Florida’s Family Empowerment Scholarship for Educational Options (FES-EO) and the Florida Tax Credit (FTC) Scholarship now operate like ESA-style programs that can cover a significant portion of tuition for many private-school students. For heads of school, principals, and boards, choosing to participate affects daily work in enrollment, finance, and compliance.

What FES‑EO and FTC Do

FES-EO and FTC K–12 serve students with scholarship amounts based on their grade level and county. For 2024–25, typical FES‑EO private‑school awards are around $8,000, depending on grade and county. The state sends the money to Scholarship Funding Organizations (SFOs) like Step Up and AAA, and the SFOs hold it in each student’s account.

When a family selects your school and you confirm enrollment, the SFO pays your tuition and required fees. If any money remains, the family rather than the school may use it for other approved learning items.

What a Florida School Must Do to Participate

To accept FES-EO or FTC students, a Florida private school must satisfy two separate requirements.

First, the school must be registered with the Florida Department of Education and listed in the state’s Directory of Private Schools. This involves submitting the required forms each year, meeting basic health and safety standards, and ensuring that school owners or operators complete criminal-background screening.

Second, the school must also sign up with an approved Scholarship Funding Organization, usually Step Up For Students or AAA. This includes signing the SFO’s agreement, entering banking and contact information, and following the SFO’s rules for attendance, testing, reporting, and billing.

Key Dates and Cash‑Flow

Renewal families are typically given the first application window, often beginning around February 1, and new students are considered only after renewals and other priority groups, if funding is still available. SFOs review only complete applications.

For schools, the key dates are the quarterly payment cycles in early fall, late fall, winter, and spring. Payments are released only after a parent accepts the award and the school confirms enrollment. Students who begin later in the year receive prorated amounts.

SFOs are expected to continue using renewal‑first application windows and quarterly funding cycles, so school leaders should plan around these patterns while monitoring final calendars for each year.

Responsibilities Once You Are In

Participating in FES-EO or FTC adds tasks to a school’s daily work.

• Enrollment and attendance: Schools must log into the SFO portal each funding period to confirm that scholarship students are enrolled and attending. Missing this step can delay payments.

• Testing and reporting: Schools must make sure scholarship students take Florida’s state tests or an approved national test. They must also send summary test results to FLDOE or the SFO on time.

• Records and audits: Schools must keep clear records and cooperate with SFO reviews or site visits.

These requirements are set out in Florida’s scholarship laws, rules, and official handbooks, and schools should watch for updated handbooks and guidance as the 2026–27 school year approaches.

Questions Florida Boards and Heads Should Ask

Because these programs are tied to school funding, leaders should think carefully before joining. Boards may want to ask about the following scopes:

• Budget: How much will we rely on FES-EO or FTC money each year?

• Staff: Who will manage the portals, deadlines, and reports?

• Families: How will we explain what the scholarship pays for and what it does not?

• Risk: Do we have systems to avoid billing mistakes or missed confirmations?

For many schools, the hardest part is not getting listed in the state directory or signing up with an SFO. The more demanding work is the daily effort of helping families complete applications, tracking funding cycles, and ensuring that school policies remain consistent with scholarship rules. Being clear about who does what now can help leaders decide how much capacity they have for FES-EO and FTC in 2026–27.