Support Education Freedom in Florida

Florida parents, help is on the way in the form of an education policy that will expand the state’s education options and empower parents.  

The Florida House has introduced H.B. 1, which will expand access to K-12 education savings accounts (ESA) in Florida.  Almost 70,000 Florida students with disabilities are already benefiting from ESAs through the Family Empowerment Scholarship Program for Unique Abilities. It’s time to expand the opportunity to more families and students.

H.B. 1 transforms the existing Family Empowerment Scholarship Program and Florida Tax Credit Scholarship Program into ESAs and lifts the programs’ existing income caps. ESA programs take the education funding allocated to each child and deposit it into an education savings account for that child. Parents can direct the funds for eligible education expenses, including tuition, tutoring, textbooks, and therapies. 

More than three-quarters (79%) of Florida parents surveyed support the concept of K-12 ESAs.  It’s no wonder so many parents want this for their child. When we empower families with educational options, we best serve the unique talents, strengths, and interests of children. When students thrive in the educational system that best fits them, they go on to do amazing things. 

The bill is moving swiftly through the legislative process. If passed, this means that families can apply for accounts worth approximately $8,000 per child for each child (students with disabilities receive additional funding). The program will phase in over time, capping the number of participating families who homeschool to 20,000 in 2023-24 and increase by 40,000 students in every subsequent school year. Public school and rising kindergarten students who are not already enrolled in a private school or homeschool would be eligible to leave the public school system and access ESAs.

Your voice matters in this conversation and legislators need to hear from parents now.  

About a dozen states already have education savings account programs in place and state legislatures around the nation are actively considering numerous education savings accounts bills. It’s time for Florida to expand the state’s existing education savings account program so that more families can benefit from education freedom.

Tell your Florida state legislators to support education savings accounts and HB 1.

More resources:

• How To Talk About: Education Freedom
  This IWV communications kit addresses misperceptions, and includes a Q&A, talking points, and a glossary of terms.
• Debunking Education Freedom Myths
  We talk with Corey DeAngelis about some of the most common school choice myths.
• Education Savings Accounts and Homeschooling
  We address questions about ESAs and home education.
• How to Find Education Options