Orlando, Fla. – Today, Governor Ron DeSantis announced his proposal calling for the establishment of the Equal Opportunity Scholarship in Florida.
“I am happy to announce the establishment of this new scholarship that will greatly benefit families here in Florida,” said Governor DeSantis. “The Equal Opportunity Scholarship will ensure that students of all backgrounds have access to a world-class education as well as give parents peace of mind knowing their children are being set up for success in the classroom.”
Funding for the scholarship program is contained within the Florida Education Finance Program (FEFP). The scholarship award amount would be a slight discount of the district average per-student funding in the FEFP, allowing funding to follow the student. The maximum number of students eligible to receive a scholarship is equivalent to half of one percent of statewide public school enrollment for the first year, providing opportunities for approximately 14,000 students. Each year thereafter, the number of eligible students increases by an additional one percent of statewide public school enrollment.
The FEFP is the formula that allocates funds to implement the constitutional requirement for a uniform system of free public education and is an allocation model based on individual student participation in educational programs.
The Equal Opportunity Scholarship will provide parents with limited financial resources more options to better accommodate the educational needs of their child. Governor DeSantis outlined his proposal of the establishment of this new scholarship at Calvary City Academy in Orlando where he was joined by Florida Department of Education Richard Corcoran. At the Governor’s announcement, parents of students currently in need of this scholarship spoke about how it would benefit their educational goals.