New Bill Expands School Choice to all Florida Families: A Christian Education is Now More Affordable Than Ever!

What is it?

Florida Governor Ron DeSantis recently signed a new bill that expands school choice to all Florida families. House Bill 1 is a major expansion of Florida's pre-existing Family Empowerment Scholarship for Educational Options. By removing income restrictions and enrollment limits, the law essentially allows any Florida household with a student in elementary, middle or high school to receive a school voucher containing the amount that their local public school would have received if they had attended. This voucher may be used to pay for private school tuition, for homeschooling resources, or other school-related costs.

Who qualifies?

Previously, only low-income students and those with special needs were eligible for educational choice scholarships. Now, the bill expands eligibility to include all Florida families regardless of their income level. Families can apply for scholarships that cover tuition and fees at private schools, transportation costs, and more.

The law further specifies that priority in receiving these scholarship funds will be given to students who are in foster or out-of-home care, or whose household income does not exceed 185 percent of the federal poverty level (based on family size, but this is roughly $51,000 for a family of four with the priority scale ranging up to four-member families with a $111,000 income). Students who enroll in public school won't receive scholarships, as the money allotted to these students will be given to their public school programs.

Families who provide homeschooling will also be eligible to receive the voucher assistance, provided their children meet certain requirements.  The money is put in an educational savings account to be used for future education costs.

What does it mean for parents?

One of the main benefits of this bill is that it gives parents more control over their children's education. Suppose you live in an area where the public schools are not meeting your child's educational needs. In that case, you can now use a scholarship to enroll your child in a private school that meets your specific requirements.  Christian education may have been a desire for your family but, previously, this option was just not financially possible.  Now the option for Christian education is made available to many families.  This bill also gives parents more power to hold schools accountable for their performance. Schools that fail to meet state standards may lose their eligibility to accept scholarship students.

What is required to be eligible for vouchers?

In order for parents to receive voucher assistance for their child there are some conditions that need to be met. Some of these include:

• Select the private school and apply for admission.
• Meet with the private school's principal or the principal's designee to review the school's academic programs and policies, specialized services, code of student conduct, and attendance policies before enrollment.
• Request the scholarship by a date established by the school.
• Inform the applicable school district when the parent withdraws his or her student from a public school to attend an eligible private school.
• Require his or her student participating in the program to remain in attendance throughout the school year unless excused by the school for illness or other good cause.

The two organizations that manage the state’s scholarship programs are Step Up for Students and AAA Scholarship Foundation.

How much assistance do the vouchers offer?

Students and their families can receive roughly $8,500 in assistance.

When does it start?

The legislation will go into effect July 1, 2023, so eligible students and parents will be able to use the voucher for the upcoming school year.

In conclusion:

Florida Governor DeSantis's new bill expands the school choice program, allowing all Florida families to apply for scholarships that cover tuition and fees at private schools. This gives parents more control over their children's education and allows them to choose a school that meets their specific requirements. If you're a parent in Florida, now is the time to explore your options and take advantage of the expanded school choice program.  If you would like to learn more about Christian education at King’s Christian School in Miami, contact us to book a tour. Call 305-221-2008 or email info@kcsmiami.com.