In this guide#
- What Florida pays toward private school
- Glades County scholarship amounts
- What the family still pays
- Published regional Jewish-school tuition
- Schools at Lakefront and the daily commute
- Applications, deadlines and moving midyear
- Preschool and VPK
- Children with disabilities and school services
- Homeschooling and PEP
- Before signing a school contract
What Florida pays toward private school#
Florida has two principal scholarship programs for eligible K–12 private-school students: the Florida Tax Credit Scholarship (FTC) and Family Empowerment Scholarship for Educational Options (FES-EO). Florida residents eligible to enroll in a K–12 public school can apply regardless of household income. A large family or higher income does not by itself rule a child out. These programs can help pay tuition at participating private schools, including participating Jewish schools. Step Up For Students’ eligibility overview · Florida Department of Education program information.
The Florida Tax Credit name describes how that program is financed; it is not a promise that parents can subtract the child’s tuition from their own tax bill. Families apply through an approved scholarship funding organization, which determines eligibility and administers the award. Income-based priority rules still apply even though income does not generally cap eligibility. The Department of Education lists Step Up For Students and AAA Scholarship Foundation. Apply and renew through the organization serving your child. FTC program explanation and priorities · Approved organizations and contacts.
A scholarship award and a school seat are separate. Verify that the exact school participates for the relevant program and school year, has space in the required grade, and accepts the child. Registration in Florida’s private-school directory is not state accreditation or an endorsement of educational quality. Families still need to assess the school’s curriculum, religious approach, staffing and services. Florida’s private-school information for parents.
Glades County scholarship amounts#
Lakefront is in Glades County, even though the mailing address says Okeechobee. Step Up’s 2026–27 chart defines the district as the student’s county of residence listed in the scholarship application. Do not substitute the school’s county or the postal city.
| Student’s county of residence | Grades K–3 | Grades 4–8 | Grades 9–12 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Glades — Lakefront residents | $9,559 | $8,954 | $8,755 |
| Okeechobee — comparison only | $8,743 | $8,138 | $7,939 |
| Palm Beach — comparison only | $8,890 | $8,288 | $8,091 |
These are published annual, per-student FTC/FES-EO amounts for 2026–27, not monthly payments, household awards or guaranteed midyear funding. FES-UA has a separate funding calculation. The Legislature sets amounts annually; do not carry these figures into 2027–28 as confirmed awards. Official scholarship amount chart · Chart update page.
Moving after an award is assigned does not automatically recalculate it. Report the move and confirm the amount shown in the child’s account with the scholarship organization. Step Up family handbook.
What the family still pays#
Start with the school’s complete written tuition agreement, including mandatory fees. Subtract only the scholarship funding actually approved for that child and any school aid or discounts the school confirms can be combined with it. Budget separately for transport, uniforms, devices, trips, meals, aftercare and any additional support.
Illustration only: suppose three children in grades 2, 6 and 10 each have $12,000 tuition plus $1,500 in fees. Assume full-year Glades awards, participating schools, and no other financial aid.
| Child | Tuition and fees | Assumed annual scholarship | Family balance |
|---|---|---|---|
| Grade 2 | $13,500 | $9,559 | $3,941 |
| Grade 6 | $13,500 | $8,954 | $4,546 |
| Grade 10 | $13,500 | $8,755 | $4,745 |
| Family total | $40,500 | $27,268 | $13,232 |
The tuition and fees in this example are hypothetical, not Lakefront school prices. The arithmetic uses the published awards above; transport and other household expenses would increase the balance. Late enrollment, a different award or a school’s financial-aid policy can change the result.
Scholarship payments involve the school, parent and funding organization. Step Up’s provider handbook describes payments limited by the enrolled tuition/fees and the student’s available scholarship amount. Ask how the school handles deposits and installments while funding is pending, and what happens if an award is delayed or smaller than expected. Step Up’s school payment guidance.
A balance remaining in an education savings account is restricted to approved expenses; it is not unrestricted family cash. Current Step Up guidance excludes school lunch and before/after-school care as separate reimbursable expenses. Verify each proposed purchase in the applicable purchasing guide before spending. Step Up’s school payment and expense rules.
