Legislative Updates
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New Worlds Scholarship Accounts
- No changes to the program from the 2026 legislative session. New scholarships will not be awarded for New Worlds Scholarship Accounts for the 2026-27 school year.
- New Worlds Scholarship Account recipients with remaining funds may continue to use their student’s scholarship funds on approved items and services to support their child’s education.
- IMPORTANT: Beginning July 1, 2025, all New Worlds Scholarship Accounts will begin a 1-year count of inactivity. Accounts with no spending activity from July 1, 2025, to June 30, 2026, will be closed and funds returned to the state. Accounts with no spending activity for one consecutive fiscal year from July 1, 2026, to June 30, 2027, will be closed and unspent funds returned to the state.
Personalized Education Program (PEP)
Changes due to the state budget:
- The 2026-27 scholarship amounts for the Personalized Education Program (PEP) can be found here. As a reminder, the scholarship amounts are established annually by the Florida Legislature in the state budget. At this time, EMA will continue to display the 2025–26 scholarship amounts while we update our systems.
FTC/PEP Vehicle Sales Tax Credit Expansion
Anyone who purchases or registers a heavy truck weighing up to 8,000 lbs. in the state of Florida may designate up to $105 of their sales tax to Step Up For Students in exchange for a dollar-for-dollar tax credit, incurring no additional cost. Tax credits raised by this program fund the Florida Tax Credit Scholarship and the Personalized Education Program (PEP). Previously, vehicles weighing more than 5,000 lbs. were not eligible for the Vehicle Sales Tax Credit.
Private School Scholarship
Changes due to the state budget:
- The 2026-27 scholarship amounts for the Family Empowerment Scholarship for Educational Options (FES-EO) and Florida Tax Credit Scholarship (FTC) can be found here. As a reminder, the scholarship amounts are established annually by the Florida Legislature in the state budget. At this time, EMA will continue to display the 2025–26 scholarship amounts while we update our systems.
FTC/PEP Vehicle Sales Tax Credit Expansion
Anyone who purchases or registers a heavy truck weighing up to 8,000 lbs. in the state of Florida may designate up to $105 of their sales tax to Step Up For Students in exchange for a dollar-for-dollar tax credit, incurring no additional cost. Tax credits raised by this program fund the Florida Tax Credit Scholarship and the Personalized Education Program (PEP). Previously, vehicles weighing more than 5,000 lbs. were not eligible for the Vehicle Sales Tax Credit.
Transportation Stipend
- For the 2026-27 school year, the Florida Legislature has provided $3 million in funding for the Transportation Stipend – the same amount as the 2025-26 school year.
Changes due to the state budget:
- All stipends must be distributed to scholarship recipients by December 15, 2026.
Unique Abilities Scholarship
Changes due to the state budget:
- The 2026-27 scholarship amounts for the Family Empowerment Scholarship for Unique Abilities (FES-UA) can be found here. As a reminder, the scholarship amounts are established annually by the Florida Legislature in the state budget. At this time, EMA will continue to display the 2025–26 scholarship amounts while we update our systems.
Hybrid Learning Participation
- Private school eligibility was adjusted to change the meaning of “regular and direct contact” for FES-UA scholarship students who want to participate in “hybrid” learning environments.
- To align with PEP hybrid eligibility requirements, FES-UA students may now meet private school regular and direct contact requirements by having contact from teachers at a physical location at least two school days per week and submitting a Student Learning Plan for the remaining instructional time.