The Family Empowerment Scholarship for Unique Abilities (FES-UA), formerly known as the McKay Scholarship, is a school choice option, which may be available to public school students with an IEP or an approved medical diagnosis.

This program was created to provide educational options to parents of students with disabilities. By participating the Family Empowerment Scholarship for Unique Abilities, your child may be able to attend a different public school in your district, attend a public school in an adjacent district, or access to an Education Savings Account (ESA). An ESA can be used to fund items such as private school tuition and fees, online learning programs, private tutoring, community college costs, higher education costs, and other approved learning services and materials. Students cannot access the ESA option and attend public school.

Students accessing the Education Savings Account option of the Family Empowerment Scholarship for Unique Abilities have the option of participating in all statewide assessments in the school district in which the student resides. Contact the scholarship administrator for more information at 561-434-8740.

To be eligible for the FES-UA, a student must have an IEP or an approved medical diagnosis.

*only students with IEPs are eligible for the public option (unless currently placed with a 504 plan on McKay)

The deadline to apply for public school option is:

• June 1st for placement at the start of the first semester
• October 31st for placement at the start of the second semester

Choice Program students may receive transportation regardless of their proximity to the Choice school. Parents must provide transportation to the closest bus stop in order to be eligible. Bus stops will only be available within the Choice Transportation Zone for each school and additional stops will not be created. If a student requires an ESE bus as stated on their IEP, then the school of Choice must be within 10 miles from their home.

To learn more about your child’s public school options, please contact your school district’s Parental Choice Office at 561-649-6818. For more information on the ESA option of the FES-UA program, please contact one of the Scholarship Funding Organizations below:

A.A.A Scholarship Foundation-FL, LLC
P.O. Box 15719
Tampa, FL 33684
888-707-2465
info@aaascholarships.org

Step Up for Students
P.O. Box 54367
Jacksonville, FL 32245-4367
877-735-7837
info@stepupforstudents.org

Please note this information serves to notify you that your child may be eligible to participate in the FES-UA. This information does not guarantee your student’s eligibility.

Questions? email Summer Parr Bochicchio