Building Stronger Readers
The program benefits students in grades K-5 by providing families with access to an education savings account (ESA) of $500 to pay for programs and materials designed to boost reading skills.
Reading Scholarship Parent Handbook
How Does It Work?
New Worlds Reading Scholarship Accounts provides access to an education savings account (ESA). The ESA functions like a bank account with funds you can spend on educational resources.
This includes:
- Part-time tutoring in reading
- Summer or after-school programs designed to improve reading or literacy skills
- Curriculum or instructional materials including books and some technology items
Dollars from this scholarship must be used in ways that improve reading and literacy.
Pre-approved services and products are available through Step Up For Students' Education Market Assistant (EMA) where families can use their scholarship dollars directly without having to pay out of pocket. Families also have the option to purchase services and products and submit a reimbursement claim through EMA.
- Apply for the scholarship through Step Up For Students EMA.
- If approved, Step Up For Students will notify you when your ESA funds are available.
- Login to the EMA portal to find pre-approved services and products. Payments to providers and vendors can be made directly from the ESA, or families can purchase pre-approved services and products for your student and request reimbursement through EMA.
This literacy program helps Florida’s struggling readers build a personalized library based on their interests while providing families with practical supporting materials that build reading confidence. Books are available in English, Spanish, Haitian Creole and braille language formats.
Support Florida's Reading Scholars
Frequently Asked Questions
The scholarships are worth $500 each 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, Elementary Education, or English Education, an adjunct teaching certificate, or has 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, including desktop and laptop computers and tablets and curriculum related to reading or literacy.
To avoid upfront costs, Reading 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.
Reading 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 Reading Scholarship Accounts Handbook for more information.
Please click here to apply for the New Worlds Reading Scholarship Accounts.
Families will need to first create an EMA account. Next, they will create their Guardian Profile. After that, families can add students to the "My Students" tab. Finally, parents can click on the "apply" button for the New Worlds Reading Scholarship.
Please click here for the 2022-23 New Worlds Reading Scholarship Accounts Handbook.
Step Up For Students will send you updates to the email address you used when you applied. You may also login to EMA to view the status of your application at any time.
Funded families may login to EMA at any time to view their student’s New Worlds Reading Scholarship Account balance.