

When is payment due to Step Up For Students?

How do I report to the DOR the amount that I submitted to Step Up?

What am I required to report to the DOR?

What vehicle transactions are not eligible for participation?

How do I submit payment to Step Up For Students?

Is there a cap on the Hope Scholarship Program, and how will a dealer or tax collector’s office know when the cap is reached?

Are sales taxes on auxiliary purchases made at the time of vehicle purchase available to be invested in the Hope Scholarship Program?

I have more questions, who should I contact?

How to Reach Us

If you have questions or need additional information about how you can support Florida's schoolchildren through the Hope Scholarship and Step Up For Students, please contact:

Heidie Nesset, Director of Strategic Partnership
Step Up For Students: 
Direct: 678.772.0437 | HNesset@sufs.org

Per Florida Statute SB2126; “Owner or operator” includes: 
An owner, operator, superintendent, or principal of an eligible private school or a person with equivalent decision making authority over an eligible private school.

An eligible nonprofit scholarship-funding organization:
May not …provide scholarships to a child of an owner or operator.
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Due to new legislative changes Military families can now apply year round. If you need to apply please contact us at 1-877-735-7837.

Determining your household members:

Any member of the armed services who is activated or deployed in support of any military combat operation is counted as a household member.

Determining your household income

Only the service member’s base pay will be counted as income.

Validating Documentation:

Copy of service member’s LES representing the income for the month of application submission or the month prior to application submission showing the dates of deployment

* For the purposes of eligibility “deployment” is defined as a term of six months or longer.
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Determining your household income:
  •  Self-employed persons are credited with net income rather than gross income. Net income for self-employment is determined by subtracting business expenses from gross receipts.
  • Gross receipts include the total income from goods sold or services rendered by the business.
  • Deductible business expenses include the cost of goods purchased, rent, utilities, depreciation charges, wages and salaries, paid, and business taxes (not personal, Federal, State, or local income taxes).
  • Net income for self-employed farmers is figured by subtracting the farmer’s operating expenses from the gross receipts.
  •  Gross receipts include the value of all products sold; money received from the rental of farm land, buildings, or equipment to others, and incidental receipts from the sale of items such as wood, sand, or gravel.
  • Operating expenses include cost of feed, fertilizers, seed and other farming supplies, cash wages paid to farmhands, depreciation charges, cash rent, interest on farm mortgages, farm building repairs, and farm taxes (but not local, State, and Federal income taxes).
  • Households with income from wages and self-employment must enter the income from each source separately.
  • If households with income from wages and self-employment have a business lost, wages may not be reduced by the amount of the business loss.
  • If income from self-employment is negative, it should be listed as zero income.

-Eligibility Manual for School Meals, October 2011

Validating Documentation:
  • A copy of the most recent month’s Profit & Loss / Income & Expense statement.
  • If the most recent month’s P&L is not an accurate representation of the household’s self-employment income a copy of the prior year’s 1040, including all applicable schedules can be submitted.
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Out-of-home care is defined as:

The placement of a child in licensed and non-licensed settings, arranged and supervised by the department of children and families or contracted service provider, outside the home of the parent.

Determining your household members:

In a household with both children in foster/out-of-home care and those that are not in either of these programs, the children in foster/out-of-home care are counted as members of the household.

Determining your household income:

In a household with children in foster care and those that are not, any PERSONAL income the child in foster care receives must be counted in the household’s income.
In a household with children in foster/out-of-home care and those that are not, payments received from the foster/out-of-home care agency for the care of these children is NOT counted in the household’s income.

 - Eligibility Manual for School Meals, October 2011

Validating Documentation:

Children in foster care
  • A copy of your current Foster Parent License, issued by the Department of Children and Families

AND
  • A copy of the placement papers for the child/ren in foster care

Children in out-of-home care
  • A copy of the placement papers for the child/ren in out-of-home care

OR
  • A copy of the court order, fully executed and signed by the judge, placing the child in your care
If you are unable to provide copies of one of these documents, please complete the application and submit it to SUFS. The processing team may be able to validate the information directly through DCF.
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The McKay Scholarship Program

The McKay Scholarship Program has been expanded to include children with disabilities who have an IEP or are on a 504 plan in the public school. The McKay Scholarship is the largest state program in the nation that provides funding for students with disabilities at attend other public or private schools with programs for students with disabilities. Scholarship range from $5200 to $17000.
To participate in the State of Florida McKay Scholarships a parent must submit their letter of intent to the Florida Department of Education. Information about how to submit the letter of intent and the deadlines for submission can be found at the Florida Department of Education’s website: www.floridaschoolchoice.org.

