Florida’s tax-credit scholarship program—a type of private school choice program—serves some of the most disadvantaged students in the state. In an effort to better understand how those families feel about the program and their schools, our researchers surveyed more than 14,000 parents and guardians of Florida children using tax-credit scholarships. Download the full report at www.edchoice.org/FLParentSurvey.

1. edchoice.org/FLParentSurvey
BREAKING DOWN
Experiences and Satisfaction with Florida’s
Tax-Credit Scholarship Program
SURVEYING FLORIDA
SCHOLARSHIP FAMILIES

2. As dozens of states consider private
school choice programs, policymakers
and the public look to the performance of
Florida’s Tax Credit Scholarship Program.

3. Notably, this is the largest private school
choice program in the country to date …
Florida Tax Credit Scholarship Program Participation
The Program surpassed 100,000 student participants for the first time in 2017–18.
2003
20,000
0
40,000
60,000
80,000
100,000
120,000
2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018
15,585
11,550 10,549
14,061
17,819
21,493
24,871
28,927
34,550
40,248
51,075
59,822
69,950
78,664
98,936
108,098
SCHOOL YEAR ENDING
STUDENTSPARTICIPATING
Source: EdChoice, School Choice in America Dashboard [web page], accessed October 15, 2018, retrieved from https://www.edchoice.org/school-choice/ school-choice-in-america

4. … and the students who participate in it tend to be less
advantaged, less affluent and more racially and ethnically
diverse than the general K–12 population in Florida.
White Black Hispanic Multi-Racial
40%
35%
30%
25%
20%
15%
10%
5%
0%
Survey Respondents Tax-Credit Scholarship Program Public District Schools
38%
33%
26%
30% 30%
22%
30%
38%
33%
5%
3%
4%
Race/Ethnicity of Survey Respondents, TCS Students and District Students
Sources: EdChoice, 2017 Survey of Florida Tax-Credit Scholarship Families (conducted July 5–August 17, 2017); United States Census Bureau, Quick Facts:
Florida [web page], last modified July 2017, retrieved from https://www.census.gov/quickfacts/FL; Step Up for Students, Basic Program Facts about the Florida
Tax Credit Scholarship (FTC) [web page], retrieved from https://www.stepupforstudents.org/newsroom/basic-program-facts
PERCENTOFPOPULATION

5. Though many turn to student
test scores to determine the
success or failure of a program…

6. …many more focus
on reports of parents’
experiences in a
robust school choice
environment.
SURVEYING FLORIDA
SCHOLARSHIP
FAMILIES
Experiences and Satisfaction with Florida’s
Tax-Credit Scholarship Program
Jason Bedrick
Lindsey M. Burke

7. In this report, authors Jason Bedrick and Lindsey
Burke examined the responses of Florida scholarship
parents and guardians to a survey—by EdChoice
and with help from Step Up for Students and
Hanover Research—that aims to measure:
• what motivates them to choose schools
• their families’ schooling experiences
• their opinions of their school choice options
• and their satisfaction levels.

8. WHAT THEY FOUND

9. Most families who use Florida’s tax-credit
scholarships are satisfied with the program.
Parental Satisfaction with Scholarship Program (Percentage)
0% 10% 20% 30% 40% 50% 60% 70% 80% 90% 100%
Overall Satisfaction
Scholarship Eligibilty Requirements
Scholarship Amount
Available School Options
Completely Dissatisfied Somewhat Dissatisfied Somewhat Satisfied Completely SatisfiedNeither
7 4 89
8211
15
10
2 33
2 33
2 23 79
83

10. Families generally found it easy to
find their children’s schools.
80%
70%
60%
50%
40%
30%
20%
10%
0%
6%
4%
1%
16%
73%
Very Difficult Somewhat Difficult Neither Easy or Difficult Somwhat Easy Very Easy
Ease of Finding a School Using a Scholarship
PERCENTOFRESPONDENTS

11. Of the 5 percent of
scholarship families who
experienced difficulties,
most struggled because of
lack of schools nearby and
transportation issues.
Lack of private school options nearby
Transportation challenges
Available schools were not a good fit
Lack of information on schools
Difficulty determining which schools my
child was eligible for
No space at the school I wanted my
child to attend
Other open-ended response
Types of Difficulties
36%
30%
20%
17%
15%
12%
16%
Percent of
Respondents
(N = 1,464)
Types of Difficulties Finding a School
Source: EdChoice, 2017 Survey of Florida Tax-Credit Scholarship Families
(conducted July 5–August 17, 2017)
Q 14: Why was finding a school not easy? Please select all that apply.
Note: Shown to respondents who selected "very difficult," "difficult," or
"neither easy nor difficult" for the previous question

