TL;DR: All 17 Catholic schools in the Duval listing carry the Florida Private School Scholarship flag, so the state award can be the first layer of payment. The Diocese of St. Augustine adds a need-based Catholic Student Assistance Fund and a page for military families. The diocese's pages do not say how its fund interacts with the state scholarship, so ask your school office.
How many Catholic schools are in Duval County, and do they take the Florida scholarship?
The Duval listing contains 17 Catholic schools with about 7,011 students reported on their latest surveys, and every one carries the FTC/FES-EO participant flag. The diocese as a whole reports 30 Catholic schools, which covers territory beyond Duval. In Duval, the state award is $8,409 for K-3, $7,821 for grades 4-8 and $7,629 for grades 9-12.
| Largest Catholic schools in the Duval listing | Grades | Students | Flagged FTC/FES-EO |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bishop Kenny High School | 09-12 | 1,404 | Yes |
| Saint Paul's Catholic School | PK-08 | 639 | Yes |
| Assumption Catholic School | K-08 | 558 | Yes |
| Saint Joseph School | PK-08 | 535 | Yes |
| Bishop John J. Snyder High School | 09-12 | 498 | Yes |
| San Jose Catholic Grade School | PK-08 | 472 | Yes |
Most are parish elementary and middle schools, and the 14 schools outside the high-school group average about 356 students each. Bishop Kenny reports 1,404 students, more than the next two Catholic schools combined. Morning Star School runs kindergarten through grade 12 and reports 127.
What is the Catholic Student Assistance Fund of the Diocese of St. Augustine?
The Catholic Student Assistance Fund (CSAF) is a diocesan fund for families who want a Christ-centered education and face financial hardship, with awards that depend on verified need. The diocese says gifts to the fund can go toward tuition, school fees, transportation, uniforms or books at any of its 30 Catholic schools. The fund page lists no deadline and no formal eligibility rules, so the practical step is to ask the school office how to apply.
Is the state scholarship or diocesan aid the better first step for a Jacksonville Catholic family?
Start with the state scholarship, because it has no income test and it arrives as a quarterly payment to the school. Diocesan and school aid is need-based and works on what remains. Here is how the two compare.
| Question | State scholarship | Diocesan or school aid |
|---|---|---|
| Who qualifies? | Any Florida K-12 resident who could attend public school | Families with verified need |
| How is it paid? | To the school, by quarter, through EMA | Applied to the school's bill |
| Deadline | Nov 15, 2026 for new families | Set by the school or fund |
| What it covers | Tuition and listed fees | Tuition, fees, books, uniforms or transportation |
What should a Catholic family ask a Duval school about cost and aid after the award?
The state does not collect tuition, so we will not quote one; the grade 9-12 award in Duval is $7,629, and what is left depends on the school. Ask these four questions at the school office:
- Do you accept the Florida Private School Scholarship and use Step Up, AAA or both?
- What is tuition after the award for my child's grade, and does a parish-member rate apply?
- If I apply to the Catholic Student Assistance Fund, does it reduce my bill before or after the scholarship?
- Which quarterly EMA deadline applies to my child's enrollment?
The worked examples show how a gap is handled using invented tuition figures.
Where do military families fit in at Duval Catholic schools?
The diocese's education office has a Friends of the Military page that serves families whose parents are in the service and points them to Step Up for the state scholarship. It lists no amounts, and it directs families to the Navy School Liaison office on their base. Active-duty dependents also have a longer scholarship application window, described in the military families guide.
How does a Catholic high school differ from a parish elementary school in Duval?
The listing shows 3 Catholic schools that run through grade 12, and they are larger and more expensive to operate than the typical parish elementary. A high school family is also on the lowest state award, $7,629 in Duval, against $8,409 for a K-3 child, so the gap between the award and the bill tends to be wider in the upper grades.
Elementary schools, by contrast, average about 356 students and often tie a lower rate to parish membership. The state directory does not publish either figure, so ask each school office for its current rate sheet and for the date its own aid application closes. Families with children in several grades should ask whether a sibling discount applies on top of the scholarship.
Frequently asked questions
How many Catholic schools are in Duval County, and do they take the Florida scholarship?
The Duval listing has 17 Catholic schools and all of them carry the FTC/FES-EO participant flag.
What is the Catholic Student Assistance Fund of the Diocese of St. Augustine?
It is a diocesan fund that helps families facing financial hardship, with awards based on verified need.
Is the state scholarship or diocesan aid the better first step for a Jacksonville Catholic family?
The state scholarship has no income test, so most families apply for it first and then ask the school or diocese for need-based help on the rest.
What should a Catholic family ask a Duval school about cost and aid after the award?
Ask which scholarship organization the school uses, what tuition is after the award, and how diocesan aid is applied.
Related questions
- Which Catholic schools are in Duval County?
- How do families pay for Catholic school in Jacksonville?
- What does the diocese's aid cover?
Sources
- Diocese of St. Augustine: Catholic Student Assistance Fund
- #iGiveCatholic: Catholic Student Assistance Fund
- Diocese of St. Augustine education: Friends of the Military
- Florida DOE Private School Directory, Duval district, pulled Oct 28, 2026
- Step Up For Students: 2026-27 scholarship amounts by district
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