Newsroom

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.

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