Florida Emerges as a Nationwide Beacon of Educational Freedom and Choice
by Sun Bay Paper Staff
In a groundbreaking move, the Florida legislature stands out as a national model for educational freedom and choice, with a host of innovative school choice programs gaining prominence throughout the state.
Florida has been at the forefront of educational reform, with several states following suit in expanding school choice programs. According to a recent EdChoice report, seven states introduced new choice programs, and 10 expanded existing ones. Florida is now among the ten states offering universal or near-universal school choice programs.
Florida boasts four distinct school choice programs, including two Education Savings Accounts (ESAs), a tax credit scholarship program, and a unique Hope Scholarship Program designed to aid bullied students.
The Family Empowerment Scholarship Program (FES), specifically the Unique Abilities ESA, initiated in 2014 and recodified in 2021, experienced further expansion this year. It provides state-funded ESAs for students with special needs, enabling them to access private school tuition, tutoring, online education, home education, therapy, and various educational services. Enrollment in this program surged by 30%, with over 85,000 students enrolled in the 2023-2024 school year.
Introduced in 2019 under Governor Ron DeSantis, the FES-EO ESA Program aims to reduce the waitlist of the Florida Tax Credit Scholarship Program (TCSP). Enrollment in this program increased by 36%, reaching 127,986 participants in the 2023-2024 school year. Florida’s commitment to educational freedom is highlighted in the EdChoice report, which states, “Florida is now the nationwide model for educational freedom and choice.” Th e report emphasizes that Florida policymakers have taken significant steps in granting universal ESA access to all K–12 students.
Florida’s TCSP offers a tax credit on corporate income and insurance premium taxes for donations made to scholarship organizations and nonprofits. The program, now universally available to all students enrolled in K-12 public schools, prioritizes students from families with household incomes of 185% or less of the federal poverty level, foster care students, and those placed in out-of-home care. Th e FTCS program has seen a 28% increase in participation, with an average scholarship size of $7,800.
In response to bullying and abuse in public district schools, the Florida Legislature established the Hope Scholarship Program. Funded through voluntary donations of up to $105 per vehicle of sales tax from motor vehicle purchases, this program provides scholarships to K-12 students who are victims of violence. Th e scholarships, awarded on a first-come, first-served basis, range between $6,673 and$7,700, with additional reimbursement for transportation up to $750 for students transferring to an out-of-district public school.
With approximately 10% of students participating in private educational choice options, Florida boasts the highest share of K–12 students engaged in such programs nationwide. As the state repositions itself as a leader in providing robust educational choices, the focus shift s to implementation and encouraging increased participation in these innovative programs.
