Florida Takes Private School Choice Options to the Next Level: Here's What Parents Need to Know

Long a leader in education options for families, Florida has overhauled its private school choice programs to provide near-universal eligibility

MIAMI, May 19, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- Florida's 2.7 million school-aged children have even greater access to education options thanks to a dramatic expansion and reimagining of the state's private school choice programs. Education savings account (ESA) programs with no financial eligibility requirements will replace the existing voucher and tax credit scholarship programs, and every family in the Sunshine State is eligible.

What is an ESA, and how can families use them? Curious parents can find answers to these and other common questions in a new guide from the nonprofit, nonpartisan National School Choice Awareness Foundation at schoolchoiceweek.com/florida-education-savings-account.

The National School Choice Awareness Foundation, creator of National School Choice Week and Conoce tus Opciones Escolares, shares school navigation resources and offers public awareness events to inform and inspire families to discover their traditional public, public charter, public magnet, private, online, and home education options.

As the school year winds down and parents look toward the fall, they can explore the following topics in the Foundation's new guide:

• How HB 1 changes existing private school choice programs in Florida
• How to use the new ESA program for private school, homeschooling, and public school part-time enrollment.
• How to access the benefits for children with special needs
• What expenses qualify for the funding in ESAs

"As a pioneer in giving families options when it comes to education, Florida has the well-earned status of setting the pace in school choice innovations," said Shelby Doyle, vice president of public awareness at the National School Choice Awareness Foundation. "With this reimagining of its private school choice programs, the state continues to put kids first and inspire others to give families access to the widest possible array of options for their children's education."

More information and resources for journalists are available at schoolchoiceweek.com/multimedia. Families can learn more at schoolchoiceweek.com/mystate.

The National School Choice Awareness Foundation (NSCAF) fosters broad, positive awareness of school choice through two charitable programs: it organizes National School Choice Week each January, and it researches, develops, and promotes comprehensive, unbiased school navigation resources for parents via School Choice Week and Conoce tus Opciones Escolares. NSCAF neither endorses nor opposes legislation at any level of government and is steadfastly nonpartisan and nonpolitical.

SOURCE National School Choice Week