IMAGINE. Total Gross Monthly Household Income* $2,333 $2,944 $3,554 $4,165. *add $611 for each additional member

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1 IMAGINE YOUR CHILD GETTING MONEY FOR A NEW K-12 SCHOOL SINCE 2002, MORE THAN 265,000 SCHOLARSHIPS HAVE BEEN AWARDED TO LOW-INCOME FLORIDA STUDENTS IN GRADES K-12. COULD YOUR CHILD BE NEXT? Students learn in different ways, and parents need to find the best school for each child. Sometimes that means another public school in a different neighborhood or sometimes that means a private school. Step Up For Students exists to help low-income families enjoy all of those options. Step Up provides money to students who qualify for the free or reduced-price lunch program and can t afford private school tuition or transportation to an out-of-district public school. For the school year, scholarships were valued up to $4,335 for private school tuition or $500 to help cover transportation costs to attend a public school in another district, typically another county. Our goal is to give your family a choice in your child s education. It s your child; it s your choice. These scholarships were created by the Florida Legislature in 2001 to assure that low-income children have learning options. Under the law, the scholarships are based on financial need, not how well your child does in school. They are awarded on a first-come, first-served basis and can be transferred to other eligible schools if the student moves within the state, or simply wants to attend a different Step Up partner school. To learn more please visit info@sufs.org or call Or text: new to to be added to our mobile list to receive more information.* *Msg and data rates may apply. Receive up to one message/week. Text help for help, text stop to cancel. How to qualify for a scholarship Does your family qualify for the free or reduced school lunch program? If so, you may qualify for this program too. Is your household income* at or below these levels? # of people in household * income guidelines may vary slightly. Total Gross Monthly Household Income* $2,333 $2,944 $3,554 $4,165 *add $611 for each additional member A child entering kindergarten must be 5 by Sept. 1. A child entering grades 6-12 must have attended a Florida public school for the entire school year.* *Please check our site for the most current requirements. If you know other families who could benefit from this scholarship program, please share this information with them: Scholarship hotline: Revised: August 2012

2 IMAGINE A SU HIJO RECIBIENDO DINERO PARA ENTRAR A UNA NUEVA ESCUELA K -12 DESDE EL AÑO 2002, MÁS DE 265,000 BECAS HAN SIDO OTORGADAS A ESTUDIANTES DE BAJOS RECURSOS EN LA FLORIDA PARA GRADOS K -12. PODRÍA SU HIJO SER UNO DE ELLOS? Los estudiantes aprenden de diferentes formas y los padres necesitan encontrar la escuela indicada para para cada niño. A veces esto significa otra escuela pública en un vecindario diferente o algunas veces esto significa una escuela privada. Step Up For Students ha sido creada para ayudar a familias de bajos recursos a acceder a todas estas opciones. Step Up provee dinero a estudiantes que califican para el programa de almuerzos gratuitos o reducidos y que no pueden pagar la inscripción a escuela privada o el transporte a una escuela pública fuera del distrito. Para el año escolar las becas incrementaron su valor a $4,335 para la inscripción a una escuela privada y $500 para ayudar a cubrir el costo de transportación para atender a una escuela pública en otro distrito, generalmente en otro condado. Nuestro objetivo es brindar una opción a su familia para la educación de sus hijos. Es su familia, es su opción. Este programa de becas fue creado por la Legislatura de la Florida en el año 2001 para garantizar que los niños de bajos recursos tengan opciones educativas. Bajo esta ley, la beca esta basada en necesidades financieras y no en el desempeño académico de su hijo en la escuela. Las becas son aprobadas en el orden en que son recibidas las aplicaciones. En caso de que el estudiante se mueva dentro del mismo estado de la Florida o simplemente quiera asistir a otra escuela participante, la beca puede ser transferida a otra escuela elegible para el programa de Step Up. Para más información visite envíe un correo electrónico a info@sufs.org, llame al o envíe un mensaje de texto con la palabra new al para ser agregado a nuestra lista móvil y recibir más información. * *tarifas por mensajes de texto y datos pueden aplicar. Reciba hasta un mensaje semanal. Envié un mensaje con la palabra help para recibir ayuda y uno con la palabra stop para cancelar. terms Como calificar para una beca Califica su familia para el programa de almuerzo gratuito o reducido en las escuelas? Si es así, es posible que usted califique para este programa también. Es el ingreso de su familia* igual o por debajo de estos niveles? # de personas en el hogar * Guía de Ingreso para el año escolar puede variar ligeramente. Ingreso Familiar Total Mensual Bruto* $2,333 $2,944 $3,554 $4,165 *sume $611 por cada miembro de familia adicional Si el estudiante entrara a kindergarten, debe tener 5 años cumplidos al 1º de Septiembre. Si el estudiante entrara a los grados 6-12, debe haber asistido a una escuela pública de la Florida durante el año escolar completo * *Por favor visite nuestro sitio de internet para los requerimientos actuales Si conoce otras familias que podrían beneficiarse con este programa de becas, por favor comparta esta información con ellos: Línea de ayuda para becas: Revisado: Agosto de 2012

