Florida’s scholarship for low-income students is getting a makeover this fall and the next few years, with larger scholarships, easier access and higher income eligibility.

“The Florida Legislature listened to parents,” said Step Up For Students President Doug Tuthill, “resulting in more help closing the gap between the scholarship and tuition. Legislators also recognized that families whose income is just above the cutoff can’t afford a private school without a little help. This is all great news for low-income and working-class parents who are fighting to provide their children with a better life.”

The bill passed on May 2, the final day of the 2014 legislative session, and is expected to be signed into law and put into effect during the month of June. With it, changes will roll out over a period of three years. The most immediate change, though, is an increase this fall in the scholarship amount, from $4,880 to $5,272, that is tied to a multiplier in existing law. The $5,272 scholarship for 2014-15 represents a 34 percent increase from five years ago.

The new legislation will also bring:• No more worries about last year’s school for new students.

Right now, new students who are entering the scholarship in middle or high school must not only meet the income guidelines but also must have attended a Florida public school the previous year. That prior-year attendance requirement will be removed for every grade and every eligible income level.

• Partial scholarships for students at higher incomes. Beginning in 2016-17, partial scholarships will be available to students with family incomes as high as $60,010 (for a

household of four). Currently, the income for new students cannot exceed $44,122. For those with incomes between those two amounts, the scholarship will be gradually reduced, from a full scholarship at the lower amount to a half scholarship at the upper limit. Priority will be given to students at the lower income level.

• An even higher scholarship in 2016-17. The scholarship this fall, $5,272, represents 76 percent of the per-student public school operational amount. That amount is set to increase to 80 percent in 2015-16 and, under the new legislation, to 82 percent in 2016-17.

• An open door for children in foster care. Children in foster care already automatically qualify for the scholarships. Under the change, they will be able to apply for scholarships year-round, keep their scholarship even if they are adopted and also qualify if they are in “out-of-home” care.

Step Up For Students served roughly 60,000 students in 1,425 private schools in the 2013-14 school year, and anticipates being able to serve about 67,000 students in 2014-15. That’s because the statewide cap on tax-credited contributions increases from $286 million to $358 million.

Legislators pass bill to expand school choice to more Florida families

Dozens of partner schools commit to Learning Compact

CONTINUED ON PAGE 4

Dozens of Step Up For Students’ partner schools – 78 to be exact – are beginning the process of developing Learning Compacts for their students.

The Learning Compact is an interactive, web-based software application designed to support teaching, learning, communication and accountability for teachers, parents/guardians and students. The compacts are a three-way communication tool used to reflect what the student is expected to learn during the school year and can include teaching strategies and mutually determined parent and student responsibilities.

During the 2014-15 school year, teachers and administrators will use this tool to work closely with their students, and their parents or guardians, toward the students’ academic success.

“We couldn’t be more proud of these schools in our Success Partners program and their commitment to their students

by their willingness to collaborate with parents as they begin to develop Learning Compacts,” said Carol Thomas, Step Up’s Office of Student Learning vice president. “We are hopeful that our other Success Partners schools will introduce the Learning Compact to their families as a means to partner with the parents to support the education of each and every child.”

Currently, 120 schools from Jacksonville to Homestead participate in Step Up’s Success Partners, a multiyear comprehensive professional development program free to all schools serving Step Up scholars. The program is grounded in research that says there’s a direct correlation between student success and parent involvement, regardless of socioeconomic and educational backgrounds, Thomas said. To learn more about Success Partners, go to: http://www.StepUpForStudents.org/ our-cause/success-partners.

Step Up President Doug Tuthill

Now that lawmakers have opened the Florida Tax Credit Scholarship to even more students, there’s some information that families need to know.

Changes affecting the new school year include removing a prior public school attendance requirement for all students seeking the scholarship. Until the new legislation, students entering grades six through 12 had to attend a public school for the entire year prior to becoming eligible for the scholarship. Once the governor signs the bill into law in the coming days, this will no longer apply.

Additionally, children who are placed in out-of-home care will be eligible to apply for scholarships. If approved, these children, as well as children who are in foster care, may keep their scholarships, even if they are adopted or reunified with their parents, until they graduate or turn 21, whichever comes first.

Think your child might now qualify with these changes for the 2014-15 school year, but were denied the Step Up scholarship? Step Up is taking another look at those applications.

