Mangrove School of Sarasota is so pleased to be able to accept Step Up, AAA, Family Empowerment and McKay scholarship funds!
The Step Up for Students, and AAA scholarships are awarded on a first come first serve basis, so please apply for these programs as soon as possible if you want to be considered as a new scholarship recipient.
Families receiving state scholarships are expected to pay the difference between funds awarded and full tuition, including registration and application fees.
Step Up for Students FTC Scholarships
Eligibility:
A child entering kindergarten must be 5 on or before September 1st, (first grade must be 6 on or before September 1st) AND
Your household income is at or below the amount shown on the income guidelines chart below.
Click here for income guidelines
How to apply:
- Go to: www.stepupforstudents.org
- Click on the appropriate link (new family or renewal).
- You will need some documentation and will need to be able to print.
- You can save your application and come back to it later if you need.
If you already have a Step up for Students scholarship you may transfer to Mangrove School of Sarasota and bring your scholarship funds with you.
Please Note:
Applications are currently being accepted at https://www.stepupforstudents.org/logins/income-based-scholarship-login/
Students will no longer be required to attend a public school before becoming eligible for a scholarship.
Children placed in out-of-home care are now eligible to apply for scholarships.
Children who are in foster care, or out-of-home care, may keep their scholarships (even if they are adopted or reunified) until they graduate, or turn 21, whichever comes first.
AAA FTC Scholarships
Eligibility:
A child entering first grade must be 6 on or before September 1st (5 before September 1st for Kindergarten) AND
Your household income is at or below the amount shown on the income guidelines chart on the first page of the application below:
To apply, visit: http://www.aaascholarships.org/parents/florida/
If you already have a AAA scholarship you may transfer to Mangrove School of Sarasota and bring your scholarship funds with you.
In addition, both Step Up For Students and AAA Scholarships also participate in the Family Empowerment Scholarship Program, which has the following eligibility requirements:
The student is eligible to enroll in kindergarten or has spent the prior school year in attendance at a Florida public school. Prior attendance means the student was enrolled in and attended a Florida public school during both the October and February student counts. A sibling of a student who is participating in the scholarship program under the above eligibility criteria is eligible for a scholarship if the student resides in the same household as the sibling.
Note: A dependent child of a member of the military transferring from another state or from a foreign country due to a change of station is exempt from the prior public school attendance requirement.
Gardiner Scholarships
Eligibility:
This scholarship is for Florida students 3 years old through 12th grade or age 22, whichever comes first, with one of the following conditions: Autism spectrum disorder, Muscular dystrophy, Cerebral palsy, Down syndrome, Phelan McDermid syndrome, Prader-Willi syndrome, Spina bifida, Williams syndrome, Intellectual disability (severe cognitive impairment), rare diseases as defined by the National Organization for Rare Disorders (now includes PANS/PANDAS), anaphylaxis, deaf, visually impaired, dual sensory impaired, traumatic brain injured, hospital or homebound as defined by the rules of the State Board of Education and evidenced by reports from local school districts, or three, four or five year-olds who are deemed high-risk due to developmental delays.
A different kind of scholarship: The Gardiner Scholarship allows parents to personalize the education of their children with unique abilities by directing money toward a combination of programs and approved providers. These include schools, therapists, specialists, curriculum, technology – even a college savings account.
The Gardiner Scholarship amount varies according to grade and county of residence. The average amount for most students in the 2021-22 school year was $10,000. .
To Apply, visit:
https://www.stepupforstudents.org/logins/special-needs-login/
or https://www.aaascholarships.org/parents/
McKay Scholarships
Eligibility:
- Student must apply for the program prior to withdrawing from public school
- Student must have an Individual Education Plan (IEP) or a 504 Accommodation Plan
- Student must have been enrolled and reported for funding in a Florida public school during the preceding October and February Florida Education Finance Program surveys (Grades K-12) OR
- have been a pre-kindergarten student who was enrolled and reported for funding in Florida public school during the preceding October and February Florida Education Finance Program surveys and was at least 4 years old OR
- have attended the Florida School for the Deaf and Blind during the preceding October and February student membership surveys (Grades K-12)
Please note that students with a “gifted only” designation and an Eligibility Plan (EP) do NOT meet the eligibility criteria for the McKay Scholarship Program.
If your child does not meet these requirements but has an IEP or 504 Accommodation Plan and is a dependent child of a member of the United States Armed Forces, the child may be eligible for a McKay Scholarship. Please contact the McKay Scholarship office at 1-800-447-1636.