12. Florida parents chose their children’s
private schools because those schools offer
what their public schools can’t or don’t.
What Parents Want from Schools (Top Three)
0% 30% 40% 60% 70%10% 20% 50%
Religious environment/
instruction
Morals/character/
values instruction
Safe environment
Academic reputation
Small classes
Small school
Close to home and/or work
Discipline
Individual, one-on-one attention
Extracurricular activities offered
(e g athletics, arts, etc. )
Diversity
Standardized test scores
This is my assigned
neighborhood school
66%
52%
36%
34%
31%
21%
19%
16%
15%
8%
5%
4%
1%

13. Very few parents place a high value
on standardized test scores.

14. Parents said their children are doing well
in their schools of choice.
My child tries his/her best in school
My child stays out of trouble at school
My child pays attention in class
Students are safe in hallways
Teachers care about their students
My child feels happy in school
My child likes this school
I am satisfied with the education
students get
I like this school
Teachers treat students of all races
with respect
Teachers work closely with parents to
help students when they have problems
I am pleased with school discipline
Students care about each other
Students get along with each other
Teachers listen to students when they
have problems
Students respect others who
are different
Students threaten and bully each
other (% Disagree)
Sample size
97%
95%
96%
95%
94%
95%
95%
94%
94%
95%
92%
93%
92%
91%
91%
92%
73%
4,049
Hispanic
97%
94%
94%
94%
93%
92%
91%
92%
92%
90%
90%
89%
89%
90%
88%
88%
69%
4,179
Black
96%
96%
95%
96%
96%
95%
95%
95%
95%
95%
93%
92%
93%
93%
93%
92%
75%
4,551
White
96%
96%
95%
96%
95%
95%
94%
94%
94%
94%
92%
92%
91%
92%
92%
91%
75%
1,935
$45,600 and
Above
$24,600 to
$45,599
97%
96%
95%
95%
95%
94%
94%
94%
94%
93%
92%
91%
92%
92%
91%
91%
73%
6,461
Below
$24,600
97%
94%
94%
94%
93%
93%
93%
93%
93%
92%
91%
91%
90%
90%
89%
89%
71%
5,199
97%
95%
95%
95%
94%
94%
94%
93%
93%
93%
91%
91%
91%
91%
90%
90%
72%
14,750
Total
(N=14,119)
Parental Views of School Environment
Percent of respondents somewhat or completely agreeing
Source: EdChoice, 2017 Survey of Florida Tax-Credit Scholarship Families (conducted July 5–August 17, 2017)
Q 31: Thinking about your child’s school, how much do you agree or disagree with the following statements? Please select all that apply.
Notes: Shown to respondents who are currently using or withdrew from the scholarship
Race/Ethnicity Household Income

15. Most parents also coordinate with family to
ensure their children get to their schools.
Usual Mode of Transportation to School
0% 30% 40% 60% 90%80%10% 20% 50% 70%
A family member drives them
(including me)
School bus
Someone else drives them
They drive themselves or carpool
with a friend
Walk
Other public transportation
Other open−ended response
80%
5%
4%
2%
2%
1%
6%

16. And Florida scholarship parents tend to be
more involved in their children’s education.
Communicating with teachers
(email, phone, etc. )
Participating in school activities
Volunteering / community service
Reading with or to your child
Using an online educational resource
(e.g., Khan Academy)
Working on math homework
with your child
Sample size
77%
75%
68%
64%
62%
55%
1,023
Hispanic
74%
67%
58%
59%
58%
58%
1,085
Black
81%
74%
62%
50%
51%
45%
1,229
White
82%
74%
61%
50%
55%
45%
484
$45,600 and
Above
$24,600 to
$45,999
77%
72%
62%
56%
55%
52%
1,676
Below
$24,600
76%
70%
64%
60%
57%
53%
1,381
77%
72%
63%
57%
56%
52%
3,796
Total
Increase in Activities to Support Child's Education After Receiving Scholarship
Source: EdChoice, 2017 Survey of Florida Tax-Credit Scholarship Families (conducted July 5–August 17, 2017)
Q 20: After enrolling your child in a private school using a Step Up for Students scholarship, how did your participation in the following activities change (compared
to when your child was in a public or charter school)?Notes: Shown to respondents who are currently using or withdrew from the scholarship
Notes: Shown to respondents whose child was previously enrolled in a public school. Combined responses for "somewhat more often" and "much more often."
Race/Ethnicity Household Income

17. As the largest-ever survey of
participants in a private school
choice program—with more than
14,000 respondents—this report
represents some of the strongest
evidence to date of the views and
educational priorities of parents
exercising private school choice.

18. For more findings and policy implications
from this report, visit
EDCHOICE.ORG/FLParentSurvey
Have questions? Contact our research
team at research@edchoice.org.