“We are currently reviewing applications for the 2014-15 school year that had previously been

What families need to know now that the

bill has passed

Principal Brenda Budd is grateful for the extra help from Notre Dame University, ACE Academy and other programs that keep St. Joseph Catholic School in Tampa vital. But she knows her 118-year-old school is giving something back, too. STORY, PAGE 3

For more than two decades, Federated National Insurance Company has been in the business of helping its customers during their most vulnerable times, paying more than $900 million in claims, including approximately $370 million to Florida residents and businesses during the devastating hurricane seasons of 2004 and 2005.

“We’re very focused on our policyholders,” said Federated National CFO Pete Prygelski. “We’re an insurance company, but we’re not just in the business of collecting premiums. We’re in the business of paying claims when our customers need us most.”

Federated National underwrites homeowners, commercial general liability, federal flood, personal auto and several other types of insurance policies in Florida, Alabama, Georgia, Louisiana and Texas. The Sunrise, Fla.-based company has experienced significant growth in premiums, said Prygelski, which in the past few years has resulted in the company doubling its staff to about 180 employees, with continued growth planned.

“As the company grows, the corporate culture will continue to evolve and hopefully incorporate some of the things that many executives and employees already do outside the workplace into corporate practice. Personally, we’re very philanthropic,” Prygelski said, “but it’s not something we’ve done as a company until quite recently. Our executives and our employees are very enthusiastic about giving back to the communities we serve.”

As a company with the majority of its policyholders and employees residing in the state, the company has been looking for ways to further help Florida families specifically. When company leaders heard about Step Up For Students, they immediately realized it was a great fit for Federated National and began a partnership in 2013.

“When we saw this, we just had to do it,” said Prygelski. “Anything that gives families who are less fortunate the opportunity to have choices, particularly educational choices they wouldn’t otherwise have, is an incredible thing. The idea of changing lives through this program is something we embrace.”

Step Up, in fact, is only the second charitable organization the company has given to since it started its formal philanthropic endeavors. Since partnering with Step Up in 2013, Federated National Insurance Company has redirected $1.5 million and has pledged to expand its support in 2014 with a commitment of $3.5 million.

“I am honored and thrilled that we are one of the first two nonprofit organizations that Federated National Insurance has contributed to as part of its new company philanthropic outreach,” said Step Up President Doug Tuthill. “That decision speaks volumes about what our scholarship does for Florida families. We look forward to working with Federated National to continue bringing educational options to students who otherwise wouldn’t have them, and making a difference in the lives of so many.”

ABC Fine Wine and Spirits, Inc.Ace American Insurance Company and AffiliatesAllstate Insurance CompanyAmerican Traditions Insurance CompanyArk Royal Insurance CompanyAuto Club Insurance Company of FloridaBAC Florida BankBrown & Brown, Inc.Brown Distributing CompanyBurkhardt Sales & ServiceCapacity Insurance CompanyCentennial BankCenterState Bank of Florida, NACerner CorporationChampion Brands, Inc.Citizens First BankDean Foods CompanyDelta National Bank and Trust CompanyDenny’s, Inc.

Dick’s Sporting GoodsDouble Eagle DistributingEuler Hermes North America Insurance CompanyEverBankFCCIFederated National Insurance CompanyFidelity National FinancialFlorida Distributing CompanyFlorida Doctors Insurance CompanyFlorida Family Insurance CompanyFlorida Public Utilities CompanyGap, Inc.GEICO CompaniesGold Coast Beverage Distributors, Inc.Goldring Gulf DistributingGulf PowerGulfstream Property and Casualty Insurance CompanyHCA

Health Care Service Corporation, a Mutual Legal Reserve CompanyHeritage Indemnity CompanyHeritage Property & Casualty Insurance CompanyHSNHumana Inc.J.J. Taylor Distributing Florida, Inc.Johnson & Johnson Vision Care, Inc.Johnson ControlsKemper CorporationLincoln Heritage Life Insurance CompanyMEDNAX Services, Inc.Mercury Insurance Company of FloridaModern USA Insurance CompanyPharmaWorks Inc.Philadelphia Insurance CompaniesRead Conmigo, sponsored by Infinity Auto InsuranceRepublic National Distributing Company, L.L.C.Rosen Hotels & ResortsSaddle Creek CorporationSeavin, Inc./ Lakeridge Winery & Vineyards and San Sebastian WinerySonic, America’s Drive-InSouthern Eagle Distributing, Inc.Southern Wine and Spirits of America, Inc.St. Johns Insurance Company, Inc.Stephens Distributing CompanySummit Bank NASunshine State Insurance CompanyThe Container Store

