SB0690 • 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: Jones
Last action: 2026-03-13
Official status: Senate - Died in Education Pre-K - 12
Effective date: 2026-07-01

Plain English Breakdown

The official source material indicates that the bill did not pass both chambers and died in committee, which means it will not become law.

Family Empowerment Scholarship Program Requirements

This bill requires private schools participating in the Family Empowerment Scholarship Program to provide parents with specific written information about academic programs, policies, and specialized services before a new student enrolls.

What This Bill Does

Requires private schools to give parents written information about academic programs, policies, code of conduct, attendance policies, and specialized services and therapies offered by the school before a new student enrolls.
Updates the list of specialized services once per year or when the school district updates its offerings, whichever is sooner.
Ensures parents are informed about modifications, accommodations, and therapies included in their child’s education plan before enrollment.

Who It Names or Affects

Private schools participating in the Family Empowerment Scholarship Program
Parents of students enrolling for the first time in these private schools

Terms To Know

Family Empowerment Scholarship Program: A program that provides scholarships to help families pay for private school tuition.
Individualized Education Plan (IEP): A plan designed to meet the educational needs of a student with disabilities.

Limits and Unknowns

The bill did not pass both chambers and died in committee, so it will not become law.
It is unclear how many private schools are currently participating in the program or what specific information they provide to parents.

Bill History

2026-03-13 Senate
• Died in Education Pre-K - 12
2026-01-13 Senate
• Introduced
2025-12-16 Senate
• Referred to Education Pre-K - 12; Appropriations Committee on Pre-K - 12 Education; Rules
2025-12-02 Senate
• Filed

Official Summary Text

Family Empowerment Scholarship Program; Requiring a private school participating in the Family Empowerment Scholarship Program to provide specified information in writing to certain parents before a student’s initial enrollment in the school, etc.

Current Bill Text

Read the full stored bill text

Florida Senate
-
2026

SB 690

By
Senator Jones

34-00255A-26 2026690__
1 A bill to be entitled
2 An act relating to the Family Empowerment Scholarship
3 Program; amending s. 1002.394, F.S.; requiring a
4 private school participating in the Family Empowerment
5 Scholarship Program to provide specified information
6 in writing to certain parents before a student’s
7 initial enrollment in the school; providing private
8 school requirements relating to certain services;
9 providing an effective date.
10
11 Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Florida:
12
13 Section 1. Paragraph (d) of subsection (9) of section
14 1002.394, Florida Statutes, is amended to read:
15 1002.394 The Family Empowerment Scholarship Program.—
16 (9) PRIVATE SCHOOL ELIGIBILITY AND OBLIGATIONS.—To be
17 eligible to participate in the Family Empowerment Scholarship
18 Program, a private school may be sectarian or nonsectarian and
19 must:
20 (d)
Before a student’s initial enrollment, provide to the

21
parent in writing

For a student determined eligible pursuant to

22
paragraph (3)(b), discuss
the school’s academic programs and
23 policies,
specialized services,
code of conduct,
and
attendance
24 policies
, and specialized services and therapies offered at the

25
school. A private school may update the specialized services and

26
therapies offered once per school year or if the school district

27
updates its list of equitable services offered, whichever comes

28
first. In addition, within 30 days after the school district

29
provides the student with a private school services plan, each

30
parent of a student with an individualized education plan,

31
education plan, English language learner plan, or 504 plan must

32
be informed of what modifications, accommodations, and therapies

33
included in the student’s plan will be honored

before enrollment

34
with the parent to determine which programs and services may

35
meet the student’s individual needs
.
36
37 If a private school fails to meet the requirements of this
38 subsection or s. 1002.421, the commissioner may determine that
39 the private school is ineligible to participate in the
40 scholarship program.
41 Section 2. This act shall take effect July 1, 2026.