Florida families with K-12 students are encouraged to apply for Step Up funding opportunities. Any Florida resident student in grades K-12 who is eligible to attend a public school in the state qualifies for a scholarship averaging approximately $7,800, regardless of family income. This award can support attendance at a private school that aligns best with the student's educational needs, such as Springs Academy.
The scholarship funds can be applied toward tuition as well as associated costs, including registration, books, testing, and various fees. Waitlists may arise depending on the volume of applications for each program. With high demand expected, we recommend submitting your application as soon as possible.
FTC/FES-EO Scholarship
The Florida Tax Credit (FTC) and Family Empowerment Scholarship for Educational Options (FES-EO)—often known as "Step Up For Students"—is a state-supported program for students entering kindergarten through 12th grade. Managed by two separate organizations, this scholarship has limited availability and is distributed on a first-come, first-served basis. If your family qualifies, we recommend applying right away to secure funding.
Step Up’s open enrollment is in February. Families can begin to reapply for the scholarship then. New families can apply in March. The deadline to apply for renewing families is April 30th. If renewing families miss the deadline, then they will be considered as new applicants.
To apply for this scholarship go to https://www.stepupforstudents.org/scholarships/logins/
FES-UA Scholarship (Previously Gardiner/McKay)
This program is available to Florida students from age three through 12th grade. Note that a student cannot receive FES-UA funding if they are already benefiting from another state-sponsored scholarship, such as FTC or FES-EO.
To apply for this scholarship go to https://www.stepupforstudents.org/scholarships/logins/
Even if your child qualifies for these scholarships, parents must actively pursue the application process. We highly suggest applying via Step Up For Students and supplying our school with the necessary documents to enroll your child in the program. Participating families stand to save thousands of dollars annually.
Financial Assistance
Additionally, Springs Academy offers a limited amount of needs-based financial assistance to currently enrolled K-12 students. We partner with a third-party service to evaluate eligibility and allocate our limited annual funds. To be considered, parents should apply via FACTS and provide the latest tax documents. Awards are determined by verified financial need and fund availability.
Before submitting an application, please reach out to Mrs. Mercy at 904-531-9669, extension 2, to review requirements, check on available funds, and address any unique situations.
