Congratulations!
Private School with ESA Option (FTC/FES-EO)
Students can utilize their FTC/FES-EO scholarship at more than 2,000 private schools across Florida. Click here to view eligible, participating private schools. When awarded this option, you agree the scholarship award amount will first fund your student’s tuition and fees at an eligible, participating private school. Any remaining funds will be accessible as an education savings account (ESA) and can be used to fund a combination of approved programs, providers, and goods including instructional materials, curriculum, and technology.
IMPORTANT: FTC/FES-EO students must show as "Enrolled" in EMA by 8 p.m. ET on Sunday, September 15 for the student to be available for review for the next round of funding. If you haven't already completed the enrollment process, please be sure to provide your student's Award ID to your chosen school today to begin the process. After the school has submitted your student’s School Enrollment Form to Step Up, you will need to approve your student’s enrollment to complete this process. All steps must be completed by this deadline for the student to be considered for the next round of funding. Watch the video below for next steps. Please note: For an FTC/FES-EO student to receive 100% of their scholarship award for the 2024-25 school year, the student must be "enrolled" in EMA by October 15, 2024.
You're Awarded! Now What?
Locate your student’s Award ID. Award IDs can now be found right on your Dashboard. Simply log in to your EMA account and you will see a “My Students” section with a tile for each student on the Dashboard. Within the student’s tile, you will see their Award ID. Important: Award IDs are different each year. If a student is not yet awarded, their Award ID will display as “Pending.” Note: If you have more than three students, click "View All" in the "My Students" tile to display all students.
Share your student's Award ID with your chosen school so they are ready to complete your student's School Enrollment Form within their EMA account once we begin accepting 2024-25 Enrollments. The School Enrollment Form links your student to the selected private school for billing purposes. Note: If you have not yet found a school, please visit Schoolahoop to search for eligible participating schools.
Tip: To print your student’s Award ID, click the “View Student” button and then click the “Print Award ID” button found in the top, right corner of the new screen.
Monitor your email. Once your student’s private school has submitted your student’s School Enrollment Form, you will receive an email asking you to log in to your EMA account to review and confirm your student’s enrollment.
Confirm that your student is showing "Enrolled" by clicking on the "My Students" tab. For enrolled students, their tile should now display that they are "Enrolled in EMA" with their school name.
Please note: If attending an eligible, participating private school, parents/guardians must meet with the principal, or the principal’s designee, to review the school's academic programs and policies, specialized services, code of conduct, and attendance policies before enrolling a student.
For more information on private school scholarships, click here.
Award Amounts
The scholarship award amount is based on the student's county and grade level and is determined by a statutory formula. Scholarship award amounts may be prorated, if applicable, based on the student’s award or enrollment date at an eligible private school, whichever is later.
Funding
Reminders
For FTC and FES-EO scholarships, funds must be committed first to an eligible, participating private school.
Available funds for the 2024-25 school year can be used for any approved items or services purchased on or after July 1, 2024. Funds cannot be used for purchases made outside of the academic school year.
Reimbursements for purchases during the school year (July 1, 2024 – June 30, 2025) must be submitted no later than August 31, 2025.
Be sure to keep track of your student’s scholarship balance. You may be responsible for any funds owed to schools or providers beyond what is available in your student’s account.
Don't Risk It!
We strongly encourage our FTC, FES-EO and PEP scholarship families to read our FTC, FES-EO and PEP Parent/Guardian Handbook. The handbook includes important resources on how to use your scholarship, including which items/services are preapproved.
Families should also be familiar with the FTC/FES-EO/PEP Purchasing Guidelines.
Funding is not guaranteed!
The parent/guardian applies for multiple scholarships under the Family Empowerment Scholarship and the Florida Tax Credit Scholarship programs for an individual student at the same time.
The student is enrolled on a full-time basis in the Florida Virtual School, the Florida School For The Deaf and Blind, the College-Preparatory Boarding Academy, the Florida School for Competitive Academics, the Florida Scholars Academy, a developmental research school, a charter school, or any other Florida public school as they are ineligible to receive a Family Empowerment Scholarship or a Florida Tax Credit scholarship. If the student is enrolled on a full-time basis during the 2024-25 school year, it will result in forfeiture of scholarship participation and the return of any remaining scholarship funds. This does not prohibit students using the Family Empowerment Scholarship or Florida Tax Credit Scholarship from attending one or more of these programs on a part-time basis, provided they are meeting regular school attendance requirements per s. 1003.01(16)(b)-(d), F.S. in some other way. Any participation in a public school on a part-time basis while receiving a scholarship must be paid for by the guardian using either personal or scholarship funds. A scholarship student may not be reported for state funding by a school district and receive a scholarship at the same time.
A post-award audit determines the student is not eligible. Additional information and/or documentation related to the application may be requested at any time post-award for auditing purposes.
You fail to comply with the provisions of the FTC, FES-EO or PEP scholarships or any parental obligations for the program, including fraudulent application, purchasing, or reimbursement activity.
You share your user ID and password with anyone (including schools or providers). Allowing schools and/or providers to access your account may put your scholarship in jeopardy of being misused.
Additional Details:
After the first year of using the Florida Tax Credit Scholarship and the Family Empowerment Scholarship for Educational Options, your student may continue participating in the scholarship program until he or she graduates from high school or returns to public school – regardless of changes to your income.
Parents/guardians must apply annually to continue using the scholarship.
2023-2024 | ||
| Persons in family/household | Priority 1 up to 185% | Priority 2 185%-400% |
| 1 | Up to $26,973 | Up to $58,320 |
| 2 | $36,482 | $78,880 |
| 3 | $45,991 | $99,440 |
| 4 | $55,500 | $120,000 |
| 5 | $65,009 | $140,560 |
| 6 | $74,518 | $161,120 |
| 7 | $84,027 | $181,680 |
| 8 | $93,536 | $202,240 |
| 9 | $103,045 | $222,800 |
| 10 | $112,554 | $243,360 |
| 11 | $122,063 | $263,920 |
| Each additional member +$9,509 | Each additional member +$20,560 | |
| Based on guidelines published by the Department of Health & Human Services in National Registry on January 2023 | ||