Description:

Step Up For Students helps administer FIVE scholarship opportunities for Florida schoolchildren:

THE FLORIDA TAX CREDIT SCHOLARSHIP is income-based and provides families with financial assistance toward private school tuition and fees, or with transportation costs to attend a public school other than the school the student is zoned to attend.

The K-12 INCOME-BASED FAMILY EMPOWERMENT SCHOLARSHIP EDUCATIONAL OPTION (FES-EO) provides families with assistance toward private school tuition and fees. There are some families who are categorically eligible for this scholarship such as the following: children in foster care, siblings of students using the Family Empowerment Scholarship Unique Abilities (FES-UA), active-duty military and law enforcement families.

THE FAMILY EMPOWERMENT SCHOLARSHIP UNIQUE ABILITIES (formerly Gardiner and McKay) is for children ages 3-22 with special needs and allows parents to personalize the education of their children by directing money towards a combination of approved programs and providers including approved private schools, therapists specialists, curriculum, technology-even a college savings account.

THE HOPE SCHOLARSHIP is a new program that helps public school students who are bullied or victims of violence transfer to another public school or an eligible private school. To qualify, the incident must have taken place at a public K-12 school, any school-related or school-sponsored program or activity, or while riding on the school bus or waiting at the bus stop.

THE NEW WORLDS READING SCHOLARSHIP ACCOUNTS is an education savings account program that helps public schoolchildren in grades K-5 who struggle with reading. To qualify, the student must have scored a 1 or 2 on the grade three or four English Language Arts section of the Florida Standards Assessment in the prior year or an assessment report indicating the student has a deficiency in reading. The program offers parents access to educational savings accounts, worth $500 each, to pay for tuition and fees related to part-time tutoring, summer and after-school literacy programs, instructional materials and more. Students who are classified as English Language Learners (ELL) and who are enrolled in a program or receiving services that are specifically designed to meet the instructional needs of English Language Learner students are also eligible and receive priority.

Children who are in foster care, in out-of-home care or who are homeless may also be eligible for either of the five scholarships.

General Information

Hours:

8:00am-5:00pm, Mon-Fri

Intake Process:

Application process is completed online at: https://www.stepupforstudents.org Visit the website for details.

Program Fees:

No application fee for the Income-Based scholarship.
No application fee for the Special Needs scholarship.
No application fee for the Hope scholarship.
No application fee for the Reading scholarship.

Languages:

English, Spanish, Creole

Eligibility:

INCOME-BASED FLORIDA TAX CREDIT SCHOLARSHIP or FAMILY EMPOWERMENT SCHOLARSHIP:
K-12 children whose family's household income qualifies for the free or reduced-price school lunch program (185% of the federal poverty guidelines), or if the family receives SNAP (food stamps), TANF, or FDPIR.
Children entering kindergarten must be 5 years old on or before Sept. 1st and children entering first grade must be 6 years old on or before Sept. 1st.

FAMILY EMPOWERMENT SCHOLARSHIP:
Florida students 3-22 years old with certain special needs.
Children must be 3 or 4 years old on or before Sept. 1st.
Children entering kindergarten must be 5 years old on or before Sept. 1st and children entering first grade must be 6 years old on or before Sept. 1st.

HOPE SCHOLARSHIP:
K-12 public school student who is bullied or a victim of violence.

NEW WORLDS READING SCHOLARSHIP ACCOUNTS:
K - 5th grade public school students who scored a 1 or 2 on the third or fourth grade English Language Arts section of the Florida Standards Assessment in the prior year.
Students who are classified as English Language Learners, and who are enrolled in a program or receiving services that are specifically designed to meet the instructional needs of English Language Learner students, will receive priority.


Children who are in foster care, in out-of-home care or who are homeless also may be eligible for either of these FIVE scholarships. Visit www.StepUpForStudents.org

Handicap Accessible?

Yes

Is Shelter?

No

Miscellaneous

Date of Official Change:

May 18, 2026

Legal Status:

Non-Profit

Address Listings

Contacts

Phone Numbers