Frequently Asked Questions
General
- The law eliminates income restrictions on the Family Empowerment Scholarship for Educational Options (FES-EO) and Florida Tax Credit (FTC) scholarships, making all children of Florida residents who are eligible to attend public school in grades K-12 eligible for a scholarship.
- Converts the FES-EO and the FTC into an education savings account (ESA) program which allows parents and guardians to pay for more than just tuition and fees at private schools. The scholarship could now help pay for private school, curriculum, textbooks, instructional materials, digital materials and assessments, and more.
- Creates the Personalized Education Program (PEP) which provides funds to families who wish to home educate using a state-funded ESA. (More information on this program can be found below.)
The law takes effect on July 1, 2023.
As of July 1, 2023 applications will be available to eligible Florida families. New families interested in the Florida Tax Credit Scholarship (FTC) or the Family Empowerment Scholarship for Educational Options (FES-EO), including PEP students, may sign up here to receive a notification from Step Up For Students when the application is available. Those interested in the Family Empowerment Scholarship for Students with Unique Abilities (FES-UA) may sign up here to be notified when the application is available.
Scholarship amounts are set by the Florida Department of Education. Scholarship amounts for the 2023-24 school year will not be available until this summer. Scholarship amounts will vary from county to county and by grade level. The scholarship amounts for the current school year may be seen here for the FTC and FES-EO programs and here for the FES-UA program.
A waitlist will depend on the number of families who apply for each scholarship program. We anticipate high demand for the current scholarship programs, as well as for the PEP student program, so apply as early as possible. PEP, specifically, is limited to 20,000 students in the 2023-24 school year and may grow by 40,000 in each subsequent year. (More details on PEP can be found below.)
Personalized Education Program
PEP, funded through the Florida Tax Credit Scholarship, is an education savings account program that allows parents to customize the education of students who are not attending public or private schools full-time. PEP will allow parents to purchase instructional materials, pay for part-time tuition at public or private schools and even tuition and fees in home education instructional programs.
- Must be registered with a Florida Department of Education (FLDOE) approved scholarship-funding organization (SFO)
- Must not be enrolled full-time in a public school, charter school, school for the deaf and blind, college preparatory academy, a developmental research school, or juvenile justice school.
- Be at least age 5 by Sept 1, of the school year in which they wish to enroll.
- Must annually submit a Student Learning Plan (SLP) to the SFO.
- Must take a FLDOE approved national norm-referenced test and submit results to the SFO.
- Must complete a sworn compliance statement through the SFO.
- A Student Learning Plan (SLP) is a customized learning plan developed by parents at least annually to guide instruction for their students and to address the services needed to fulfill the academic needs of their student.
- SLPs are only required for students on the Personalized Education Program.
Parents apply for the scholarship through a scholarship-funding organization like Step Up For Students
Applications are now available. To apply, please click here.
How many PEP students can receive a scholarship?
The law limits the program to 20,000 students for the 2023-24 school year. The program will grow by 40,000 students per year thereafter.
Why do I have to apply through the Income-based scholarships (Florida Tax Credit Scholarship/FTC) to apply for PEP?
HB1 requires PEP students to be funded through the Florida Tax Credit Scholarship (FTC). FTC and PEP students are both using the same funding source.
What happens to my child’s test score?
It will be collected by their SFO and sent to FSU for score reporting.
Will I have to officially terminate my home education program?
Yes, a student cannot be both registered in the PEP program and as a home education program student with the district. You will need to notify your school district of your intention to terminate your home education program and enroll as a PEP student through an SFO.
Can PEP students access free dual enrollment courses?
In HB 1, the Personalized Education Program students were added to the “Dual Enrollment Scholarship Program” statute. Therefore, the dual enrollment scholarship program will reimburse eligible post-secondary institutions for DE courses taken by eligible private school students, home education secondary students, and now PEP students.
Family Empowerment Scholarship for Educational Options (FES-EO)
What changes were made to the FES-EO program?
- The FES-EO program is now an education savings account (ESA) program instead of a traditional scholarship that only pays for tuition and fees.
- There is no longer an income-cap on eligibility. All students who are eligible to attend public school in grades K-12 are now eligible for FES-EO.
