ERIC Number: ED659002
Record Type: Non-Journal
Publication Date: 2022-Jun
Pages: 22
Abstractor: ERIC
ISBN: N/A
ISSN: N/A
EISSN: N/A
Family Empowerment Scholarship: Analysis of Student Movement and Characteristics, 2019-2020 to 2021-2022. Evaluation Matters. Volume 11, Number 5
Steven M. Urdegar
Office of Assessment, Research, and Data Analysis, Miami-Dade County Public Schools
The Family Empowerment Scholarship (FES) Program, signed into law on May 9, 2019 (1002.394, F.S.), was established to provide children of Florida families with financial assistance to attend an eligible private school of choice. Funding is equal to 100% of the district average cost per student. Eligibility is limited to students whose families have annual household incomes of up to 375% of the federal poverty level with priority given to those whose incomes do not exceed 185% of the federal poverty level. Program capacity statewide was initially 18,000 students for 2019-2020 and is set to expand annually by one percent of state public school enrollment. Presently, over 78,000 students are enrolled in the program statewide (Step Up for Students, 2022). FES recipients remain eligible until high school graduation (or age 21), regardless of income. Siblings of FES recipients are also eligible. The scholarship is administered by the Florida Department of Education (FLDOE) and funded through the Florida Education Finance Program (FEFP). As of October 15, 2021, 18,005 (or more than one in 19 of the District's students) are enrolled in the FES. The purpose of this report is twofold: (a) to examine the movement of students between the District's schools and the FES from October 2019 through January 2022 and (b) to explore the demographic characteristics of participating students. It should be noted that the movement into and out of the FES may have been impacted by school closures, distance learning, and other influences due to the COVID-19 public health emergency.
Descriptors: Student Mobility, Student Characteristics, Private Schools, School Choice, Scholarships, Family Income, Transfer Students, Withdrawal (Education), COVID-19, Pandemics, Elementary Secondary Education
Office of Assessment, Research, and Data Analysis, Miami-Dade County Public Schools. 1450 NE Second Avenue, Miami, FL 33132. Tel: 305-995-1000; Fax: 305-995-7521; Web site: https://arda.dadeschools.net/#!/fullWidth/2001
Publication Type: Reports - Research; Numerical/Quantitative Data
Education Level: Elementary Secondary Education
Audience: N/A
Language: English
Sponsor: N/A
Authoring Institution: Miami-Dade County Public Schools, Office of Assessment, Research, and Data Analysis (ARDA)
Identifiers - Location: Florida
Grant or Contract Numbers: N/A