Florida's Family Empowerment Scholarship, explained: who qualifies and how families apply
Since 2023, every Florida K-12 student who can enroll in public school is eligible for a state scholarship. Here is how the two FES programs work, who gets priority, and where to apply.
Florida families who are weighing a private school, or who want help paying for therapies and learning materials for a child with a disability, will run into the same three letters again and again: FES, the Family Empowerment Scholarship.
This explainer covers how the program is set up, who is eligible, and where families actually apply. It is based on the Florida Department of Education’s program page, the state statute, and the family handbook published by Step Up For Students, one of the two organizations that run the scholarship. Rules and dates can change each year, so always confirm details with the official sources linked at the bottom of this page.
What changed in 2023
According to the Florida Department of Education (FDOE), House Bill 1, signed on March 27, 2023, expanded educational choice to all Florida students. Before that law, the state’s scholarships were largely limited by family income. Today, the main test is whether a student lives in Florida and is eligible to enroll in a Florida public school, from kindergarten through 12th grade.
Two programs under one name
FDOE describes FES as two separate scholarships:
- FES-EO (Educational Options) is open to all K-12 students and is generally used toward private school tuition and fees.
- FES-UA (Unique Abilities) is for students with disabilities beginning at age 3. It works as an education savings account that families can use for approved services and products, not only tuition.
Who is eligible
Under Section 1002.394 of the Florida Statutes, a student generally qualifies if they are a Florida resident, or the dependent child of an active-duty service member with permanent change of station orders to Florida, and are eligible to enroll in a Florida public school in kindergarten through grade 12. Students who received a Hope Scholarship in the 2023-24 school year can also qualify. For FES-UA, the statute also requires a qualifying disability, documented by an IEP or a diagnosis, and allows students who are 3 or 4 years old.
Step Up For Students’ handbook adds some practical details:
- Students must be in grades K-12 and under 21. Kindergarten students must turn 5 by September 1.
- A student who is enrolled full-time in a public school cannot use the scholarship at the same time.
- FES requires a Social Security number for the student. Step Up says applicants without one are considered only for its separate Florida Tax Credit (FTC) scholarship.
Who gets priority
Universal eligibility does not mean every application is handled at once. The statute gives first priority to students from households at or below 185% of the federal poverty level and to students in foster care or out-of-home care. Second priority goes to households above 185% and up to 400% of the federal poverty level. Step Up’s handbook lists households above 400% as the next group.
How the money works
Scholarship amounts are not a flat number. Step Up’s handbook says funding depends on the student’s grade level and county and is set each year by the Florida Legislature. Payments are made in quarterly installments. If a private school’s tuition is higher than the scholarship, the family pays the difference.
Unused funds can roll over in some cases. The handbook lists a cap of $24,000 for the FTC and FES-EO scholarships and $50,000 for FES-UA.
How and where to apply
Families apply and renew every year through one of two Scholarship Funding Organizations approved by the state, listed on the FDOE program page:
| Organization | Phone |
|---|---|
| AAA Scholarship Foundation | 888-707-2465 |
| Step Up For Students | 877-735-7837 |
Step Up’s handbook notes that applications are filed by the family through its online account system, and that schools cannot apply on a family’s behalf.
Deadlines to watch
Step Up’s handbook lists November 15, 2026 as the application deadline for new students for the 2026-27 school year, with scholarship acceptance due by December 15, 2026. Renewal deadlines for returning students for 2026-27 were April 30 and May 31, 2026. Dates for the 2027-28 school year will be posted by the scholarship organizations, so check their sites before you plan around a date.
Questions to ask a school
If you are considering a private school with FES, it can help to ask:
- Is the school approved to accept Florida scholarships?
- What is full tuition, and how much would we owe after the scholarship?
- Are there fees that the scholarship does not cover?
- For FES-UA families: which services can be paid from the account?
Is your school helping families through the scholarship process, or do you have a story about how FES has worked for your family? Tell us about it.
How this story was made: This article was drafted with the help of AI tools using the public sources listed above, then reviewed, fact-checked, and approved by a human editor. Read our AI Use Policy.
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