The GEO GroupThe Hartford Financial Services Group, Inc.The Lewis Bear CompanyTractor Supply CompanyTri-Eagle SalesTrust Companies of AmericaU.S. Bank National AssociationUnitedHealthcareUnited States Liability Insurance GroupUniversal Health Services, Inc.Universal Insurance Company of North AmericaUPC InsuranceUrban Outfitters, Anthropologie, and Free PeopleUrban Trust BankUretek Holdings, Inc.Value Pawn, an EZCORP CompanyWalgreen Co.Waste ManagementWestcor Land Title Insurance CompanyWestfield Insurance

Corporate support for Step Up For Students is setting a new record in 2014 with $231 million pledged through May 13. We are grateful to the corporations that have extended or renewed their generous support, as well as those considering partnership. It is through these contributions that we are able to fulfill our mission of providing scholarships to low-income children in Florida.

With grateful appreciation, we recognize the following corporations for their commitments to Step Up For Students.

-Debbie Woerner, Executive Vice President of Development, Step Up For Students

Donor Corner

DONOR UPDATE

Rep. Jamie Grant, of Tampa, visited Republic National Distributing Company’s Tampa office on May 20 to personally thank company representatives for providing $15 million worth of scholarships for low-income Florida students.

“The significance and lasting impact of this contribution cannot be overstated,” Grant said. “By supporting the Step Up For Students Scholarship Program, Republic National is investing in the future of our children and our community by providing educational opportunities for Florida’s lower-income K-12 students.”

Representatives from Step Up For Students joined Grant in thanking Republic National Distributing Company (RNDC) executives for the contribution, which will fund more than 2,750 scholarships.

Step Up For Students is funded by corporate donors, like Republic National Distributing Company, that receive a dollar-for-dollar tax credit for their contributions to the program.

Ron Barcena, executive vice president of RNDC

Florida, presented Step Up For Students President Doug Tuthill with an oversized check representing the company’s $15 million pledge for the 2014-15 school year.

“Republic National Distributing Company is thrilled to support a program that so positively affects the lives of Florida children,” said Barcena. “We know that a quality education is the cornerstone for a successful future, and we couldn’t be more pleased to help provide a great foundation for so many students in need.”

Republic National Distributing Company, the nation’s second largest distributor of premium wine and spirits, joined Step Up For Students as a corporate partner in 2012 and has since contributed a total of $45 million.

“On behalf of our families, we thank Republic National Distributing Company for their generosity. There are thousands of students who will now have a choice in their education, thanks to this significant contribution,” said Doug Tuthill, Step Up For Students president. “RNDC is a wonderful partner and we are thankful for their continued support.”

RNDC redirects $15 million to Step Up For Students Scholarship Program

Companies: Claim your tax creditIf your company has enrolled in the Step Up For Students Scholarship Program this year and has not yet notified us, please let us know so that we can extend our gratitude to you and assist your company with taking the necessary steps to receive your tax credits, including the required certificate of contribution for your tax returns. If your company has not yet notified us of your pledge, please do so by emailing Debbie Woerner at dwoerner@sufs.org.

Sister Nivia Arias perches behind the podium inside St. Joseph Catholic School’s cafeteria, her laptop open and a microphone at the ready. It’s time for Holy Karaoke, a motivational program led by the Salesian nun that entices students to dance and sing, and prepare for the day ahead.

But on this morning, it’s another nun doing the crooning. Splashed across the school’s movie screen is Sister Cristina Scuccia, a YouTube sensation since her recent appearance on the Italian version of the popular TV show “The Voice.’’

The 25-year-old contestant surprised the show’s judges, and much of the world, when she belted out an Alicia Keys’ ballad in full habit. But Catholic leaders everywhere, including Arias, saw the performance as a way to connect with young people.

“Never underestimate the good example you give to others,’’ Arias tells the nearly 200 rapt boys and girls seated before her.

For them, Holy Karaoke is fun time before the hard work begins. But to Arias and other St. Joseph leaders, it’s an opportunity to help keep the 118-year-old Tampa school relevant in today’s world.

