School Choice Scholarships

• The student’s household income does not exceed 300% of the federal poverty level ($78,600 for a family of four); or the student is on the direct certification list (list of children who qualify for the food assistance program, the Temporary Assistance to Needy Families Program, or the Food Distribution on Indian Reservations program); or the student is currently placed, or during the previous state fiscal year was placed, in foster care or in out-of-home care as defined in section 39.01, Florida Statutes;

and

• The student is eligible to enroll in kindergarten or has spent the prior school year in attendance at a Florida public school. Prior attendance means the student was enrolled in and in attendance at a Florida public school during both the October and February student counts; and
• Prior to scholarship funds being awarded, the student must be accepted and enrolled in a participating private school. For a list of eligible schools, please view the Department’s Private School Directory. A private school that is currently eligible to participate in any of the scholarship programs is eligible to participate in the FES; however, parents should contact the school to inquire as to whether the private school will participate in the program.

Families who meet the eligibility requirements and are interested in applying for the FES should first contact one of Florida’s two approved scholarship funding organizations. Students who have already applied for the Florida Tax Credit (FTC) Scholarship program may be determined to meet the income eligibility without resubmitting household income documentation to the Scholarship Funding Organization.

Families who are interested in applying for either the Family Empowerment Scholarship for Educational Options or the Family Empowerment Scholarship for Students with Unique Abilities must contact one of the two scholarship-funding organizations that administer these programs.