Step Up For Students Provides Scholarships for Educational Options
Our Mission
Step Up For Students empowers families to pursue and engage in the most appropriate learning options for their children.
Empowering Florida’s Pre-K3 through 12th Grade Students to Thrive with Customized Education
We call it customized education. This is our driving mission. We unite the community to provide scholarships that open doors to a stronger future. With this support, Florida students can choose the right learning environment and connect with the resources they need to reach their full potential.
With Step Up For Students Scholarships, children gain access to private or public schools that would otherwise be out of their reach. Struggling readers and math students excel with extra support. And those with unique abilities access a wider range of academic programs and materials to meet their needs.
These opportunities are made possible by people in our community who continually step up for Florida students. Through tax programs, individual donations, workplace giving, planned giving, and more, they enable our students to thrive from pre-school through high school and beyond.
With Step Up For Students Scholarships, children gain access to private or public schools that would otherwise be out of their reach. Struggling readers and math students excel with extra support. And those with unique abilities access a wider range of academic programs and materials to meet their needs.
These opportunities are made possible by people in our community who continually step up for Florida students. Through tax programs, individual donations, workplace giving, planned giving, and more, they enable our students to thrive from pre-school through high school and beyond.
Step Up For Students Roadmap
Empowering Florida’s Pre-K3 through 12th Grade Students to Thrive with Customized Education
1998
Tampa Venture Capitalist John Kirtley works with the Children’s Scholarship Fund to create the Children’s Scholarship Fund of Tampa Bay. The program provides privately funded scholarships to allow low-income students to attend the school of their choice. In three months, with little publicity, the program receives 12,500 applications for 750 scholarships, revealing a compelling need.
1999
2000
2001
Kirtley works with lawmakers to create the Florida Tax Credit Scholarship Program. The program gives corporations credit for redirecting their state tax obligations that helped low-income families send their children to private schools or public schools outside of their district.
2002
2003
2004
2005
2006
Lawmakers adopt a comprehensive set of financial and educational controls, including the requirement that each student in the program take a standardized test recognized by the Department of Education. Three independent research organizations – the Collins Center for Public Policy, Florida TaxWatch and the state Office of Program Policy and Analysis – conclude that the program has saved money for the public education system.
2007
2008
2009
2010
The legislature passes a major expansion of the program with wide support. The bill adds tax credit sources, bringing the total to five: corporate income, insurance premium, alcoholic beverage excise, direct pay sales, and oil and gas services.
2011
2012
2013
2014
The legislature passes the Personal Learning Scholarships Accounts (PLSA), an education savings account (ESA) program for children with certain special needs.
2015
Step Up For Students launches the PLSA program providing scholarships for 1,500 qualifying students.
2016
The PLSA program is renamed the Gardiner Scholarship honoring Senate President Andy Gardiner and his family for their advocacy of children with special needs in Florida.
2017
Scholarship families win a major case at the Florida Supreme Court, saving the scholarship program for future generations.
2018
Florida creates the Hope Scholarship, a first-of-its-kind school choice program providing scholarships to students who have experienced bullying in a public school. In its first year, 127 students from around the state participate in the program.
Florida becomes the first state to offer an education savings account (ESA) for 3rd-5th grade students enrolled in public schools who are struggling readers. More than 5,630 students participate in the Reading Scholarships Account program in the first year.
The development of these programs brings the total number of scholarship programs managed by Step Up For Students to four: the Florida Tax Credit Scholarship, the Gardiner Scholarship, the Hope Scholarship and the Reading Scholarship Accounts program.
Florida becomes the first state to offer an education savings account (ESA) for 3rd-5th grade students enrolled in public schools who are struggling readers. More than 5,630 students participate in the Reading Scholarships Account program in the first year.
The development of these programs brings the total number of scholarship programs managed by Step Up For Students to four: the Florida Tax Credit Scholarship, the Gardiner Scholarship, the Hope Scholarship and the Reading Scholarship Accounts program.
2019
The Gardiner Scholarship exceeds 10,000 students, making it the largest education savings account (ESA) program in the nation.
The legislature creates the Family Empowerment Scholarship (FES) Program to expand income limits and extend support to more families.
The legislature creates the Family Empowerment Scholarship (FES) Program to expand income limits and extend support to more families.
2020
Step Up For Students funds its 1 millionth scholarship.
2021
The Family Empowerment Scholarship Program expands to create two pillars of focus: students with unique abilities and those seeking educational options and qualify based on income and other eligibility. The Gardiner Scholarship is renamed as Family Empowerment Scholarship for Students with Unique Abilities (FES-UA) and the legislature adds six additional qualifying diagnoses to the program. Additionally, the second pillar to the FES program is named the Family Empowerment Scholarship for Educational Options (FES-EO) and it expands to serve dependents of members of the U.S. Armed Forces as well as siblings of students on the FES-UA program.
2022
The eligibility for the Family Empowerment Scholarship for Educational Options (FES-EO) expands to include dependents of law enforcement officers.
The Family Empowerment Scholarship for Students with Unique Abilities (FES-UA) program serves more than 25,000 students for the 2021-22 school year. The program expands once again, absorbing the previously state-managed John M. McKay Scholarship for Students with Disabilities Program for the 2022-23 school year.
The newly renamed New Worlds Reading Scholarship Accounts Program is expanded to include K-2nd grade public school students who struggle with reading and literacy.
The Family Empowerment Scholarship for Students with Unique Abilities (FES-UA) program serves more than 25,000 students for the 2021-22 school year. The program expands once again, absorbing the previously state-managed John M. McKay Scholarship for Students with Disabilities Program for the 2022-23 school year.
