Homeschool Tax Deductions and Credits in Florida
Florida has no personal income tax, so there is no homeschool deduction or credit. A child with a disability can stay in home education and still get state money through a scholarship for students with disabilities.
How state scholarships treat homeschoolers
Florida's constitution bars a state personal income tax. Money for learning at home comes through scholarships run by scholarship-funding organizations such as Step Up For Students, and two of them matter to families teaching at home.
Family Empowerment Scholarship for Students with Unique Abilities (FES-UA)
FES-UA serves students with disabilities, and holding it does not end a home education registration. It can pay home education tuition and fees, curriculum, instructional materials and assistive technology, part-time tutoring, therapies from approved providers, testing fees, and the fee for the annual evaluation by a certified teacher.
Personalized Education Program (PEP)
A student cannot hold PEP while in a home education program, so a family that chooses it leaves the home education route and follows PEP's own rules: a learning plan, a yearly norm-referenced test or statewide assessment, and a sworn compliance statement.
Who qualifies
Who qualifies for FES-UA
Your child lives in Florida, is eligible for kindergarten through grade 12 or is 3 or 4 years old, and has a disability. The disability is shown by an individualized education program (IEP) from a Florida district or a diagnosis from a licensed physician.
One scholarship at a time
A student can hold only one state scholarship at a time.
Applying and paying
First step
If your child has an IEP or a qualifying diagnosis, apply for FES-UA through Step Up For Students and keep your home education registration in place.
What you still pay
Without a scholarship, families pay homeschool costs themselves.
When to apply or file
FES-UA takes new applications from February 1 to November 15 and renewals from February 1 to April 30. PEP's window for new students closes April 30 of the year before they start.
Teaching that takes the work off you
We teach every subject starting at your child's level, grade the work as it is submitted, and keep the attendance, grades, and transcript, so homeschooling asks less of your time.
$149/month per child after the trial.
Sources (6)
Confirm current tax, scholarship, and ESA rules with the program before you rely on them.