Step Up for Students

The mission of Step Up For Students is to improve Florida’s K-12 educational system by creating and sustaining affordable educational options for low-income families and their children. By empowering parents to choose the education that best meets their child’s learning needs, parents become consumers of their child’s education. As parents begin to shop for the best academic educational setting for their child, the level of education for all students will rise as schools—public and private—become more productive in an effort to keep and enroll new children.

Step Up For Students is an initiative of the Florida Corporate Tax Credit (CTC) Scholarship Program. The CTC program was created in 2001 by the Florida legislature to offer more educational opportunities to low-income families by providing children with educational scholarships so they can attend a private or public school of their choice. Under this program economically disadvantaged students receive scholarships of up to $3,950 to attend a public or private school that best fits their educational needs. Scholarships are awarded to students who provide documentation that they meet federal guidelines for the national free or reduced lunch program.

Annual Reports

• 2007 Annual Report

• 2006 Annual Report

• 2005 Annual Report

The following are all Adobe PDF documents:

• NEW! Collins Center Report (February 2007)

• Collins Center Report (2002)

• TaxWatch Report

Step Up For Students Ads

Print Ads (Adobe PDF documents):

• December 2007 Donor Appreciation Rally

• October 2006 Donor Appreciation Rally

• Tampa Family

• St. Petersburg Family

• Rally 2004

TV Commercial (Mpeg video):

• Tampa Family

Democrats for School Choice
(The Wall Street Journal , May 19, 2008 )

Voucher "Army" Grows
(St. Petersburg Times, May 16, 2008 )

Democratic Lawmakers Warm Up to Vouchers
(St. Petersburg Times, May 12, 2008 )

Governor Charlie Crist Thanked Corporate Sponsors for Scholarships that Benefit Low-Income Children
(The Miami Times, Dec. 13, 2007)

Step Up For Students Providing Successful School Choices for Local Parents Through Scholarships
(The Jacksonville Free Press, July 5, 2007)

Step Up For Students Helps Central Florida Graduate Succeed
(The Orlando Times, June 28 , 2007)

Stepping Up the Pace
(The Weekly Challenger, June 28 , 2007)

White House Fellows Visit Miami to Learn About Scholarship Program
(The Miami Times , Feb. 14 , 2007)

Community Bank Donates $100,000 to Educational Program
(South Dade News Leader, December 29 , 2006)

Children First Florida Named Third Largest Nonprofit
(Orlando Business Journal Partners in Philanthropy, November, 2006)

Mejor Education Para Estudiantes
(El Nuevo Dia, October 23 , 2006)

Chico's Helps Give Students a Step Up
(Ft. Myers News-Press, Sept. 27, 2006)

Scholarship Program Gets Boost
(Miami Herald , August 3, 2006)

Dancing For Joy
(St. Petersburg Times, Oct. 18, 2005)

Gov. Bush Touts Corporate Scholarship Program
(Bay News 9.com , Oct. 18, 2005)

Chico's CEO Mentors Kids on Future
(Ft. Myers News-Press , Sept. 22, 2005)

Gov. Instills Lesson in Leadership
(Ft. Myers News-Press , June 17, 2005)

By The People
(Ocala Star-Benner, Mar. 17, 2005)

GEO Group puts $17,500 toward scholarships
(NewsZap, Feb. 17, 2005)

Step Up For Students
(Jacksonville Advocate, Feb. 17, 2005)

Welcome for Bush
(Florida Times-Union, Feb.15, 2005)

Gov., Atty Gen. Thank Donors
(Jacksonville Biz Journal, Feb. 15, 2005)

Exec Shares Inspiring Words
(Miami Herald, Oct. 1, 2004)

Tough School Turns Kids Around
(St. Pete Times, July 11, 2004)

High Praise
(Florida Times Union, June 27, 2004)

SECME Path Leads Teacher to Success
(Palm Beach Post, June 13, 2004)

Chile Becomes Classroom for Three Students
(Miami Herald, May 16, 2004)

EDUCATION: The Special Few
(The Florida Times Union, April 23, 2004)

The Empire Strikes Back
(The Wall Street Journal, March 25, 2004)

School Choice Boosts Public School Performance
(Tallahassee Democrat, March 22, 2004)

Advocates, State Leaders Pledge Continued Support of School Choice
(Consumer eViews, March 15, 2004)

Chalk Up Another Convert to School Choice
(Florida Times Union, Jacksonville March 11, 2004)

3,000 Parents and Students Rally for Choice
(Institute for Justice, March 9, 2004)

Senate Honors Student for Transformation
(Florida Times Union, March 6, 2004)

Local Boy Recognized
(Florida Times Union, March 3, 2004)

Representative Peterman Visits Yvonne C. Reed Christan Academy (The Weekly Challenger, Feb. 25, 2004)

Chior Program Eyes Expansion
(Miami Herald, Dec. 28, 2003)

Firm's Gift Aids Students
(Sun Sentinel, Dec. 21, 2003)

Academy Ignited New Hopes
(St. Petersburg Times, Nov. 19, 2003)

Deland School Sings the Blues
(Deland Beacon, Sept. 25-28, 2003)

Guardian Angels for Children
(Coral Gables Gazette, Oct. 23-28, 2003)

TaxWatch Reports Show Scholarships Could Save State Nearly $1 Billion
(Orlando Business Journal, March 11, 2003)

Tax Scholarships Helping Needy Children in Florida
(South Florida Sun-Sentinel, Feb. 12, 2003)

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Bryan Anderson VP, Gov. Relations HCA	Jim Chaffman Regional VP Lowe's
Gordon Fales VP, Business Banking Mercantile Bank	Congressman Tom Feeney U.S. House of Representatives District 24
Melissa Froehlich-Flood Director of Legislative Affairs Marriott International	Julia Johnson President Net Communications
John Kirtley Chairman The Florida School Choice Fund	Michael Maddoloni VP - Treasurer Beall's Department Stores, Inc.
Shane McEntarffer Communications Manager Albertson's	Barbara S. Mersel Director of Marketing Great Florida Bank

Cole Peacock Director of Corporate and Gov. Relations Chico's FAS, Inc.	Al Petrangeli Florida Division President Balfour Beatty Construction
Susan Story CEO Gulf Power