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School Choice Scholarship Guidelines

School Choice Scholarship Guidelines

K-12 Scholarship Program

Orange County Virtual School (OCVS) is proud to support Florida families by providing flexible, high-quality online learning opportunities for students in Kindergarten through 12th grade. Our courses are taught by Florida-certified teachers and are designed to meet a variety of student needs.

For families who have chosen to participate in a School Choice Scholarship program, OCVS offers individual courses that may be used to support their student’s educational plan. Students receiving these scholarships may enroll in part-time courses and are responsible for using scholarship funds to cover eligible expenses.

School Choice Scholarships are administered by the Florida Department of Education (FLDOE) through approved Scholarship Funding Organizations (SFOs). Eligibility requirements and program guidelines are established by state law and may be updated annually.

Students currently enrolled full-time in a public school district, including full-time virtual programs, are not eligible to participate in these scholarship programs.

 

Contact Information

If you have any questions, please contact:
OCVS@ocps.net

Scholarship-Specific Questions: Each scholarship has individual requirements for both eligibility and access to Orange County School courses. If you have any questions on how to use your awarded scholarship, contact Step Up Students.

Text reads 'Scholarships Accepted Here!' on a dark blue background.

Text on a dark background reads 'undefinedBecas Aceptadas Aqui!' with a red logo.

Scholarship FAQs

  • Eligibility
    Students using scholarship funds must enroll in Individual Courses (Part-Time) through Orange County Virtual School. Our Full-Time program operates as a public school option within Orange County Public Schools, similar to a traditional brick-and-mortar school. As a result, students enrolled full-time are not eligible to use scholarship funds, which are designated for private or homeschool students.

    Course Approval
    Private school students should consult with their school administration prior to enrolling in part-time virtual courses to ensure alignment with their academic plan and school policies.

    School Year & Funding Timeline
    Scholarship funding follows the state’s fiscal year, which runs from July 1 through June 30. Families should plan course enrollment within this timeframe to ensure proper use of funds.

  • How to Enroll as a Scholarship Student

    To begin the enrollment process as a scholarship student, please contact our team at OCVS@ocps.net. A member of our staff will guide you through the next steps.

  • Course Tuition & Scholarship Use

    Course tuition for scholarship recipients and private pay students is $350 per course per semester.

    Per state guidelines, scholarship funds must first be applied to a student’s private school tuition and required fees. Any remaining funds may then be used to pay for OCVS part-time course tuition.

  • For more information, email OCVSTesting@ocps.net

  • Pay with Scholarship Funds/Assigning Funds in EMA

    Funds must be available in your scholarship account. To check the status of available funds, log in to the account provided by Step Up for Students. 

    1. Log in to the Education Market Assistant (EMA) Portal.
    2. Click on "Marketplace."
    3. Click "Find Providers."
    4. Select your student from the drop-down menu.
    5. Then select the "Service Category": and click "Search."
    6. Search for "Orange County Public Schools"
    7. Choose a grade level in select a location "Orange County Virtual School."
    8. Update the quantity of segments or full-year courses. Ex: 1 semester = Quantity 1
    9. Click "Add to Cart" and then "Go to Cart."
    10. Follow the steps in your cart to "Reserve Funds." Click Reserve Funds, check the box to grant permission, and click "Confirm."

    Once the funds are reserved, Orange County Virtual School will process the request so your child can be assigned to the classroom. This can take up to 7 business days.

    Direct Pay: If you are seeking to pay outside of the Step Up website, you must contact the Orange County Public School Student Enrollment Office.

    Location: 6501 Magic Way, Bldg 100B, Orlando, FL 32809

    Phone: 407-317-3233

    Email: studentenrollment@ocps.net

  • Billing & Refund Policy

    Tuition is not charged until after the course grace period has ended. Because charges are applied only after this trial period, refunds are not issued.

  • Additional Fees

    Scholarship students may incur the following optional fees:

    • Charger Campus Days: $100 per semester
    • On-Campus State Testing: $25 per testing session
    • Student Club Participation: $25 per club