The scholarship awards will first pay for tuition and fees at eligible private schools. Remaining funds can be used to pay for instructional material (including digital materials and internet resources), curriculum, tuition for full-time or part-time education at an eligible postsecondary educational institution or approved apprenticeship program, fees for nationally standardized norm-referenced tests and other assessments, contracted services provided by a public school or school district, an approved online course, tuition as a private pay student at Florida Virtual School, and fees for a “Choice Navigator.” (More information on “Choice Navigators” can be found below.)
A student who is a resident of the state of Florida and is eligible to enroll in kindergarten through 12th grade in a public school in the state.
Now that all students eligible for public K-12 school are eligible for the Florida Tax Credit Scholarship (FTC) and Family Empowerment Scholarship for Educational Options (FES-EO), there are no longer statutory program caps. Due to this change, there is no longer a need to have certain groups, such as military and law enforcement families, considered outside of the cap for FES-EO.
Family Empowerment Scholarship for Students with Unique Abilities (FES-UA)
Yes, everyone eligible for public K-12 school is now eligible for the FES-EO.
This bill does not impact the cap exemptions on scholarships for students with unique abilities. Exempt students will still be able to receive a scholarship, even if there is a waitlist.
Applications are now open and are being awarded based on eligibility. To apply for a scholarship please click here.
Choice Navigator and Student Learning Plan
A Choice Navigator is an optional service provider intended to help guide parents through the myriad of choices that will become available to them through an education savings account.
A Choice Navigator holds a valid Florida teacher certification, adjunct teacher certification, a bachelor or graduate degree in the subject area where any instruction is given, demonstrated mastery of subject area knowledge, or is certified through training from an internationally recognized research-based training program approved by the Florida Department of Education (FLDOE).
The cost of the service will be determined by each Choice Navigator.
No, they are optional for all scholarship students. They are intended to help guide parents and guardians through the many educational choices available to them.
- A Student Learning Plan (SLP) is a customized learning plan developed by parents at least annually to guide instruction for their students and to address the services needed to fulfill the academic needs of their student.
- SLPs are only required for PEP students.
Questions for School Administrators
Scholarship amounts are set by the Florida Department of Education (FLDOE). Scholarship amounts for the 2023-24 school year will not be available until this summer. Scholarship amounts will vary from county to county and by grade level. The scholarship amounts for the current school year may be seen here for the FTC and FES-EO programs and here for the FES-UA program.
- For FES-EO: Scholarship-funding organizations (SFOs) are not allowed to transfer any scholarship funds to eligible students who have more than $24,000 in their scholarship account.
- For FTC: SFOs are not allowed to transfer any scholarship funds to eligible students who have more than $24,000 in their scholarship account.
- For PEP: SFOs are not allowed to transfer any scholarship funds to eligible students who have more than $24,000 in their scholarship account.
- For FES-UA: SFOs are not allowed to transfer any scholarship funds to eligible students who have more than $50,000 in their scholarship account.
A Choice Navigator holds a valid Florida teacher certification, adjunct teacher certification, a bachelor or graduate degree in the subject area where any instruction is given, demonstrated mastery of subject area knowledge, or is certified through training from an internationally recognized research-based training program approved by the Florida Department of Education (FLDOE).
The cost of the service will be determined by each Choice Navigator.
No, they are optional for all scholarship students. They are intended to help guide parents and guardians through the many educational choices available to them.
No. The Choice Navigator is only intended to be a guide and has no control over your educational choices, instruction, or curriculum.
Yes, but only for participating private schools approved by the FLDOE.
Parents with students on the FES-EO or FTC scholarships must agree to have SFOs commit scholarship funds on their behalf for tuition/fees at a private school before spending remaining funds on additional authorized uses.
For FES-UA: Yes. The bill does not impact current FES-UA enrollment cap exemptions.
For FES-EO: Since everyone who is eligible for K-12 public school is now eligible for FES-EO and there are no longer statutory program caps, there is no longer a need to have certain groups falling inside and outside of a cap that no longer exists.
Legislative Updates
What you need
to know
We encourage you check back in the coming weeks for updates regarding the implementation of the legislative changes.
Is Your Family Interested in a Scholarship?