3 Every Child Should Have Choices. Step Up For Students, K 12 Scholarships. Step Up For Students is a nonprofit organization that administers the Florida Tax Credit Scholarship for low income students (K 12). The scholarship program was created by the Florida Legislature in 2001 and is funded by corporations that receive a dollar for dollar tax credit for their contributions. Many people still don t know the option exists, but Florida has the nation s largest scholarship program for children who want to attend a private school and can t afford it. In Step Up will be serving more than 47,000 students with each scholarship worth up to $4,335. The scholarship has special guidelines for children in foster care and children who are homeless that are intended to make it easier for them to qualify. Children in Foster Care Age requirements: A child in foster care entering kindergarten must be 5 by Sept. 1. A child in foster care entering first grade must be 6 by Sept. 1. Income guidelines: There is no income requirement for a child in foster care who meets the definition of a child in foster care (i.e., where the household has a current foster care license from the Department of Children and Families). Document requirements: The foster parent must be able to provide a current foster care license issued by DCF. o If the child in foster care is in someone s care that someone must have be a licensed foster care provider for the student to be deemed a foster student. If this person is a relative, but does not have a current foster care license from DCF, then the child does not meet the state s definition of foster and the family would need to be within the income guidelines, and able to validate that income, or the child would need to be receiving TANF (supporting documentation must be provided) to qualify for a scholarship. If the child in foster care is in a group home the Administrator or Director can complete the application for the student and submit the required paperwork. What the scholarship pays for: For the school year, scholarships were valued up to $4,335 and can be used at any of the more than 1,450 participating private schools across the state. The scholarship will pay for the following school expenses, in this order: 1) Tuition; 2) Books; 3) Registration; 4) Transportation; 5) Uniforms; 6) Testing; 7) Other.

4 Children Who Are Homeless Age requirements: A child who is homeless and is entering kindergarten must be 5 by Sept. 1. A child who is homeless and is entering first grade must be 6 by Sept. 1. A child who is homeless and is entering grades 6 12 must have attended a Florida public school the (entire) year prior to the school year for which s/he is applying. Please be sure to check our website for the most current requirements. Income guidelines: There is no income threshold for children who are homeless, and they are not required to provide any income information. Documentation requirements to validate the status of a child who is homeless: The homeless liaison in the public school district to which the child is assigned can create a letter or document for them to include with their application packet. (OR) a letter may be submitted (on letterhead) by the owner or Executive Director of the shelter or transitional housing facility. Acceptable documentation must include: Child s name Effective date(s) Signature of the local educational liaison or the director of the homeless shelter. Transportation Scholarship Step Up also provides a transportation scholarship to an out of district Florida public school. The application and eligibility process is similar to the other scholarships. The public school must be out of the student s assigned district, which typically means it is in a separate county. The family/guardian must get permission from both the district in which the student resides and the district which the student wants to attend. Step Up will need documentation of the approval by both districts before being able to award the scholarship. Please contact Step Up For Students with any questions: Scholarship hotline: info@stepupforstudents.org Web site:

