Governor Ron DeSantis recently announced Florida is opting in to the Federal Education Freedom Tax Credit established through the One Big Beautiful Bill Act to expand school choice efforts.
Starting January 1, 2027, Floridia taxpayers will have the opportunity to receive a tax credit of up to $1,700 per year for contributing to the program which assists K-12 students with educational expenses.
“Florida families have access to the nation’s top ranked and largest school choice program. About 1.4 million students are enrolled in school choice options in Florida—more than most other states’ entire K-12 school population,” said Republican Governor Ron DeSantis. “The new federal school choice program will allow Florida families to supplement their existing scholarships.”
The newly enacted Federal Education Freedom Tax Credit is an opportunity to further support education freedom according to Republicans.
Governor DeSantis said that by opting in to this program, Florida is once again empowering its residents and families to make the choices that are best for them.
The Republican said Florida leads the nation in education freedom. In 2023, Florida enacted universal school choice to give every family access to options that meet their needs. Nearly half of all students in Florida are now learning in a choice setting – private, charter, virtual, or homeschool.
Governor DeSantis also noted several top rankings:
The Heritage Foundation ranked Florida #1 in Education Freedom for the fourth year in a row. Florida also earned the top spot for Education Choice, Civic Education, Academic Transparency, and Teacher Freedom. Florida ranked #1 for Education Freedom for the third consecutive year by the ALEC Index of State Education Freedom: A 50 State Guide to Parental Empowerment. The index also ranked Florida #1 for student-centered funding programs, charter schools, and home schooling. The Center for Education Reform also ranked Florida #1 on the Parent Power index for the fourth consecutive year. The Parent Power Index also ranked Florida #1 for Transformational Learning, charter schools, and choice programs.
