Can’t afford private school? Here’s how the school voucher expansion may help
School-aged children will soon be eligible for vouchers — regardless of economic background.
The proposal drew ire and praise, with critics slamming it as an unneeded rebate for wealthy Floridians who may already be sending their children to private school and supporters touting it as providing education choice to all families in the state.
READ MORE: DeSantis signs taxpayer-funded school voucher expansion into Florida law
The bill sailed through the Legislature and was signed Monday by Gov. Ron DeSantis at Christopher Columbus High School, an all-boy private Catholic high school in Miami-Dade.
Here’s what to know about the possible voucher program expansion:
▪ The bill establishes education savings accounts that allow recipients to spend about $8,000 in voucher funds beyond private-school tuition, such as for tutoring and exam fees;
▪ Expands eligibility for current scholarships to any K-12 student who is a Florida resident;
▪ Eliminates income-eligibility requirements currently in place for a voucher;
▪ Allows families of home-schooled students to apply for the funds;
▪ Requires parents who home-school to sign an agreement to submit an annual “sworn compliance statement” that includes several educational requirements;
▪ Creates an online portal where Florida parents can explore school-choice options.
This story was originally published March 21, 2023 at 2:52 PM.
