Office of Independent Education & Parental Choice

Historical Data- Private School Option

The Opportunity Scholarship Program, as originally enacted, allowed parents to choose a higher performing public school or to receive a scholarship for an eligible private school if their children attended, or were assigned to attend a failing Florida public school.

On January 5, 2006, the Florida Supreme Court issued a ruling in Bush v. Holmes declaring the private school option of the Opportunity Scholarship Program unconstitutional. Students assigned to a failing school are no longer offered the opportunity to transfer and enroll in an eligible private school. The option to attend a higher performing public school remains in effect.

House Bill 1331, effective July 1, 2011, eliminated the language related to the private school option in the Opportunity Scholarship program, bringing Section 1002.38, Florida Statutes, in line with the 2006 Florida Supreme Court ruling.

Information and statistics related to past private school participation are available below.