Gardiner Scholarship Program (PLSA)

In June of 2014 Gov. Scott signed into law an expansion of school choice options for families in Florida. The Gardiner Scholarship Program is designed for students in public, private or home education with one of the following disabilities:
  • Autism spectrum disorder
  • Cerebral palsy
  • Down syndrome
  • Muscular dystrophy
  • Prader-Willi syndrome
  • Spina bifida
  • Williams syndrome
  • Phelan McDermid
  • Intellectual Disability (severe cognitive impairment)
  • Kindergarteners deemed “high risk” due to developmental delays

To learn more about this new program and how to apply, please visit our website at www.stepupforstudents.org.

PLEASE NOTE:
A student CAN NOT receive the McKay Scholarship, the Gardiner Scholarship and/or the Florida Tax Credit scholarship at the same time. Not all private schools accept these scholarship programs.
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A child is considered homeless if s/he is lacking a fixed, regular and adequate nighttime residence under the McKinney-Vento Homeless Assistance Act by the local educational agency liaison, or by the director of a homeless shelter. This definition includes:
  • Children and youths you are sharing the housing of other persons due to loss of housing, economic hardship, or similar reason are living in motels, hotels, trailer parks, or camping grounds due to the lack of alternative adequate accommodations;
  • Children and youths who are living in emergency or transitional shelters, are abandoned in hospitals, or are awaiting foster care placement;
  • Children and youths who have a primary nighttime residence that is a public or private place not designated for or ordinarily used a regular sleeping accommodation for human beings;
  • Children and youths who are living in cars, parks, public spaces, abandoned buildings, substandard housing, bus or train stations, or similar settings; and
  • Migratory children who qualify as homes because the children are living in the circumstances described above.

- Eligibility Manual for School Meals, October 2011

Validating Documentation:

The determination of whether your child meets this definition is made by the school district’s homeless liaison. If your family meets this definition, please submit the following document/s with your application package:
  • A document signed by the local education liaison or the director of a homeless shelter that includes the following: 
    • The name/s of the children
    • The effective date/s of homelessness
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Según el Estatuto SB2126 de Florida; “Propietario u operador” incluye: 
Un propietario, operador, superintendente, o director de una escuela privada elegible o una persona con autoridad equivalente para tomar decisiones en una escuela privada elegible.

Una organización de financiamiento escolar sin fines de lucro elegible:
Puede no...proporcionar becas estudiantiles al hijo de un propietario u operador.
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Debido a los nuevos cambios legislativos, las familias de militares ahora pueden aplicar durante todo el año. Si necesita aplicar por favor contáctenos al 1-877-735-7837.

Determinando los miembros del hogar:

Cualquier miembro de las fuerzas armadas que ha sido movilizado (deployed) en apoyo a una operación militar de combate es incluido como parte del hogar.

La determinación de los ingresos del Hogar

Sólo el salario de base del miembro del servicio se cuenta como ingreso.

Documentación Válida:

Copia del LES del miembro del servicio que representa el ingreso correspondiente al mes de presentación de la solicitud o en el mes previo a la presentación de la solicitud. Mostrando la fecha de movilización (deployment).

*Para el propósito de elegibilidad “movilización” ( deployment) es aceptada por seis meses o mas.
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Determinando los ingresos del hogar:
  • A trabajadores independientes se les contabiliza el INGRESO NETO en vez del ingreso bruto. El ingreso Neto para trabajadores independientes es el resultado de restar los Gastos del negocio del ingreso bruto.
  • El ingreso Bruto es el total de ingresos que haya tenido el negocio por ventas o servicios prestados.
  • Los gastos deducibles de negocio, son todos aquellos gastos que el negocio haya tenido son renta, compras, servicios públicos, salarios, cheques pagados, impuestos pagados por el negocio (impuestos personales no están incluidos).
  • El ingreso Neto para trabajadores independientes como agricultores, es el resultado de restar los gastos de operación del negocio del ingreso bruto.
  • El ingreso bruto incluye todos los ingresos obtenidos por productos vendidos, dinero recibido por la renta de la propiedad, establecimiento o maquinaria a otros y todos los ingresos incidentales como la venta de madera, arena o grava.
  • Gastos de operación incluye costo del suelo, fertilizantes, semillas y otros productos agrícolas, efectivo y cheques pagados por mano de obra, cargos de depreciación, renta en efectivo, intereses sobre la financiación de la propiedad, reparaciones a la propiedad , impuestos pagados sobre la propiedad (sin incluir los impuestos locales, del estado y federales)
  • Hogares con ingresos de salario e ingresos como trabajador independiente deben colocar los ingresos de cada fuente por separado.
  • Si el hogar recibe ingresos por salario y como trabajador independiente teniendo perdidas en el negocio, el salario No puede ser deducido de la perdida del negocio.
  • Si el ingreso del trabajador independiente es negativo, debe ser listado como “cero” ingresos.

