HB0579 • 2026

Family Empowerment Scholarship Program

Children Education

Passed Legislature

This bill passed both chambers and reached final enrollment, even if later executive action is not shown here.

Sponsor: Bartleman ; (CO-INTRODUCERS) Campbell
Last action: 2026-03-13
Official status: House - Died in Student Academic Success Subcommittee
Effective date: 2026-07-01

Plain English Breakdown

The official source material does not provide details on the consequences if a private school fails to comply with the requirements. The bill text mentions that the commissioner may determine eligibility based on compliance but does not specify immediate removal from the program.

Family Empowerment Scholarship Program

This bill requires private schools participating in the Family Empowerment Scholarship Program to provide parents with specific information about academic programs and policies before a student's initial enrollment.

What This Bill Does

Requires private schools to give written information about academic programs, policies, specialized services, code of conduct, and attendance policies before a student's first enrollment.
Private schools must discuss specialized services and therapies offered at the school during initial enrollment discussions.
Parents of students with special needs plans (like IEPs or 504 plans) must be informed within 30 days if these accommodations will be honored by the private school.

Who It Names or Affects

Parents of students enrolling for the first time in private schools participating in the Family Empowerment Scholarship Program
Private schools that want to be part of the Family Empowerment Scholarship Program

Terms To Know

Family Empowerment Scholarship Program: A program that provides scholarships for students to attend private schools.
IEP: Individualized Education Plan, a plan designed to help children with special needs receive appropriate education services.

Limits and Unknowns

The bill does not specify what happens if parents do not agree with the information provided by private schools.
It is unclear how this will be enforced or monitored for compliance.

Bill History

2026-03-13 House
• Died in Student Academic Success Subcommittee
2026-01-13 House
• 1st Reading (Original Filed Version)
2025-12-12 House
• Referred to Student Academic Success Subcommittee • Referred to Education & Employment Committee • Now in Student Academic Success Subcommittee
2025-12-02 House
• Filed

Official Summary Text

Family Empowerment Scholarship Program; Requires private schools participating in FES Program to provide specified information in writing to certain parents before their student's initial enrollment in school; & provides private school requirements relating to certain services.

Current Bill Text

Read the full stored bill text

HB 579 2026

CODING: Words stricken are deletions; words underlined are additions.
hb579-00
Page 1 of 2
F L O R I D A H O U S E O F R E P R E S E N T A T I V E S

A bill to be entitled 1
An act relating to the Family Empowerment Scholarship 2
Program; amending s. 1002.394, F.S.; requiring private 3
schools participating in the Family Empowerment 4
Scholarship Program to provide specified information 5
in writing to certain parents before their student's 6
initial enrollment in the school; providing private 7
school requirements relating to certain services; 8
providing an effective date. 9
10
Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Florida: 11
12
Section 1. Paragraph (d) of subsection (9) of section 13
1002.394, Florida Statutes, is amended to read: 14
1002.394 The Family Empowerment Scholarship Program.— 15
(9) PRIVATE SCHOOL ELIGIBILITY AND OBLIGATIONS.—To be 16
eligible to participate in the Family Empowerment Scholarship 17
Program, a private school may be sectarian or nonsectarian and 18
must: 19
(d) Before a student's initial enrollment, provide to the 20
parent, in writing, For a student determined eligible pursuant 21
to paragraph (3)(b), discuss the school's academic programs and 22
policies, specialized services, code of conduct, and attendance 23
policies, and specialized services and therapies offered at the 24
school. A private school may update the specialized services and 25

HB 579 2026

CODING: Words stricken are deletions; words underlined are additions.
hb579-00
Page 2 of 2
F L O R I D A H O U S E O F R E P R E S E N T A T I V E S

therapies offered once per school year or if the school district 26
updates its list of equitable services offered, whichever comes 27
first. In addition, within 30 days after the school district 28
provides the student with a private school services plan, each 29
parent of a student with an individualized education plan, 30
education plan, English language learner plan, or 504 plan must 31
be informed of what modifications, accommodations, and therapies 32
included in the student's plan will be honored before enrollment 33
with the parent to determine which programs and services may 34
meet the student's individual needs. 35
36
If a private school fails to meet the requirements of this 37
subsection or s. 1002.421, the commissioner may determine that 38
the private school is ineligible to participate in the 39
scholarship program. 40
Section 2. This act shall take effect July 1, 2026. 41