New Worlds Scholarship Accounts
Due to the lack of new funding, we are not accepting applications for the New Worlds Scholarship Accounts.
Information for Previous Scholarship Recipients
If your child previously benefitted from a New Worlds Scholarship Account, you can continue to use their remaining scholarship funds. These funds can be used for approved educational items and services that support your child’s learning.
- Approved Uses: ESA funds can be used for various educational resources to improve reading or math skills, such as part-time tutoring, summer or after-school programs, and instructional materials, including books and technology.
- Accessing Services: Families can access pre-approved services and products through Step Up For Students' Education Market Assistant (EMA) marketplace, which allows direct payments to providers.
Important Update: Account Inactivity Policy (Effective July 1, 2025)
Accounts must show spending activity between July 1, 2026 and June 30, 2027. Accounts with no activity for one consecutive fiscal year will be closed, and remaining funds returned to the state.
New Worlds Reading: Still Available for Families
New Worlds Reading is Florida’s FREE home reading program that mails eligible children a free book and activities each month during the school year through fifth grade. Families can choose what books they will receive when they apply, growing their home library based on their child’s interests to encourage a lifelong love of reading. The accompanying literacy resources and activities help children strengthen their skills and build reading confidence.
New Worlds Reading is administered by the UF Lastinger Center for Learning. Book titles are selected in partnership with Scholastic and approved by the Florida Department of Education. Books and materials are available in English, Spanish, Haitian Creole, and braille.
To be eligible, students must be either in a VPK program and not making age-appropriate progress according to state assessments or in K-5 in a public or charter school and not yet reading on grade level.
Resources
We encourage you to reach out to the Department of Education or your local school district for other opportunities for your students. Step Up for Students does provide other scholarship options which can be found here.
Yes – you can pay the difference out of pocket.
If you would like to share about how the New Worlds Scholarship has positively impacted your child you can find and contact your legislator at https://www.flsenate.gov/Senators/Find
The scholarship is worth $1,200 and can be used for the following:
- Tuition and fees for part-time tutoring provided by a person who holds a valid Florida educator’s certificate, a baccalaureate or graduate degree in Reading, Math, Elementary Education, English Education, or Math Education, an adjunct teaching certificate, or has demonstrated mastery of the subject area knowledge.
- Fees for summer education programs designed to improve reading or math skills.
- Fees for after-school education programs designed to improve reading or math skills.
- Instructional materials, including desktop and laptop computers and tablets and curriculum related to reading or math.
Pre-approved services and products are available through Step Up For Students’ Education Market Assistant (EMA) marketplace where families can use their scholarship dollars directly without having to pay out of pocket.
Please Note: Starting in the '24-25 school year, families will no longer have to submit a reimbursement claim for educational expenses in compliance with Florida Statute.
Please refer to the New Worlds Scholarship Accounts Handbook for more information.
The scholarship funds can be used for:
- Tuition and fees for part-time tutoring by qualified individuals.
- Fees for summer education programs designed to improve reading or math skills.
- Fees for after-school education programs designed to improve reading or math skills.
- Instructional materials, including desktop and laptop computers, tablets and curriculum related to reading or math.
*Preapproved services and products are available through Step Up For Students’ Education Market Assistant (EMA) marketplace.
No, due to the lack of new funding for the 2025-26 school year, new applications for the New Worlds Scholarship Accounts are not currently being accepted.
Please click here for the current New Worlds Scholarship Accounts Parent Handbook.
