Florida
Florida Tax Credit Education Savings Account
- Tax-Credit Education Savings Account
- Enacted 2001
- Launched 2001
Florida offers a tax credit to businesses for donations to Scholarship-Funding Organizations (SFOs), nonprofits that provide scholarships. All Florida students in grades K–12 are eligible, with priority for students from low–income families and in foster care.
We do not administer this program.
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106,442
Participating Students (2024–2025)
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100%
of K–12 Students Eligible Statewide
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2
Scholarship Organizations (2023–24)
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1,990
Participating Schools (2021–22)
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$8,100
Average Scholarship Value (2024–25)
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69%
Value as a Percentage of Public School Per-student Spending
Florida’s Tax Credit Scholarship Program Participation
Student Funding
Use of Funds
Families can use scholarships to pay for tuition at the school of their choice, as well as other educational expenses such as instructional materials; curriculum; tuition and fees for homeschooling; fees for nationally norm-referenced testing, AP exams, and industry certifications; unbundled courses and services at a public school; fees for a choice navigator; tutoring; and virtual education programs.
Funding Amount and Source
Private donors fund this program by donating to SFOs and receiving tax credits for their donation, up to certain limits. Tax credits are worth 100% of the value of the contributions to scholarship organizations. There is $873.6 million in tax credits available annually. The tax credit cap automatically increases by 25% each year if at least 90% of the cap was reached in the previous year. Scholarships can be worth up to the per-pupil amount under the Florida Education Finance Plan, though they may not exceed private school tuition and fees. The per-pupil amount varies according to grade, county of residence, and public school spending for students with disabilities, with the maximum equating to 100% of the unweighted fulltime equivalent amount plus the per-pupil amount for certain state categorical programs. A separate appropriation also provides transportation grants that are worth up to $750 for students attending out-of-district public schools.
(Last updated July 15, 2024)
Student Eligibility
As of 2023, the Florida Tax Credit Scholarship (FTCS) program is universally available to all resident students who are eligible to enroll in K–12 in a Florida public school. Award priority goes first to students from families with household income of 185% of the Federal Poverty Level (FPL) or lower ($57,720 for a family of four in 2024–2025), students in the foster care system, and students placed in out-of-home care. Second tier priority goes to students with household income greater than 185% FPL and up to 400% FPL. Homeschoolers now have access to scholarships in the form of education savings accounts by using a Personalized Education Plan (PEP). Families who wish to participate in PEP must register with a Scholarship-Funding Organization (SFO). In addition, the eligible child must not be enrolled full-time in a public school, charter school, school for the deaf and blind, college preparatory academy, a developmental research school, or juvenile justice school, and must be at least age 5 by September 1 of the school year in which they wish to enroll. Students remain eligible until they graduate high school or turn 21. Parents fill out a universal application, which applies to both the Florida Tax Credit Scholarship program and Family Empowerment Scholarship program, but applicant students are first enrolled in FTCS until 75% of all estimated net eligible contributions are used, at which point students may be awarded Family Empowerment Scholarships. FTCS is not stackable with other choice programs. Previous recipients of the Hope Scholarship, which provided scholarships to victims of bullying and violence in public schools, are now eligible for this scholarship program due to its expanded eligibility.
