The Florida Family Empowerment Scholarship (FES) is a state-funded school choice program providing education savings accounts to Florida families for private school tuition, homeschool expenses, tutoring, therapy, and other approved educational costs.
What is the Florida Family Empowerment Scholarship?
The Florida Family Empowerment Scholarship (FES) is Florida's flagship school choice program, administered primarily by Step Up For Students. The program offers two main options: FES for Educational Options (FES-EO) for private school choice available to all K-12 Florida students, and FES for Unique Abilities (FES-UA) for students ages 3-22 with qualifying disabilities. For homeschool families specifically, Florida offers the Personalized Education Program (PEP), which functions similarly to FES-EO but is designed for students not enrolled full-time in public or private school.
Key Takeaways
- Available to all K-12 Florida students regardless of household income
- FES-EO and PEP average approximately $8,000 per student annually
- FES-UA for students with disabilities averages about $10,000, with some receiving over $30,000
- Funds cover curriculum, tutoring, therapy, and many educational expenses
- Applications for 2026-27 open February 1, 2026 with deadline of April 30, 2026
Program Options Explained
Eligibility Requirements
For FES-EO and PEP, any Florida resident eligible to enroll in K-12 public school qualifies—there are no longer income restrictions for eligibility, though priority is given to families earning up to 185% of Federal Poverty Level. Students must be at least age 5 by September 1 of the school year. For PEP specifically, students cannot be enrolled full-time in public or private school and must file written notice terminating their traditional home education program with the school district. FES-UA requires a documented disability including autism, intellectual disability, speech impairment, specific learning disabilities, or other qualifying conditions.
What Expenses Are Covered
FES education savings accounts cover a broad range of educational needs. Core expenses include private school tuition, curriculum (physical and digital), instructional materials, and online learning programs. Supplemental learning encompasses private tutoring, community college courses, AP exam fees, and industry certifications. Future planning allows contributions to Florida Prepaid College or Florida College Savings Programs. For FES-UA students, additional covered expenses include therapy services, assistive technology, and specialized instruction. All purchase requests are reviewed by the scholarship funding organization to verify eligibility.
Application Timeline for 2026-27
The Bottom Line
Florida's FES program offers substantial financial support for families seeking alternatives to traditional public school. With approximately $8,000 annually for most students—and significantly more for those with disabilities—the funding can meaningfully offset private school tuition or cover substantial homeschool expenses through the PEP option. The universal eligibility regardless of income makes this accessible to all Florida families. Mark your calendar for February 1, 2026 to apply, and remember that applications are processed first-come, first-served with an April 30 deadline.