Like other Catholic schools across the country, St. Joseph in Tampa has struggled with dwindling resources and declining attendance. In the past two decades, more than 1,300 Catholic schools have closed. But the trend appears to be turning, at least in Florida, where K-12 enrollment is on the rise.

Catholic Diocese leaders give some of the credit for the increase to the Florida Tax Credit Scholarship, which helps low-income parents choose the best school for their child’s needs. Sometimes, that’s a private school.

Statewide, the 235 Catholic schools saw a slight bump in enrollment for the second year in a row, from 75,969 in 2012-13 to 76,500 students this year.

At St. Joseph, the number of students has nearly doubled in the decade since the school partnered with Step Up For Students, with 265 students this year in prekindergarten through eighth grade. Of the K-8 students whose families qualify, 128 receive the needs-

based scholarship.One of those is kindergartner Mariana Santiago-

Escobar.After coming to St. Joseph for prekindergarten,

her vocabulary “blew up,’’ said Mariana’s mother, Ana Escobar. Having academic lessons accompanied by catechism made the school choice even more desirable.

Escobar also likes the small classes – about 25 students per teacher. And there’s plenty of accountability. Every student in grades three through eight takes a standardized test – the national Iowa Assessment – and STARR reading assessments to measure learning gains.

But with annual tuition set at $6,000 for the 2013-14 school year, the opportunity to attend St. Joseph wouldn’t have been possible without Step Up For Students, Escobar said.

Another source of support for Catholic schools comes from the University of Notre Dame and its Alliance for Catholic Education – or ACE – a program celebrating its 20th anniversary this year. Among several initiatives, ACE runs a graduate-level program that directly benefits Catholic schools with teacher and leadership training.

Through the Diocese of St. Petersburg, St. Joseph and its sister school, Sacred Heart in Pinellas Park, partnered with Notre Dame to form ACE Academies nearly two years ago. Since then, both schools have enjoyed a healthy spike in enrollment.

“We’re almost at capacity here,’’ said Julisse Levy, the advancement specialist for the two ACE Academies. “There’s a lot of buzz about St. Joseph Catholic School … a lot of families calling up to see if they can get in.’’

In addition, school administrators have taken part in extensive professional development, and ACE also provides an on-site teaching and learning instructor for the teachers.

“They’ve been a gift to us,’’ said St. Joseph Principal Brenda Budd.

But she also realizes that by participating in the ACE program, her school is giving something back.

“It’s exciting,’’ Budd said, “to be the basis of what could potentially save Catholic schools across the nation.’’

orge Perez remembers the first time he walked through the black iron gates of Academy Prep of Tampa, a private middle school in the heart of a blighted Central Florida neighborhood.Like the Cuban coffee wafting from the bakery next

door, the smell of opportunity permeated the air.“It was very different from the other middle schools I had seen

and the atmosphere was buzzing,’’ recalled Jorge, a rising sixth-grader at the time. “It felt like a place where I could grow.’’

The Step Up For Students scholar left the Academy three years later as the eighth-grade class valedictorian. He also earned an academic scholarship to Phillips Exeter, the elite New Hampshire boarding school known for its Ivy League connections and its distinguished former students, including Facebook founder Mark Zuckerberg.

Exeter – and Jorge – didn’t disappoint. He graduated in 2012 with yet another scholarship and became the first Academy Prep alumnus to attend Columbia University in New York City. Today, the 19-year-old sophomore is studying philosophy and economics with an eye toward law school, while his little brother, Julian, another Step Up scholar at Academy Prep, follows in his footsteps at Phillips Exeter in the fall.

It’s an amazing journey that began with the power of choice.Thanks to Step Up, Jorge’s family wasn’t limited to their ZIP code

or their budget when they went looking for the right middle school. Instead, they got to choose a school based on how it served their needs – and stoked their dreams.

“I used to wonder, ‘How will my kids go to college?’’’ said Jorge’s mother, Sophia Flores, a single mother who sometimes worked three jobs to make ends meet. “I don’t know how to express truly, every day, the blessings of the Academy. They are changing these kids’ lives forever.’’

When Jorge didn’t seem challenged at his public magnet school, Flores began searching for options. She heard about the impressive college preparatory program at Academy Prep, but the real estate broker never dreamed she could afford private school tuition.

