Florida School Choice Scholarships

Riverside Presbyterian Day School accepts Florida School Choice Scholarships through Step Up for Students, a state-approved, nonprofit scholarship funding organization that empowers families to pursue and engage in the most appropriate learning options for their children. For more information and how to apply, please visit StepUpForStudents.org. Applications for the 2025-26 school year will open on February 1st, 2025.

Florida Tax Credit Scholarship & Family Empowerment Scholarship for Educational Options (FTC & FES-EO)

Available to Florida residents, regardless of household income, who are eligible to attend a K-12 school.
The scholarship will first pay for the cost of private school tuition and related fees.
$8,000 is the average amount awarded for private school scholarships for the 2024-25 school year.

Family Empowerment Scholarships for Unique Abilities (FES-UA)

Available to students age 3 through grade 12 or age 22, whichever comes first, who have a specific diagnosis.
This scholarship is delivered as an education savings account (ESA) that parents can direct toward a combination of programs and approved providers.
$10,000 is the average award for an FES-UA scholarship.
Funds may be used for tuition and fees for a private school (PreK 3-6th grade at RPDS), homeschooling options, therapies, tutoring and more.

Notice to parents enrolling students under the FES-UA scholarship: Please note that our school accommodates students with disabilities in accordance with the requirements under federal and local law. However, your child may not necessarily receive the types of accommodations or related services that your child may be entitled to receive at a public school as public schools have different obligations under the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA). The IDEA does not apply to private schools. We are happy to have a conversation with you about the accommodations that your child may need and be entitled to at our school.

Please note that Step Up for Students funding is contingent upon State availability and legislation. Should the State modify the Step Up for Students program, RPDS is not responsible for making up the difference in educational costs.

Frequently Asked Questions

Q: I have received my award notification from Step Up for Students. What’s the next step?

A: Email a screenshot of your student’s Award ID and scholarship amount to sufs@rpds.com. This can be found in the Scholarship Status section of the Education Market Assistance (EMA) portal on Step Up website. Once received, you’ll be contacted by the Business Office with regards to next steps in order to have your scholarship amount applied towards tuition. Please note that Step Up award amounts are not finalized until the summer, so we will initially estimate the amount of next year’s scholarship, based on this year’s amounts, and make adjustments, if necessary.

Q: If I have been awarded RPDS Financial Assistance, can I also receive a state scholarship through Step Up for Students scholarship?

A: If you are applying for financial assistance, please include evidence that you have applied for a state scholarship in your Clarity application. This information will be considered when determining financial assistance awards. While some families do receive both Step Up and financial assistance, for others, the Step Up scholarship is sufficient.

PLEASE NOTE that if you have already been awarded financial assistance, and you receive a Step Up award later, NO ADDITIONAL AWARD will be made. RPDS will reduce your financial assistance award by the amount of your state scholarship award, which allows more families who are not eligible to receive state scholarship to receive financial assistance.

Q: Step Up for Students says that my child is on a wait-list. What does that mean for my award status?

A: Students may come off the wait-list during the school year, and if so, their award might be prorated. If you do come off the wait-list mid-year, please send your Award ID to sufs@rpds.com upon notification, and the Business Office will contact you with regards to next steps. If you remain on the wait-list for the whole year, you will not receive a Step Up award, but you are welcome to apply for financial assistance.

Q: I just heard about Step Up for Students and received my award letter late. Will I receive the full award or a lesser amount?

A: Families can access funding information for awarded scholarships through their EMA account or can contact Step Up for Students to find out the exact award amount. We will apply the award amount to your child’s tuition, but if tuition has already been paid in full, this may result in a refund being issued as RPDS receives quarterly payments from Step Up for Students.

Q: I have one child who receives the Family Empowerment for Students with Unique Abilities (FES-UA). Is it true I can apply for another type of scholarship for my other children?

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