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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.

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.

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.