~ Scholarships provide high-quality options for thousands of Florida students ~

TALLAHASSEE, Fla. — Today, Governor Ron DeSantis announced that nearly 430,000 applications have been received from students for a scholarship under the Florida Tax Credit Scholarship and the Family Empowerment Scholarship. Out of the historic number of applications, over 407,000 students have already been awarded a scholarship with more applications moving through the approval process. This year, Governor DeSantis signed House Bill 1 which expanded school choice for Florida students and families, allowing more families to choose the educational setting that best fits their child’s needs. Today’s participation numbers represent a monumental increase over last year’s enrollment of nearly 250,000 students in the scholarship programs.

“With our historic move to universal school choice, families in record numbers are choosing the best educational options for their children,” said Governor Ron DeSantis. “I am proud of the work we have done so far, but we’re far from done—we will continue to empower parents and expand opportunities so that our students receive the best possible education.” Continue reading →

This week, we issued a Consumer Alert warning Floridians who wish to give funds to those affected by the Maui wildfires of the potential for charity scams. The devastation caused by this disaster in Hawaii is heartbreaking—claiming more than 100 deaths and burning thousands of acres across the island of Maui. The residents in the affected areas have endured tragic losses and many Floridians may wish to donate to aid organizations.

However, scammers may try to exploit the tragedy to take advantage of generous donors.

Anyone wishing to donate to victims of the wildfires, or charities providing aid, should be on guard against scammers looking to exploit the disaster for personal gain.

Tips to avoid charity scams in the wake of a disaster include: Continue reading →