(Last updated July 15, 2024)
EdChoice Expert Feedback
In 2023, the Florida Tax Credit Scholarship program dramatically expanded student eligibility and allowable expenses, effectively reclassifying the program as a tax-credit education savings account. Florida policymakers also expanded program access by making it available to all families. This program currently helps over 100,000 students access schools that are the right fit for them. Eligibility for the scholarships is universal for K–12 students, with preference given to lower-income families. Statewide, roughly 10 percent of students participate in one of Florida’s private educational choice options (including the Family Empowerment Scholarship (Educational Opportunity ESA) Program, the Hope Scholarships Program, and the Family Empowerment Scholarship (Unique Abilities ESA) Program). The average scholarship size is about $7,800, which is slightly less than three-quarters of the average expenditure per student at Florida’s district schools. Tax credits are worth 100 percent of the value of the contributions to scholarship organizations. There is $873.6 million in tax credits available annually, which is equivalent to 2.9 percent of Florida’s total K–12 revenue. The tax credit cap automatically increases by 25 percent each year if at least 90 percent of the cap was reached in the previous year. In order to expand access to educational choice, Florida policymakers created the publicly funded Family Empowerment Scholarships Program to serve students who were on the scholarship waitlist. Florida’s scholarship program generally avoids unnecessary and counterproductive regulations. The addition of a “choice navigator” to the program offers families an optional guide to help with choice options and academics. Several additional regulations were added with the expansion, such as a student learning plan (PEP students only), which parents must submit when their child enters the program and maintain annually. Parents of children who will be full time enrolled in a private school are also required to meet with a school principal prior to joining the program. With the 2023 expansion, Florida has repositioned itself as the national leader for providing robust choice to families. The challenge going forward will be implementation and encouraging participation. (Last updated December 18, 2023)Rules and Regulations
Program Guidelines
- Income Limit: None; Priority to 185% FPL and Foster Care
- Prior Year Public School Requirement: None
- Enrollment Cap: None for full time private school; Homeschool capped at 60,000 for 2024– 2025
- Account Cap: 100% of Formula Funding
- Testing Mandates: Nationally Norm-Referenced Tests or State Test
- Tax Credit Cap: $873.6 million (escalator)
- Credit Value: 100%
- Per Donor Credit Cap: None
- Special Needs Pathway: None
Participant and Family Guidelines
- Education Requirements: None
- Parent Supplemented Funds/Scholarships: Allowed
- Disbursement/Payment Frequency: Quarterly
- Reimbursement Allowed: Yes
- Miscellaneous: None
Education Provider Guidelines
- Accreditation/Approval: State
- Employment Standards Background checks for all employees or contractors working with scholarship students; Teachers must have a bachelor’s degree, three years of teaching experience, or special expertise
- Nondiscrimination: Federal
- Calendar/Curriculum/Attendance: None
- Financial: Surety bond or letter of credit if in operation <3 years; Independent financial report if >$250,000 in scholarships
- Miscellaneous: None
Scholarship Organization Guidelines
- Scholarship to Contribution Ratio: 97%
- State Reporting: Quarterly reporting; Scholarships awarded and timeliness of reimbursements
- Financial: Surety bond or letter of credit equal to $100,000 or 25% of scholarships, whichever is greater; Annual CPA audit
- Award Priority: Low-income students (185% FPL or less), students in foster care
- Miscellaneous: None
(Last updated July 15, 2024)
Legal History
On January 18, 2017, the Florida Supreme Court in McCall v. Scott declined to accept appeal of McCall v. Scott, a case brought by teachers’ unions challenging the state’s tax-credit scholarship program. The Florida Education Association (FEA) and other plaintiffs filed a lawsuit in August of 2014, challenging the Florida Tax Credit Scholarship as a voucher program (in 2006 vouchers were ruled unconstitutional by the Florida Supreme Court). In May 2015, the Circuit Court of the Second Judicial Circuit in Leon County dismissed the FEA lawsuit, finding that plaintiffs had no legal standing to sue. Plaintiffs appealed. Prior to the appeal, the Florida Association of School Administrators and Florida School Boards Association withdrew from the case. In August 2016, the First District Court of Appeals affirmed the Circuit Court ruling, holding that plaintiffs suffered no special injury from the tax-credit scholarship program and the state legislature did not exceed its authority under the constitution. In September of 2016, plaintiffs filed notice to invoke discretionary jurisdiction of the Florida Supreme Court, asking the court to accept their appeal. By refusing to allow rehearing of the case, the Florida Supreme Court effectively ended this litigation. McCall v. Scott, cert. denied 2017 WL 192043, Case No. SC16-1668 (Fla. Jan. 18, 2017).
(Last updated July 15, 2024)