School financial aid and sibling discounts#
State scholarships and a school’s own assistance are separate applications. Ask whether the school applies its grant before or after the state award, how it treats sibling discounts, and which fees remain payable. A school may request income records for its own need-based aid even though FTC/FES-EO eligibility has no general household income cap.
For example, Torah Academy of Boca Raton directs families to FACTS for need-based assistance and separately links to Step Up. Its published policy makes school aid available for qualifying kindergarten-and-up students, but not its EC-2, EC-3 or Pre-K students. Meyer Prep lists a $500 discount for each additional younger sibling and considers financial assistance individually as funds permit. These are school-specific policies, not statewide entitlements. Torah Academy assistance · Meyer Prep tuition and aid.
Published regional Jewish-school tuition#
These examples show how much the gross bill can vary. They are regional schools with different educational and religious approaches, not interchangeable chinuch options or a list of confirmed Lakefront placements. Prices are published 2026–27 annual tuition before scholarships and school aid, reviewed October 12, 2026. Confirm admission, the appropriate campus and scholarship participation directly.
| School and location | Published tuition / assistance information | Additional budget items |
|---|---|---|
| Arthur I. Meyer Jewish Preparatory School, 5225 Hood Road, Palm Beach Gardens | Junior kindergarten $17,250; K–1 $20,900; grades 2–5 $24,550; grades 6–8 $28,165. Daily lunch is included. School fee schedule | Published charges include $175 new-student application, $500 enrollment, $1,250 one-time new-student matriculation, and $795 annual campus/security fee. Devices, uniforms and some programs cost extra. |
| Donna Klein Jewish Academy, 9701 Donna Klein Boulevard, Boca Raton | K–4 $30,940; grades 5–8 $32,835; grades 9–12 $35,060. School fee schedule | Published charges include $200 application/testing, $1,500 new-student registration, $1,000 security and $100 per-student PTO dues, plus grade-specific charges and optional services. |
| Torah Academy of Boca Raton, with separate campuses by division | The reviewed assistance page describes need-based aid and Step Up applications; it does not establish a current tuition amount. Request the 2026–27 schedule for the child’s division. Assistance policy · Admissions checklist | Confirm tuition, registration, additional fees, aid eligibility and the actual campus before calculating a net price or commute. |
The first two schools are Jewish community day-school examples, not a statement that they match the needs of a particular Orthodox family. Discuss hashkafah, language of instruction, boys’/girls’ divisions, general studies, daily schedule, learning support and the school’s expectations directly with its leadership.
Schools at Lakefront and the daily commute#
October 19 community update: Ah Blick’s October 13 coverage documents a Talmud Torah inauguration and lunch at Toras Emes. Read the school-opening report. The tuition and scholarship information elsewhere in this guide retains its October 12 review date.
The project’s development record contains planned school capacity, including a traffic schedule describing two private schools with 1,200 students in total. A later utility agreement uses a different school-demand calculation. Neither a planning allowance nor a utility-demand estimate establishes an operating school, available grades, tuition or an admissions offer. Development-record explainer · Infrastructure and school-demand figures.
This guide has not verified an operating Lakefront school’s current tuition schedule, scholarship participation or available seats. Before relying on an on-site school, obtain its operator’s name, exact campus, opening status/date, grades, admissions contact and written fee schedule. If the family needs an alternative for a delayed opening, price that alternative too.
For a regional school, plan the daily school trip, including morning arrival, afternoon pickup, traffic and the needs of children on different campuses. The community-distance guide provides regional orientation; its routes end at named community destinations and should not be treated as school commute estimates. Obtain a school-specific route and verify any bus pickup, minimum ridership and cost. This guide does not establish a Lakefront school-bus service.
Applications, deadlines and moving midyear#
For Step Up’s 2026–27 FTC/FES-EO cycle, the published family handbook lists:
| Step | Published deadline |
|---|---|
| New-student application | November 15, 2026 |
| New-student scholarship acceptance | December 15, 2026 |
| Eligibility, acceptance and enrollment completed for ordinary funding consideration | January 15, 2027 |
These are different steps. Supporting-document deadlines and school deadlines also apply. Special exceptions exist; contact the organization about a late move. Funding follows enrollment and quarterly processing, so a midyear arrival is not a promise of a full-year award. Renewal applicants had earlier deadlines. Step Up 2026–27 family handbook.