-Eligibility Manual for School Meals, October 2011

Documentación Válida:
  • Copia del reporte de perdidas y ganancias mas reciente
  • Si el mes más reciente no es una representación acertada de los ingresos como trabajador independiente, puede enviar una copia del 1040 incluyendo todos los “schedules” de los impuestos relacionados con el negocio.
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El Cuidado fuera del hogar es definido como:
  • La colocación de un niño en un ambiente licenciado o no licenciado, organizado y supervisado por el departamento de niños y familias o un proveedor de servicios de contrato, fuera del hogar del padre.

Determinando los miembros de su hogar:
  • En un hogar con dos niños en cuidado foster/cuidado fuera del hogar y los que no se encuentren en cualquiera de estos programas, los niños en cuidado Foster/cuidado fuera del hogar son incluidos como miembros del hogar.

Determinando el ingreso de su hogar:
  • En un hogar con niños Foster y niños no foster, cualquier ingreso PERSONAL que el niño Foster reciba debe ser incluido en el ingreso familiar.
  • En un hogar con niños Foster/cuidado fuera del hogar y niños no Foster/cuidado fuera del hogar, los pagos recibidos de la agencia Foster/cuidado fuera del hogar para el cuidado de los niños NO se debe contar como parte del ingreso familiar.

- Eligibility Manual for School Meals, October 2011

Documentación Válida:
  • Niños en cuidado foster
  • Una copia de su licencia de padre foster actual, emitida por el departamento de niños y familias
Y
  • Una copia de los documentos de colocación para el niño en cuidado foster.

Niños en cuidado fuera del hogar
  • Una copia de los documentos de colocación para el niño en cuidado fuera del hogar
O
  • Una copia de la orden judicial, totalmente ejecutada y firmada por un juez, colocando al niño al cuidado suyo
  • Si usted no puede proveer uno de estos documentos, por favor complete la Aplicacion y sométala a SUFS. El equipo de proceso tal vez puede validar la información directamente con DCF.
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La Beca Mckay

La beca Mckay ha sido ampliada para incluir a niños con discapacidades que tengan un Plan Educativo Individualizado (IEP) o que hagan parte del plan 504 en una escuela pública. La beca McKay es el programa estatal más amplio que provee fondos para que estudiantes con discapacidades puedan asistir a escuelas públicas o privadas que ofrezcan programas especiales para ellos. Las becas van desde $5200 hasta $17000.
Para participar en el programa de la beca McKay los padres deben enviar su carta de interés al departamento de educación en la florida. Más información acerca de cómo enviar la carta de interés y los tiempos límites puede ser encontrada en la página del Departamento de Educación: www.floridaschoolchoice.org.

El programa de Becas de Gardiner (PLSA)

En junio del 2014 el gobernador Scott firmo en ley la expansión de las opciones de escuela para familias en la Florida. El Nuevo programa de Gardiner (anteriormente conocido como PLSA) está diseñado para estudiantes en escuela pública, privada, o educación en el hogar con unas de las siguientes discapacidades:
  • Autismo
  • parálisis Cerebral
  • síndrome de Down
  • distrofia muscular
  • síndrome de Prader-Will
  • espina bífida
  • síndrome de williams
  • discapacidad intellectual (deterioro cognitivo grave)
  • estudiantes en kindergarten considerados “alto riesgo” debido a retrasos en el desarrollo

TENGA EN CUENTA:
Para obtener más información sobre este programa y cómo aplicar, por favor visite nuestra página web.
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Un niño es considerado sin hogar cuando no tiene un lugar fijo, regular y adecuado para permanecer durante las noches de acuerdo con la ley McKinney-Vento para Asistencia de personas sin hogar de la agencia local educativa o por parte del director de un refugio. Esta definición incluye:
  • Niños y jóvenes que están compartiendo casa con otras personas debido a la perdida de su vivienda, dificultades económicas o razones similares que ocasionan que ellos vivan en moteles, hoteles, casas móviles o lugares para acampar debido a la falta de vivienda.
  • Niños y jóvenes que están viviendo en albergues temporales o de emergencia, están abandonados o están en espera de un hogar temporal o una familia adoptiva.
  • Niños y jóvenes cuya residencia primaria durante las noches es un lugar publico o privado que no ha sido diseñado para el propósito de dormir y descansar para seres humanos.
  • Niños y jóvenes que están viviendo en carros, parques, espacios públicos, edificios abandonadas, casas por debajo de los estándares aprobados, buses, estaciones de tren o lugares similares y
  • Niños migrantes que viven en lugares similares a los descritos anteriormente.

- Eligibility Manual for School Meals, October 2011

Documentación Válida:

La determinación de si un niño cumple con los requisitos para ser definido como niño sin hogar debe ser hecha por la persona encargada del enlace con el distrito escolar a cargo de las personas sin hogar. Si su familia cumple con esta definición, por favor envíe la siguiente documentación con su paquete de aplicación:
 Un documento firmado por la persona encargada del enlace con el sistema escolar o el director del albergue para personas sin hogar que incluya la siguiente información:
- - Nombre(s) del niño(s) 
- - Fecha en que el niño se quedó sin hogar
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