Then she learned she qualified for financial help through Step Up For Students. Soon after, Jorge applied to Academy Prep, where he

St. Joseph Catholic School / TampaSCHOOL SPOTLIGHT

Jorge Perez, a former Step Up For Students scholar, made the most of his time at Academy Prep, earning scholarships to the prestigious boarding high school Phillips Exeter Academy and, later, to Columbia University.

STUDENT SPOTLIGHT

STUDENT SPOTLIGHT

J

CONTINUED ON PAGE 4

Jorge Perez/Academy Prep of Tampa

Sister Nivia Arias hosts Holy Karaoke each morning inside St. Joseph Catholic School’s cafeteria. The school’s lone nun hopes to give students some fun time, but also to help them focus on the day’s work ahead.

PARENTS:Don’t forget to visit the “Public Services for Parents” section of our website, where you can find community-partner organizations that may be helpful to you. This section is found in the green box on the right side of the home page under “For Parents.”

PARENTS AND FAMILIES:If you haven’t completed your 2014-15 scholarship application, don’t delay. Time is running out. Applications are first-come, first-served and funding is limited. Go to www.StepUpForStudents.org to apply or complete your application.

337 S. Plant Avenue Tampa, Florida 33606

A P P L I C A T I O N A L E R T :

This is the official newsletter for Step Up For Students, published four times a year.

About Step Up For Students:Step Up For Students provides legislatively authorized K-12 scholarships and related support to give economically disadvantaged families the freedom to choose the best learning options for their children.

337 S. Plant Avenue, Tampa, Florida 33606 Phone: (866) 590-5364

STUDENT SPOTLIGHT, FROM PAGE 3WHAT FAMILIES NEED TO KNOW, FROM PAGE 1

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had to pass a skills test and turn in essays – including one written by his mom about how she expected her son to succeed.

Once enrolled, Jorge, like all Academy Prep students, had to maintain good grades or face expulsion. Flores had to agree to volunteer at the school. Both had to commit to 11-hour school days, 11 months a year, including some Saturdays. Sometimes, Jorge would go to school before sunrise and come home when it was dark again.

It wasn’t easy in the beginning and, soon, Jorge had a change of heart.“I do remember wanting to switch schools midway through the year,’’ he said. “At times,

the work was overwhelming and very tough.’’But he stuck it out and the effort paid off with an offer from Exeter. Academy Prep gifted

the family with plane tickets so they could see the school before making any big decisions. Exeter administrators rolled out the red carpet.

“They treated us like millionaires,’’ Flores recalled. When the family left, she asked her son, “What do you want to do?’’

He knew it the moment he stepped on Exeter’s 223-year-old campus.“Mom, this is where I want to be,’’ Jorge told her. For the next four years, “half my

heart was gone,’’ Flores said.Jorge struggled, too.“Leaving home was very difficult,’’ he said. “But at the same time it was very liberating

and exciting. I felt that I had achieved something and this only motivated me to continue to work. … It just always felt right.’’

About Academy Prep of TampaAcademy Prep of Tampa and its sister school in St. Petersburg are modeled after the recently disbanded Nativity Miguel Network of Schools, a group of nonprofit schools that catered to economically disadvantaged children. At the Tampa campus, about 112 students in grades 5-8 attend classes for 11 hours a day, 11 months a year and sometimes on Saturdays. Student achievement is measured by the national Stanford 10 assessment test. Every student receives the Step Up For Students Scholarship, which helps pay a portion of the $16,000-plus annual tuition. The remainder comes from private donors and foundations dedicated to dramatically changing children’s lives through education. Most Academy graduates (82 percent) go on to top private high schools, such as Exeter or, closer to home, Tampa Prep. The other 20 percent enroll in a local college-preparatory charter school. Almost every student (94 percent) graduates high school with 82 percent attending college.

denied, to see if any will now be eligible under the new guidelines,” said Anne White, Step Up For Students vice president of operations. “We will notify families of any changes via email. We hope to have these reviews wrapped up by early summer.”

New applications are still being accepted for both new and renewal families for the 2014-15 school year, but the end of the process is nearing. And anyone who has submitted an incomplete application needs to send in all of the required documents immediately. By mid-May, Step Up had already awarded more than 61,800 scholarships.

“Families need to think of this as their last call because we’d hate to have a student who wants a scholarship and is eligible to miss out,” said White. “But they are first-come, first-served because funding is limited.”

Anyone who has questions about applications can email info@stepupforstudents.org, or call the contact center at 877-735-7837.

Step Up For Students congratulates the

Class of 2014!