For 2027–28, use the organization’s new-cycle announcement and the school’s new fee schedule. Step Up currently offers an update signup for that year. AAA administers its own application process; do not assume every Step Up deadline applies to AAA. Step Up applications and updates · State-listed scholarship organizations.
For each child, keep the application, residency evidence, eligibility/award notice, school acceptance, signed tuition agreement and payment approvals together. Ask the school and scholarship organization to confirm what remains outstanding before paying a nonrefundable deposit.
Preschool and VPK#
Ordinary FTC/FES-EO private-school awards are for K–12; do not include nursery or Pre-K children in the K–12 scholarship total. Florida’s Voluntary Prekindergarten (VPK) is a separate program, available regardless of income to eligible Florida children who are four by September 1, with a permitted deferral for certain birthdays. Families select a participating provider. Florida VPK eligibility and application.
The VPK school-year program provides 540 instructional hours; the summer option provides 300. That does not establish that a private school’s entire preschool day, religious program, meals or aftercare is free. Obtain the provider’s written breakdown of VPK hours and any separately charged services. Use the state’s Family Portal and local early learning coalition to establish eligibility and locate a participating provider. VPK program options and Family Portal.
Children with disabilities and school services#
The Family Empowerment Scholarship for Students with Unique Abilities (FES-UA) is a separate education savings account program for eligible students with disabilities, beginning as young as age three. Eligibility requires qualifying documentation, such as an eligible diagnosis or IEP; an application and approval are still necessary. Funds may support approved tuition, therapies, materials and other educational expenses. The award depends on the applicable funding calculation, so do not substitute the FTC/FES-EO table or promise every child a flat amount. Florida FES-UA FAQs.
An education scholarship does not replace health insurance, APD waiver services or a school’s ability to deliver support. Confirm the school’s staffing, therapy arrangements, additional support fees and capacity for the child’s needs. The healthcare guide explains why New York disability and home-care authorizations require separate Florida planning.
A parent’s voluntary private-school placement also changes how special-education services are provided. Do not assume that every service and hour in a New York public-school IEP will be delivered at a Florida private school. Ask the relevant district about evaluation, equitable services and a services plan, and ask the school what it will provide under the tuition contract. Florida DOE guidance on parentally placed private-school students with disabilities.
Homeschooling and PEP#
The Personalized Education Program (PEP) is a separate option under FTC for eligible students outside full-time public or private school. It has its own application timing, student learning plan and assessment requirements. Ordinary district-registered home education and scholarship-funded PEP are not the same enrollment status. A family planning home learning, tutoring or a hybrid program should confirm which arrangement applies before registering or paying a provider. Step Up’s PEP family handbook.
Step Up’s 2026–27 PEP application window is closed; the published deadline was April 30, 2026. Its website offers updates for 2027–28. Do not use the later private-school application deadline for PEP. PEP application status.
Do not count two state scholarship awards for the same child or assume a private-school award can simply be redirected to home learning. Confirm program-switch rules and approved expenses with the scholarship organization.
Before signing a school contract#
Obtain a written answer for each child, rather than one estimated price for the family:
- Placement: school operator, operating campus, grade, admission decision, start date and educational/religious fit.
- Full cost: tuition, mandatory fees, support services, transport, meals, aftercare, devices and payment-plan charges.
- Funding: exact scholarship program, assigned award, funded quarters, school participation and aid/discount combination.
- Cash flow: deposit, installment due dates, treatment of delayed scholarship payments and the family’s maximum remaining obligation.
- Changes: withdrawal, transfer, cancellation and refund terms, including what happens if the move or school opening is delayed.
Combine the resulting school budget with health insurance and medical travel, HOA charges and CDD assessments. A statewide scholarship can be valuable, but the family still needs an available school and an affordable daily arrangement.