The newly renamed New Worlds Reading Scholarship Accounts Program is expanded to include K-2nd grade public school students who struggle with reading and literacy.
1998
Tampa Venture Capitalist John Kirtley works with the Children’s Scholarship Fund to create the Children’s Scholarship Fund of Tampa Bay. The program provides privately funded scholarships to allow low-income students to attend the school of their choice. In three months, with little publicity, the program receives 12,500 applications for 750 scholarships, revealing a compelling need.
1999
2000
2005
2004
2001
Led by Speaker Tom Feeney and Senate President John McKay, the Florida legislature passes a bill to create the Florida Tax Credit Scholarship Program, which is signed into law by Govenror Jeb Bush. The program gives corporations credit for redirecting their state tax obligations that helped low-income families send their children to private schools or public schools outside of their district.
2003
2002
2006
Lawmakers adopt a comprehensive set of financial and educational accountability measures, including the requirement that each student in the program take a standardized test recognized by the Department of Education and the scores be reported to a major Florida university and to the public--down to the school level. Three independent research organizations – the Collins Center for Public Policy, Florida TaxWatch and the state Office of Program Policy and Analysis – conclude that the program saves money for the public education system.
2007
2008
2009
2013
2012
2010
The legislature passes a major expansion of the program with strong bipartisan support. The bill adds tax credit sources, bringing the total to five: corporate income, insurance premium, alcoholic beverage excise, direct pay sales, and oil and gas services.
2011
2014
The legislature passes the Personal Learning Scholarships Accounts (PLSA), an education savings account (ESA) program for children with certain special needs.
2016
The PLSA program is renamed the Gardiner Scholarship honoring Senate President Andy Gardiner and his family for their advocacy of children with special needs in Florida.
2015
Step Up For Students launches the PLSA program providing scholarships for 1,500 qualifying students.
2017
Step Up For Students reaches a historical milestone with more than 100,000 students served.
2018
Florida creates the Hope Scholarship, a first-of-its-kind school choice program providing scholarships to students who have experienced bullying in a public school. In its first year, 127 students from around the state participate in the program. Florida becomes the first state to offer an education savings account (ESA) for 3rd-5th grade students enrolled in public schools who are struggling readers. More than 5,630 students participate in the Reading Scholarships Account program in the first year.
The development of these programs brings the total number of scholarship programs managed by Step Up For Students to four: the Florida Tax Credit Scholarship, the Gardiner Scholarship, the Hope Scholarship and the Reading Scholarship Accounts program.
The development of these programs brings the total number of scholarship programs managed by Step Up For Students to four: the Florida Tax Credit Scholarship, the Gardiner Scholarship, the Hope Scholarship and the Reading Scholarship Accounts program.
2019
The Gardiner Scholarship exceeds 10,000 students, making it the largest education savings account (ESA) program in the nation.
The legislature creates the Family Empowerment Scholarship (FES) Program to expand income limits and extend support to more families.
The legislature creates the Family Empowerment Scholarship (FES) Program to expand income limits and extend support to more families.
2020
Step Up For Students funds its 1 millionth scholarship.
2021
The Family Empowerment Scholarship Program expands to create two pillars of focus: students with unique abilities and those seeking educational options and qualify based on income and other eligibility. The Gardiner Scholarship is renamed as Family Empowerment Scholarship for Students with Unique Abilities (FES-UA) and the legislature adds six additional qualifying diagnoses to the program. Additionally, the second pillar to the FES program is named the Family Empowerment Scholarship for Educational Options (FES-EO) and it expands to serve dependents of members of the U.S. Armed Forces as well as siblings of students on the FES-UA program.
2023
Florida is now the second state to offer universal scholarship programs, expanding FTC and FES-EO to all students. It is also the first state to provide an education savings account for parent-led education options. For the first time in state history, over 250,000 students are enrolled in Florida's scholarship programs.
2022
The eligibility for the Family Empowerment Scholarship for Educational Options (FES-EO) expands to include dependents of law enforcement officers.
The Family Empowerment Scholarship for Students with Unique Abilities (FES-UA) program serves more than 25,000 students for the 2021-22 school year. The program expands once again, absorbing the previously state-managed John M. McKay Scholarship for Students with Disabilities Program for the 2022-23 school year.
The newly renamed New Worlds Reading Scholarship Accounts Program is expanded to include K-2nd grade public school students who struggle with reading and literacy.
The Family Empowerment Scholarship for Students with Unique Abilities (FES-UA) program serves more than 25,000 students for the 2021-22 school year. The program expands once again, absorbing the previously state-managed John M. McKay Scholarship for Students with Disabilities Program for the 2022-23 school year.
The newly renamed New Worlds Reading Scholarship Accounts Program is expanded to include K-2nd grade public school students who struggle with reading and literacy.
2024
For the first time, Florida's scholarship programs funded over 400,000 students. Military families can now apply for scholarships upon receiving orders to a Florida base.
Your gift will change a student's life
Our dedication to students doesn’t end when they receive a scholarship. Your support will enable Step Up to maximize the impact of the scholarships the students receive.
Donate now!
Stepping Beyond the Scholarship
Every day, students across Florida are fulfilling their potential through personalized education. Meet the students and read their stories as they forge a new educational path. Be inspirED by how our scholarships are shaping the future.
Visit inspirED
Reimagining
Education
As the national gathering place for news and commentary about the evolving world of education choice, NextSteps' robust team of reporters and commentators rely on their experience to speak about the explosion of education options and the means for tapping into them.
Visit NextSteps