How much is the Florida Private School Scholarship (FTC/FES-EO) for a Duval County student in 2026-27?
For 2026-27 the Duval row of Step Up's district table reads $8,409 for a kindergartner through third grader, $7,821 for fourth through eighth and $7,629 for high school. Florida's voucher is the Private School Scholarship, a merger of two older programs: the Florida Tax Credit scholarship (FTC) and the Family Empowerment Scholarship for Educational Options (FES-EO).
Amounts are set by the county where the student lives, not the county where the school sits. A child who lives in Clay, St. Johns or Nassau and attends a Jacksonville school carries that home county's figure, which is why the commuter guide below lists the neighbouring rows.
The money goes to the school rather than to the parent. Each quarter the school submits the student's enrollment in the EMA portal, the parent approves it, and the payment follows.
Does the Florida Private School Scholarship have an income limit for Jacksonville families?
No, Step Up's application page says income does not decide eligibility, only priority. A family that wants income-based priority documents the earnings of every household member age 18 or older; a family that skips the income step is counted as above 400% of the federal poverty level.
Eligibility itself rests on being a Florida resident who could enroll in a Florida public school for the grade in question, plus age rules for the youngest applicants: a child who is 5 or 6 by September 1 needs a birth certificate or unexpired passport on file.
What is the deadline for a new Duval family to apply for the Private School Scholarship in 2026-27?
A first-time applicant has until November 15, 2026 to file and until December 15, 2026 to accept the offer in EMA. After that the school files the child's enrollment each quarter, and Quarter 3 enrollment closes on December 15 as well.
Anyone still unenrolled after December 15 has until January 15, 2027 to be considered for this year at all, and a transfer student has until February 15, 2027 for Quarter 4. Military dependents, foster-care students and bullying (Hope) applicants run on their own calendar, laid out in our guide to late applications.
How many private schools in Duval County accept the Florida Private School Scholarship?
In the Florida DOE directory pulled on October 28, 2026, 133 of the 180 private schools registered in the Duval district carry the FTC/FES-EO participant flag. Participation is much higher among religious schools (93 of 106) than among non-religious ones (40 of 74).
Each school's profile on this site repeats the flag and the date, and the full table is on the school directory page.
Can a Duval family combine Florida Private School Scholarship with other funding?
Usually yes with school-based and diocesan aid, but a student holds only one Step Up scholarship at a time, so the combination is a layered plan and not two awards. Complete the funding check and an advisor maps the layers for your child.
| Question | It is | It is not |
|---|---|---|
| Who receives the money? | Paid to the participating school, quarter by quarter | A cash payment to the parent |
| Is there an income test? | Priority only, never eligibility | A means-tested program |
| What does it cover? | Tuition and fees on the school's eligible list | Transportation, aftercare or school lunch |
| Can it be held with FES-UA? | A student holds one scholarship at a time | A top-up stacked on FES-UA or PEP |
| Does tuition have to match the award? | Any school may charge more; the family pays the balance | A guarantee of free tuition |