5 EVERY CHILD SHOULD HAVE CHOICES DO YOU KNOW A CHILD IN FOSTER CARE WHO IS STRUGGLING IN SCHOOL? STUDENTS DO BETTER IN SCHOOLS THAT FIT THEIR LEARNING STYLES Students learn in different ways and Step Up For Students helps guardians and parents access the best school for children who are in foster care or who are homeless. Sometimes that means another public school in a different neighborhood or sometimes that means a private school. Step Up For Students exists to help children enjoy all of these options. For the school year, scholarships were valued up to $4,335 for private school tuition or $500 to help cover transportation costs to attend a public school in another district, typically another county. These scholarships were created by the Florida Legislature in Step Up For Students has special guidelines for children who are in foster care or who are homeless that make it easier for them to qualify. The scholarships are awarded on a first-come, first-served basis and can be transferred to other eligible schools if the student moves within the state, or simply wants to attend a different Step Up partner school. To learn more please visit info@sufs.org or call Or text: new to to be added to our mobile list to receive more information.* *Msg and data rates may apply. Receive up to one message/week. Text help for help, text stop to cancel. How to qualify for a scholarship A Child in Foster Care A child in foster care entering kindergarten must be 5 by Sept. 1. There is no income requirement for a child in foster care who meets the definition of a foster child - where the household has a current foster care license from Department of Children and Families (DCF). The foster parent must be able to provide a current foster care license issued by DCF. Gather documents including: current DCF foster care license and DCF placement papers. Gather birth certificates for students entering K-1st grade. A Child Who is Homeless A child who is homeless and is entering kindergarten must be 5 by Sept. 1. There is no income threshold for children who are homeless, and they are not required to provide any income information. A child who is homeless and is entering grades 6-12 must have attended a Florida public school for the entire year prior to application. Please check our site for the most current requirements and necessary documentation. If you know others who could benefit from this scholarship program, please share this information with them. Scholarship hotline: Revised: August 2012

6 CADA NIÑO DEBE TENER OPCIONES SABE USTED DE UN NIÑO FOSTER QUE ESTE TENIENDO DIFICULTADES EN LA ESCUELA? ALGUNOS ESTUDIANTES MEJORAN SU DESEMPAÑO ASISTIENDO A ESCUELAS QUE SE ADAPTAN A SU ESTILO DE APRENDIZAJE Cada estudiante aprende de diferentes formas y Step Up For Students ayuda a los padres a encontrar la mejor escuela para su niño foster o niño sin hogar. Algunas veces esto significa otra escuela pública en un vecindario diferente y otras veces esto significa una escuela privada. Step Up For Students ha sido creada para ayudar a niños foster y niños sin hogar a disfrutar de estas oportunidades. Para el año escolar las becas incrementaron su valor a $4,335 para la inscripción a una escuela privada y $500 para ayudar a cubrir el costo de transportación para atender a una escuela pública en otro distrito, generalmente en otro condado. Estas becas fueron creadas por la legislatura de la Florida en el año Step Up For Students tiene pautas especiales para niños foster y niños sin hogar las cuales están diseñadas para facilitar su calificación para el programa. Estas becas son otorgadas de acuerdo al orden en que las aplicaciones son recibidas y la beca puede ser transferida en caso de que el estudiante se mueva dentro del estado o simplemente desee asistir a otra escuela participante del programa de Step Up. Para más información visite envíe un correo electrónico a info@sufs.org, llame al o envíe un mensaje de texto con la palabra new al para ser agregado a nuestra lista móvil y recibir más información.* *Tarifas por mensajes de texto y datos pueden aplicar. Reciba hasta un mensaje semanal. Envié un mensaje con la palabra help para recibir ayuda y uno con la palabra stop para cancelar. Como Calificar Para una beca en el Niño Foster Un niño foster entrando a Kínder debe tener 5 años cumplidos para el 1 de septiembre. No hay requerimiento de ingresos para un niño foster que cumpla con los requisitos para ser considerado niño foster. El hogar debe tener una licencia de cuidado foster vigente emitida por el departamento de Niños y Familia (DCF). El padre de un niño foster debe proporcionar una copia de la licencia de cuidado foster expedida por el DCF. Reúna estos documentos incluyendo: la licencia de cuidado foster vigente (emitida por DCF) y documentos de asignación. Certificado de nacimiento del estudiante para aquellos que estén entrando a K 1er grado. Niño sin hogar Un niño sin hogar entrando a Kínder debe tener 5 años cumplidos para el 1 de septiembre. No hay requerimiento de ingresos para un niño sin hogar. Un niño sin hogar entrando a grados de 6-12 grado debe haber atendido a una escuela publica de la Florida el año anterior a la aplicación. Por favor visite nuestra página web para conocer los últimos requisitos y documentación. Si usted sabe de alguien que pueda beneficiarse de este programa de becas, por favor comparta esta información con ellos. Línea de ayuda: Revisado: Agosto de 2012