Step Up For Students - Blog | Giving Florida's children a choice. One K-12 scholarship at a time.

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Step Up’s Jacksonville office ranked among best places to work in that city

BY ROGER MOONEY The honors continue to roll in for Step Up For Students. The nonprofit’s Jacksonville office was ranked[...]

Latin, Julius Cesar and a second chance at senior year

By ROGER MOONEY DAVIE, Fla. – Josh Carlson pulled up a chair inside the office of the school guidance counselor[...]

Southern Glazer’s Wine & Spirits commits $150 million to Step Up scholarship program

BY ASHLEY ZARLE MIAMI, Fla.– Southern Glazer’s Wine & Spirits, the world’s preeminent distributor of beverage alcohol, announced it has[...]

Covanta funds Step Up scholarships, fuels future environmental leaders

SPECIAL TO STEP UP FOR STUDENTS Tampa middle school students from Tampa Bay Christian Academy are well on their way[...]

From held back to no holding back

Torey Glover, left, and his twin, Trinidy Glover, right, pictured with their mother, Kim Glover, experienced a stunning academic turnaround[...]

Step Up For Students among best places to work in Tampa Bay

By ROGER MOONEY Step Up For Students has been recognized as one of the best places to work by the[...]

Here’s your chance to thank a donor with your own video

By ROGER MOONEY Mayra Gallardo can sing solo in front of as many as 2,000 worshipers at her church and[...]

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Income-based scholarships

The Income-based Florida Tax Credit Scholarship (FTC) provides low-income families with financial assistance toward private school tuition and fees, or with transportation costs to attend a public school in another county.

Special needs scholarships

The Personal Learning Scholarship Accounts (PLSA) helps families personalize educational plans for their children with certain special needs.

Latin, Julius Cesar and a second chance at senior year

By ROGER MOONEY DAVIE, Fla. – Josh Carlson pulled up a chair inside the office of the school guidance counselor[...]

Patience, understanding bring scholarship student back from brink

Glad Tidings Academy teacher Andrene Donaldson, left, makes it a point to respond with patience and understanding when working with[...]

Recession crushed family business but not the dream of quality education for their boys

With the help of Florida Tax Credit Scholarships from Step Up For Students, Jonas, left, and Jack Figueredo are thriving[...]

Skyler Goeb didn’t let a rough start to life prevent her from soaring

By ROGER MOONEY ZEPHYRHILLS – Sitting opposite where his 8-year-old granddaughter stood near their dining room table, George Hill, nodded[...]

The family no one knew was homeless

Isabella, Ruthanne, and Gabriella Dumas have a home at Saint Ambrose Catholic School in Deerfield Beach, Fla. By JEFF BARLIS[...]

Once bullied, now safe, happy, and thriving

By JEFF BARLIS BELLE GLADE, Fla. – When she’s in class, the look on Armani Powe’s face is solemn, focused.[...]

Choice scholarship provided brothers an extended family

By JEFF BARLIS CLEARWATER, Fla. – Tyler McDonald, 19, and his brother Preston, 18, stand out in a crowd. Tall[...]

Gardiner scholar’s high school experience the stuff of his mom’s dreams

By ROGER MOONEY Nicolas Ratliff-Batista is a senior at Monsignor Pace High School in Miami Gardens with a 4.5 GPA[...]

Adopted siblings thrive in private school after severe neglect in early childhood

Editor’s note: To mark National Adoption Awareness Month, we highlight the tax credit scholarship that serves children who are or[...]

Military family on mission to raise awareness for Gardiner scholarships

By JEFF BARLIS TAMPA, Fla. – Two months after her son was diagnosed with autism, Laurie Guzman felt broken and[...]

Scholarship, private school led a tormented girl to happiness

By JEFF BARLIS MIAMI – It’s hard to miss Nicole Meneses at Pneuma Christian Academy. If she’s not front and[...]

Scholarship helps smiles return for student and her parents

Editor’s note: This story was originally posted on redefinED on February 10, 2017. By JEFF BARLIS Maria and Marcos Verciano will never[...]

From bullied and failing to Hope, honors and college

By JEFF BARLIS GROVELAND, Fla. – The sign at their church trumpeted the opening of a new private school: HOPE[...]

Choosing the right school helped turn tragedy into triumph

By JEFF BARLIS ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. – In the damp, rising heat of a late-morning graduation ceremony in May, with[...]

After school choice helps her, she helps Puerto Rico

By JEFF BARLIS Last fall, as she started her senior year in high school, IvonD’liz Chernoff was full of love[...]

Scholarship student soars after hurdling language barrier

By JEFF BARLIS The day after Maria Corrales’ tear-soaked graduation ceremony from St. Brendan High School, her mother, Carmen Urquijo,[...]

Brave warrior, inspiring model flourishes with scholarship

By DAVID HUDSON TUTHILL Her name means “Brave Warrior” in Spanish. That might not conjure up the image of a[...]

Football? Academics? Scholarship student chooses both at Dartmouth

By JEFF BARLIS Robert Crockett III is engaged in hand-to-hand combat with his uncooperative red-and-white striped necktie as a photographer[...]

Student Spotlight: Scholarship student enjoying the calm after the storm

By JEFF BARLIS The lean, angular kid arrived at his new school three years ago, whip-smart and rage-filled. TJ[...]

Brothers making great strides at Jacksonville School for Autism

By GEOFF FOX Ethan Alexander was decompressing in a multi-purpose room at Jacksonville School for Autism. The lights were out[...]

Income-based scholarships

Special needs scholarships

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