Governor DeSantis opts Florida into Education Freedom Tax Credit

Florida opts into private school choice program

Governor Ron DeSantis announced on Wednesday that Florida will participate in the first federal private school choice program.

VALRICO, Fla. - Governor Ron DeSantis announced that Florida will be participating in the first federal program that will help families enroll in private schools and cover other expenses outside the public school system.

The governor was joined by Florida Department of Education Commissioner Stasi Kamoutsas in Valrico on Wednesday morning as they spoke in support of the program that will incentivize private donations to fund scholarships for students.

It's a new tax credit that was approved under the "One Big, Beautiful Bill," that was signed in July 2025.

By the numbers:

Under the new law, individual taxpayers can receive a 100% refundable federal tax credit for cash contributions to state-approved scholarship granting organizations (SGOs). There is an annual credit limit of $1,700 per taxpayer, but for married couples filing jointly, each spouse can claim the credit for a total of $3,400.

Student Eligibility

For students to receive a scholarship from these funds, the student must live in a household with an income that does not exceed 300% of the area’s median gross income. Students must be eligible to enroll in a public k-12 education program.

The scholarship money must be used for qualifying education expenses, including tuition, transportation, room and board fees, tutoring and school supplies.

Additionally, each governor must "opt-in" for the tax credit to be applicable.

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What they're saying:

DeSantis says this scholarship will give parents more resources and options for their children’s education routes.

"If you're already paying tuition, and you have everything, you could maybe get some extra tutoring, extra supplies, or books, or other things to help advance the growth of your child. This gives parents more resources, more options, as the regulations are proposed."

DeSantis clarified that he doesn't want schools to raise tuition because of this new scholarship, but rather the money should go to the parents to give them more
options.

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Education Commissioner Stasi Kamoutsas says nearly 1.2 million students will benefit from the scholarship, as it expands school options for parents.

"School choice is not about elevating one educational opportunity over another, it is about ensuring that every child is in an environment where they are able to best learn," Kamoutsas said. "Participation in this federal tax credit scholarship program will give Florida parents even more options to best meet their children’s needs."

Barry McKeen, the head of Grace Christian School in Valrico, says scholarships like these help them stay open during difficult times.

McKeen said during the pandemic, scholarships were what kept the school afloat.

He emphasized that these scholarships remove financial barriers, enabling families to access an education where the Bible and the Gospel can be openly discussed and taught.

What's next:

These tax credit scholarships will not go into effect until January 2027.