Basic Program Facts about the Reading Scholarship
In 2018 Florida became the first state in the country to offer an education savings account program for students enrolled in public schools. The Reading Scholarship was created to help public school students in grades 3 through 5 who struggle with reading. The program offers parents access to an educational savings account, worth $500, to pay for tuition and fees related to part-time tutoring, summer and after-school literacy programs, instructional materials and more. The scholarship served 5,375 students in 2018-19. Read the 2020-21 Reading Scholarship Account Fact Sheet here.
The Reading Scholarship is available to third- through fifth-grade students who scored a 1 or 2 on the English Language Arts section of the Florida Standards Assessment in the third or fourth grades. Students who are classified as English Language Learners who are enrolled in a program or receiving services from the school district will receive first priority. The program is first-come, first-served with $9.7 million budgeted for the scholarship.
Scholarships are worth $500 and can be used for the reimbursement of:
- Tuition and fees for part-time tutoring provided by a person who holds a valid Florida educator’s certificate, a baccalaureate or graduate degree in the subject, an adjunct teaching certificate, or has a demonstrated mastery of the subject area knowledge.
- Fees for summer education programs designed to improve reading or literacy skills.
- Fees for after-school education programs designed to improve reading or literacy skills.
- Instructional materials and curriculum related to reading or literacy.