TL;DR: Palm Beach County families can receive up to $8,890 (K-3), $8,288 (grades 4-8) or $8,091 (grades 9-12) from the FTC/FES-EO scholarship in 2026-27. The county ranks 27th of 67, above Broward and Miami-Dade and below Martin. Students with a qualifying disability may be eligible for the larger FES-UA award.
How much is the Florida private school scholarship in Palm Beach County for 2026-27?
For 2026-27 the Palm Beach County scholarship amount is $8,890 for kindergarten through grade 3, $8,288 for grades 4 through 8, and $8,091 for grades 9 through 12. These are the per-student figures in the state's county award table for the Florida Tax Credit and Family Empowerment Scholarship for Educational Options (FTC/FES-EO) programs.
The amount is a ceiling on what the scholarship can contribute, not a check that arrives in a family's hands. Funds are sent toward the school's tuition and fees, so a school that charges less than the award does not turn the difference into spending money.
Families who read last year's figures should not reuse them. Award tables are published for each school year, so use the 2026-27 numbers above when planning a budget for next fall.
Because the table steps down as a child moves up, a family with a second grader and a seventh grader will see two different numbers on the same award letter.
How does Palm Beach County compare with the counties around it?
Palm Beach County sits in the middle of the state, ranked 27th of 67 counties on the kindergarten-to-grade-3 award, and its neighbors are a mixed picture. Martin County to the north is higher, while Broward and Miami-Dade to the south are lower.
| County | K-3 award, 2026-27 | Compared with Palm Beach |
|---|---|---|
| Monroe | $12,217 | $3,327 higher |
| Glades | $9,559 | $669 higher |
| Martin | $9,165 | $275 higher |
| Palm Beach | $8,890 | Baseline |
| Miami-Dade | $8,745 | $145 lower |
| Okeechobee | $8,743 | $147 lower |
| Broward | $8,494 | $396 lower |
| St. Lucie | $8,449 | $441 lower |
Palm Beach is therefore not the top award in the state, even though local tuition runs high. Monroe County holds that spot.
The differences among the middle counties are small. Palm Beach is only $145 above Miami-Dade and $396 above Broward on the K-3 line, so the award alone rarely decides where a family chooses to live or enroll. Tuition at the school does that.
Which county's row applies if a family lives near the county line?
The row that matters is the one for the county where the student lives, which is why a Belle Glade or Pahokee address is read as Palm Beach County even though a county called Glades exists. Glades County is a separate county with its own, higher figure, and it lies on the northwest side of Lake Okeechobee, not around Belle Glade.
A family that crosses a county line to reach a school, say from Martin County into Jupiter, should read its own county's row and not the school's. Step Up For Students publishes the tables, and the funding check on this site confirms which row a given address falls under before any math is done.
How does the Unique Abilities scholarship compare with the standard amount?
The Family Empowerment Scholarship for Students with Unique Abilities (FES-UA) is a different program with its own, larger award, and Palm Beach County's figures are $11,054 for kindergarten through grade 3, $10,452 for grades 4 through 8 and $10,255 for grades 9 through 12.
| Grade band | FTC/FES-EO | FES-UA | Gap |
|---|---|---|---|
| K-3 | $8,890 | $11,054 | $2,164 |
| 4-8 | $8,288 | $10,452 | $2,164 |
| 9-12 | $8,091 | $10,255 | $2,164 |
FES-UA needs a qualifying disability and a documented eligibility process, and a family does not hold both awards at once for the same child in the same year. Our Unique Abilities page walks through the diagnosis list.
What is the award not?
The scholarship is not a voucher for any amount a school chooses to charge, and it is not a cash grant to parents. It is a state-funded education scholarship, paid in the way the program's rules describe, up to the published amount.
| The award is | The award is not |
|---|---|
| A county- and grade-based ceiling | A fixed payment per family |
| Applied toward tuition and fees | Cash for any household bill |
| Set by the state's published table | Negotiable with the school |
| Open to families under the universal rules | Limited by a household income cap |
Here is an illustrative case, not a quote. A school that charges $12,000 in tuition and a fourth grader receiving the full $8,288 leaves $3,712 for the family to cover. Our award calculator runs the same math with your numbers.
Frequently asked questions
How much is the Florida private school scholarship in Palm Beach County for 2026-27?
For 2026-27 the Palm Beach County scholarship amount is $8,890 for kindergarten through grade 3, $8,288 for grades 4 through 8, and $8,091 for grades 9 through 12. These are the per-student figures in the state's county award table for the Florida Tax Credit and Family Empowerment Scholarship for Educational Options (FTC/FES-EO) programs.
How does Palm Beach County compare with the counties around it?
Palm Beach County sits in the middle of the state, ranked 27th of 67 counties on the kindergarten-to-grade-3 award, and its neighbors are a mixed picture. Martin County to the north is higher, while Broward and Miami-Dade to the south are lower.
Which county's row applies if a family lives near the county line?
The row that matters is the one for the county where the student lives, which is why a Belle Glade or Pahokee address is read as Palm Beach County even though a county called Glades exists. Glades County is a separate county with its own, higher figure, and it lies on the northwest side of Lake Okeechobee, not around Belle Glade.
How does the Unique Abilities scholarship compare with the standard amount?
The Family Empowerment Scholarship for Students with Unique Abilities (FES-UA) is a different program with its own, larger award, and Palm Beach County's figures are $11,054 for kindergarten through grade 3, $10,452 for grades 4 through 8 and $10,255 for grades 9 through 12.
What is the award not?
The scholarship is not a voucher for any amount a school chooses to charge, and it is not a cash grant to parents. It is a state-funded education scholarship, paid in the way the program's rules describe, up to the published amount.
Related questions
- What can the scholarship cover and what stays out of pocket?
- How much does the Florida scholarship pay by county?
- Who qualifies for the Florida private school scholarship?
- Can I check my own family's numbers?
Sources
- Step Up For Students: scholarship award amounts
- Florida Department of Education: K-12 scholarship programs
See what your family qualifies for →
