What is the Florida Family Empowerment Scholarship (FES) program?
What is the Florida Family Empowerment Scholarship (FES) program, who is eligible, how you can use the funds, and how to get started.
The Florida Family Empowerment Scholarship (FES) program is the most expansive education savings account (ESA) program in the United States. An ESA is an Educational Savings Account funded by the state and run by a participating educational scholarship organization. Currently, more than three million kids are enrolled in the ESA program, which allows parents to choose the best educational options for children who are struggling at their current school.
If you're intrigued, here’s everything you need to know and how to get funding for your family. Including the different subsets, what it covers, eligibility, and how to apply.
What is the Florida Family Empowerment Scholarship (FES) program?
The Florida Family Empowerment Scholarship for Educational Opportunities program is a funding program available to families with children up to grade 12 resident in Florida. It is the main program in a set of educational choice programs administered by the state-approved non-profit organization called Step Up for Students. Step Up's aim is to empower students who are struggling at school by giving them better educational choices. Whether you want to enroll your kid at a better school or start a homeschooling journey, the FES program has options for families with different goals and needs.
The FES-EO program offers three main types of scholarships:
Private School Option: this scholarship pays for enrolment at a participating private school
Transportation option: a scholarship that pays for transportation to and from a public school that is different from the one the student is currently enrolled in;
Personalized Education Program–a funding program for homeschooling families.
Who is eligible for the Florida Family Empowerment Scholarship program?
Students resident in Florida and are eligible for enrolment in a public school in Florida are eligible for the FES program. The program covers students between kindergarten and grade 12, provided that the student is at least five years old on or before September 1st of the school year when they apply.
The two other eligibility criteria are that the student must not already be enrolled in a public school in Florida at the time of applying and can't be receiving another scholarship simultaneously, whether from Step Up or any other organization.
Is the Florida Family Empowerment Scholarship limited to low-income families?
No, but the scholarships are allocated in order of priority. There are three priority levels. Top priority is given to students from families with a household income of up to 185% of the Federal Poverty Level. Tier-two priority is given to students from families with an income of 185-400% of the Federal Poverty Level.
If your family income level is above the 400% level, you can still apply for the scholarship, but your application won't be given priority. You can also use this route if you don't want to provide Step Up with your income details, which are required for priority applications.
How long is a Florida ESA scholarship valid?
An ESA scholarship can be renewed every year your child is in a participating school/homeschooled until they complete high school or turn 21, whichever comes sooner. Fortunately, you won't need to provide income information every year you renew the scholarship; the income priority only applies to the first year of application.
How much will the Florida ESA scholarship cover?
This will depend on the Florida county where you live. You can view a table of 2023-24 scholarship award amounts on the Step Up website. The scholarship always covers tuition fees first, and if any funds are remaining, eligible expenses such as educational materials and testing fees second.
Families can use their funds on Outschool! Click here to learn more.
How can I apply for the Personalized Education Program?
The Personalized Education Program, aimed at homeschooling families, can be applied to using the same format as the private school scholarship. Simply go to the Personalized Education Program section of the Step Up website and click 'Apply Now.' You will be given detailed instructions about creating an account and filling out and submitting your application.
Please note that the PEP has a capacity limit of 20,000 students for 2023-24. If the number of applications goes over this number, the income priority test will apply to the remaining applicants.
What are the requirements for the Florida Personalized Education Program?
If you are going the PEP route, you will have to fulfill several requirements in order to remain eligible for the program. You will need to:
Declare the grade level of your current homeschooling education program
Submit a learning plan via the website
Take a standardized state-approved test each year and submit the results to Step UP
Not be enrolled at a full-time public or private school at any time while claiming the scholarship. PEP students may enroll part-time in an ESA-participating private school at the same time as being enrolled in the PEP program.
What if my child has special needs or a disability?
There is a special program for children struggling at school because of a disability or special need. The Florida Scholarship for Unique Abilities is the one for you.
What if my child struggles with reading?
If your elementary school child is struggling with reading, you can apply for the Reading Scholarship, which is a subset of the Florida ESA program. This scholarship pays $500 for reading materials and programs to help your child get better at this key skill.
What can I do if my child is being bullied at school?
You can apply for the Hope Scholarship, which is for children who have experienced bullying at school. The income priority does not apply to this scholarship, although the incidents of bullying will need to have been supported and documented by the current school.
The Florida ESA program can make a huge difference to your child's education. If your child is struggling at school, know that you have options and that help is only a simple application away. If you are interested in the homeschooling route of this program, check out ESA-eligible Outschool classes for kids.
How to book Outschool Florida ESA classes
Florida families who are enrolled in the Family Empowerment Scholarship for Unique Abilities and Scholarships for Personalized Education Programs can use their funds to purchase Outschool classes.
There are two ways to purchase Outschool classes using your funds. Outschool Flex Classes can be purchased in My Scholar Shop. Live online classes (small group and 1:1) can also be submitted for reimbursement. For more info on how to purchase flex classes, click here.
Outschool is continuing to look for ways to broaden access to Outschool classes for Florida ESA families. Please reach out to ESAsupport@outschool.com with your questions and feedback.
Shop Outschool Florida ESA-eligible classes now.
