Scholarships for VPK and Public Elementary School Students Needing Academic Support

We are no longer accepting applications for the 2024-25 school year.
To be among the first to be notified when 2025-26 applications become available, sign up here.

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Building
Stronger Learners

Reading and math skills provide a foundation for academic success starting at an early age. Students who struggle early in their academic career may continue to struggle to reach their full learning potential. New Worlds Scholarship Accounts enable early intervention to support students in moving ahead.

The program benefits VPK and K-5 public school students by providing families with an education savings account (ESA). Families can use these ESAs to pay for programs and materials designed to boost reading and math skills. Scholarship award amount varies based on the school year for which the student is awarded.

How Does It Work?

New Worlds Scholarship Accounts provide access to a flexible education savings account (ESA). The ESA functions like a bank account with funds you can spend on educational resources.

Dollars from this scholarship must be used in ways that improve reading and/or math.

This includes:

  • Part-time tutoring in reading and math
  • Summer or after-school programs designed to improve reading or math skills
  • Curriculum or instructional materials, including books and some technology items

To be among the first to be notified when 2025-26 applications become available, sign up here.

Apply Now

Pre-approved services and products are available through Step Up For Students’ Education Market Assistant (EMA) marketplace where families can use their scholarship dollars directly without having to pay out of pocket.

Please Note: Starting in the '24-25 school year, families will no longer have to submit a reimbursement claim for educational expenses in compliance with Florida Statute.

1

Sign up to be notified when applications open and then apply for the scholarship through Step Up For Students EMA.

2
If approved, Step Up For Students will notify you when your ESA funds are available.
3

Log into the EMA portal to find pre-approved services and products. Payments to providers and vendors can be made directly from the ESA.

Are We Eligible?

Effective July 1, 2024, the New Worlds Scholarship Accounts Program expanded eligibility to include VPK students as well as public school students enrolled in kindergarten through grade 5 who:

  • have a substantial deficiency in either reading or mathematics;
  • exhibit characteristics of dyslexia or dyscalculia;
  • scored below a Level 3 on the most recent statewide, standardized English Language Arts (ELA) or Mathematics assessment; or
  • for VPK students enrolled in public school or private school programs, exhibit a substantial deficiency in early literacy skills based on the most recent progress monitoring results

An eligible student who is classified as an English Language Learner and is enrolled in a program or receiving services that are specifically designed to meet the instructional needs of English Language Learner students shall receive priority.

New for the 2024-2025 school year:
Does your K-8 student attend a Florida public school other than the one they were assigned? Your family may qualify for a $750 Transportation Stipend! Click here for more information.

Frequently Asked Questions

Resources

For handbooks and other helpful information view our resources page

Delivering a New World To You

New Worlds Reading is Florida’s FREE home reading program that mails eligible children a free book and activities each month during the school year through fifth grade. Families can choose what books they will receive when they apply, growing their home library based on their child’s interests to encourage a lifelong love of reading. The accompanying literacy resources and activities help children strengthen their skills and build reading confidence.

New Worlds Reading is administered by the UF Lastinger Center for Learning. Book titles are selected in partnership with Scholastic and approved by the Florida Department of Education. Books and materials are available in English, Spanish, Haitian Creole, and braille.

To be eligible, students must be either in a VPK program and not making age-appropriate progress according to state assessments or in K-5 in a public or charter school and not yet reading on grade level.

Learn more at newworldsreading.com >

The scholarship is worth $1,200 and can be used for the following:

  • 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 Reading, Math, Elementary Education, English Education, or Math Education, an adjunct teaching certificate, or has demonstrated mastery of the subject area knowledge.
  • Fees for summer education programs designed to improve reading or math skills.
  • Fees for after-school education programs designed to improve reading or math skills.
  • Instructional materials, including desktop and laptop computers and tablets and curriculum related to reading or math.

To avoid upfront costs, New Worlds Scholarship families may choose one of Step Up For Students’ direct-pay options. Our direct-pay options include part-time tutors, after-school and summer reading programs, and shopping for pre-approved items through the EMA.
New Worlds Scholarship families may also choose to pay out-of-pocket for approved goods and services. Families may then log in to EMA to submit a reimbursement request.

Please refer to the New Worlds Scholarship Accounts Handbook for more information.

Please click here for the current New Worlds Scholarship Accounts Parent Handbook.

Step Up For Students works with the State of Florida to fund New Worlds Scholarship Accounts after students are found eligible. This process may take several weeks. Step Up will send scholarship funding updates to the email address associated with your EMA account. You may also log in to EMA to view the status of your application at any time.
Funded families may log into EMA anytime to view their student’s New Worlds Scholarship Account balance.

Video Library

How to create your FTC/FES-EO account
How to complete an FTC/FES-EO application
Document checklist for FTC/FES-EO applications
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