Florida Scholarships

Within the context of the various scholarships and the changes enacted as a part of House Bill #1 it is important to understand how families meet the Compulsory School Attendance requirments in Florida. At the same time a new scholarhip was added, this legislation will also amend the current options for complying with the compulsory attendence requirements in Florida from five to six. It is important to note that not every option to comply with the attendance requirement will qualify for one of the scholarships.
NOTE 1: FOFCAI is not an attorney and the information provided below is taken from the recently passed legislation and Florida Statutes but is not intended to constitue legal advice.
NOTE 2: (Comments inside braces are intended for clarification but are not part of the language in the statute.)

Florida Statute (F.S.) 1003.01 Definitions - Part (13) Regular school attendance means the actual attendance of a student during the school day as defined by law and rules of the State Board of Education. Regular attendance within the intent of s. 1003.21 may be achieved by attendance in:

(a) A public school supported by public funds; (This inclues Charter Schools and full-time enrollment in the Florida Virtual School (FLVS) which are defined as public schools in Florida statutes.)

(b) A parochial, religious, or denominational school; (Examples would incude but is not limited to a Cathotic School.)

(c) A private school supported in whole or in part by tuition charges or by endowments or gifts; (This would be a private school that is not a part of a specific church, and can be a traditional five-day a week campus program, and or allow home-based students and or offer a virtual program.)

(d) A home education program that meets the requirements of chapter 1002; or (The would be a student that is registered with the local school distracit as a homeschooler. For complete details on theis option refer to Homeschooling Details on this website, HSLDA or FPEA. NOTE: This option is DIFFERENT than the PEP Scholarship, but can be used by studnets that qualify for the Family Empowerment Scholarship for Unique Abilities.)

(e) A private tutoring program that meets the requirements of chapter 1002 or (Contracting with a Florida Certified Teacher to provide the required instruction. There are currently no scholarships connected with this legal option.)

(f) Enrollment in a Personalized Educaiton Program. ( The PEP is both a method of complying with the compulsory requirement and a scholarship. This is the new scholarship for the 23-24 school term that allows for the student to be home-based, enroll in part-time classes, get tutoring from a qualifed teacher, pay for curriculum etc.)

Florida House Bill #1 lines 194-201. (Names of the sepcific statute added after the number to provide clarity.)
A "personalized education program" means the sequentially progressive instruction of a student directed by his or her parent to satisfy the attendance requirements of ss. 1003.01(13) (Regular School Attendance) and 1003.21(1) (Compulsory School Attendance) while registered with an eligible nonprofit scholarship-funding organization. A Personalized Education student shall be provided the same flexibility and oppertunities as provided ins s. 1002.41(3)(12). (A home education program shall be excluded from meeting the requirements of a school day.)

The result of this change is that families that are currently county registered homeschoolers, or those that are enrolled in a private school like FOFCAI that works with home-based students is that they can now switch to a Personalized Educaiton Program that gives them the choice to continue directing the education of their children, but gives them equal access to scholarship funds that have been up to now restricted to students who attend five day a week campus programs.

Who can receive a PEP Scholarship?
A parent of a student may request and receive from the state (Florida) a scholarship for the purposes specified in paragraph 253 (4)(a) if the student is a resident of this state (Florida) and is eligible to enroll in kindergarten through grade 12 in a public school in this state (Florida).

Priority must be given in the following order:
    a. A student whose household income level does not exceed 185 percent of the federal poverty level or who is in foster care or out-of-home care.
    b. A student whose household income level exceeds 185 percent of the federal poverty level, but does not exceed 400 percent of the federal poverty level.

Authorized Uses of Program Funds:
    1. Tuition and fees at an eligible private school.; or
    2. Transportation to a Florida public school in which a student is enrolled and that is different from the school to which the student was assigned or to a lab school as defined in s. 1002.32. 290
    3. Instructional materials, including digital materials and Internet resources.
    4. Curriculum as defined in subsection (2).
    5. Tuition and fees associated with full-time or part-time enrollment in an eligible postsecondary educational institution or a program offered by the postsecondary educational institution, unless the program is subject to s. 1009.25 or reimbursed pursuant to s. 1009.30; an approved preapprenticeship program as defined in s. 446.021(5) which is not subject to s. 1009.25 and complies with all applicable requirements of the department pursuant to chapter 1005; a private tutoring program authorized under s. 1002.43; a virtual program offered by a department-approved private online provider that meets the provider qualifications specified in s. 1002.45(2)(a); the Florida Virtual School as a private paying student; or an approved online course offered pursuant to s. 1003.499 or s. 306 1004.0961. department pursuant to chapter 1005; a private tutoring program authorized under s. 1002.43; a virtual program offered by a department-approved private online provider that meets the provider qualifications specified in s. 1002.45(2)(a); the Florida Virtual School as a private paying student; or an approved online course offered pursuant to s. 1003.499 or s. 306 1004.0961.
    6. Fees for nationally standardized, norm-referenced achievement tests, Advanced Placement Examinations, industry certification examinations, assessments related to postsecondary education, or other assessments.
    7. Contracted services provided by a public school or school district, including classes. A student who receives contracted services under this subparagraph is not considered enrolled in a public school for eligibility purposes as specified in subsection (6) but rather attending a public school on a part-time basis as authorized under s. 1002.44.
    8. Tuition and fees for part-time tutoring services or fees for services provided by a choice navigator. Such services must be provided by a person who holds a valid Florida educator's certificate pursuant to s. 1012.56, a person who holds an adjunct teaching certificate pursuant to s. 1012.57, a person who has a bachelor's degree or a graduate degree in the subject area in which instruction is given, a person who has demonstrated a mastery of subject area knowledge pursuant to s. 1012.56(5), or a person certified by a nationally or internationally recognized research-based training program as approved by the department. As used in this subparagraph, the term "part-time tutoring services" does not qualify as regular school attendance as defined in s. 1003.01(13)(e)

What can the PEP scholarship funds be use for?