Florida Tax Credit Scholarship (FTC) /
Family Empowerment Scholarship for Educational Options (FES-EO)
The new legislation expands the eligibility of the Florida Tax Credit (FTC) and Family Empowerment Scholarship for Educational Options (FES-EO) programs to allow K-12 students who are Florida residents to gain access to a scholarship, regardless of household income. Additionally, these programs will be converted into education savings accounts, or “ESAs” to allow for more flexibility in how funds are used by families.
- Students whose household income level does not exceed 185% of the federal poverty level
- Students whose household income level exceeds 185% of the federal poverty level but does not exceed 400% of the federal poverty level receive the third highest priority
- Students whose household income exceeds 400% of the federal poverty level
- Instructional materials
- Curriculum
- Tuition & fees for:
- Full-time or part-time enrollment in an eligible postsecondary institution or a program offered by a postsecondary institution
- An approved pre-apprenticeship program
- A private tutoring program
- A virtual program from a Dept. of Education-approved private online provider
- Florida Virtual School as a private pay student
- An approved online course
- Fees for:
- Nationally standardized, norm-referenced achievements tests
- Advanced Placement exams
- Industry certification exams
- Assessments related to postsecondary education, or
- Other assessments
- Contracted services provided by a public school or school district, including classes (subject to the school’s space and availability)
- Tuition & fees for part-time tutoring services or fees for services provided by a choice navigator
- “Choice navigators” provide consultations to students and families on
- The selection of, application for, and enrollment in educational options addressing the academics needs of the student
- Curriculum selection
- Advice on career and postsecondary education opportunities
- They must meet the same requirements as private tutors under FES
- Choice navigators are not permitted to oversee or exercise control over the curricula or academic programs of a personalized education program
- “Choice navigators” provide consultations to students and families on
- Allows all students who are eligible for FES-EO to use the transportation scholarship
Parents of scholarship students in full-time, private school must agree to have their Scholarship Funding Organization, or “SFO,” commit scholarship funds on behalf of their students for tuition and fees before using ESA funds for other authorized uses of program funds. Additionally, an SFO may not transfer scholarship funds to a student’s account which already has a balance in excess of $24,000.
PEP is a new school choice offering under the Florida Tax Credit Scholarship Program established by this legislation. The program is similar to a home education program—in that the student’s instruction will be directed by their parent—with some additional requirements:
- Up to 20,000 students may be funded under PEP for the 2023-2024 school year. That number may increase by 40,000 students each year through July 1, 2027—after which there is no restriction on how many students may be funded under PEP.
- Parents of PEP students must apply to an SFO for the student to participate in the program and annually sign a sworn compliance statement in which they agree that:
- Parents will annually submit a Student Learning Plan, or “SLP,” to their student’s SFO before the student’s first year in PEP and before funding is renewed each year thereafter.
- Parents will require their students to take a nationally norm-referenced test identified by the Florida Department of Education or a statewide assessment. Test scores must be annually reported to the student’s SFO before their scholarship can be renewed.
Family Empowerment Scholarship
for Unique Abilities (FES-UA)
- Expands Authorized Uses of Program Funds under FES-UA. Students with unique abilities who qualify for an ESA may use their funds for the following OPTIONAL additional purposes:
- An approved pre-apprenticeship program.
- Fees for services provided by a choice navigator.
- “Choice navigators” provide consultations to students and families on:
- The selection of, application for, and enrollment in educational options addressing the academics needs of the student
- Curriculum selection
- Advice on career and postsecondary education opportunities
- “Choice navigators” provide consultations to students and families on:
- A scholarship funding organization may not transfer scholarship funds to a student’s account which already has a balance in excess of $50,000.
- Allows for nonpublic students without an Individual Education Plan, or “IEP,” to have their matrix of services completed using evaluation reports and plans of care developed by approved providers or a hospital that offers authorized specialized services.
- Before enrolling a student, private schools must discuss the school’s academic programs and policies, specialized services, code of conduct, and attendance policies with the parent to determine which programs and services may meet the student's individual needs.
- Private schools must include on their school website a statement that a parentally placed private school student with a disability does not have an individual right to receive some or all of the special education and related services that the student would receive if enrolled in a public school under the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA), as amended.