John M. McKay Scholarship

for Students with Disabilities Program

The John M. McKay Scholarship Program for Students with Disabilities was created to provide educational options for parents of disabled students in grades K through 12 living in Florida.

By participating in the McKay Scholarship Program, your student may be able to attend a different public school in your district, attend a public school in an adjacent district, or receive a scholarship to attend a participating private school.

In order to be eligible for the McKay Scholarship Program, a student must;

• Be currently enrolled in a Florida public school

• Have an Individual Education Plan (IEP)

and one of the following to meet attendance requirements:

• Have been enrolled and reported for funding in a public school for the year prior to applying for the scholarship (grades K-12); or

• Have been a pre-kindergarten student who was enrolled and reported for funding in a Florida public school during the year prior to entering Kindergarten and applying for the scholarship; or

• Have attended the Florida School for the Deaf and Blind during the preceding school year’s student membership surveys (grades K-12).

FOR PUBLIC SCHOOL WITHIN BROWARD COUNTY

If you wish to use the John M. McKay Scholarship Program to have your child attend a public school other than your boundaried school:

• Determine which school you would like to have your child attend.  You may call the District ESE Office for school programs and information. 

• The school you choose must not be a Nova, Charter or Magnet school. The requested school must have a choice seat available and must have space availability to implement your child’s IEP.

• Complete the Public to Public McKay Application online.  You may also download the application, complete it and mail it to: The School Board of Broward County, Exceptional Student Education Department, Attn: Jenny Ligas, 600 Southeast 3 Avenue, 9^th floor, Fort Lauderdale, Florida 33301.  You may also fax your application to 754-321-2715.

• You will be notified in writing by the ESE Department if your request was approved or denied within 30 business days of applying.

• You may only make one request for public school choice per year.
  

• Transportation is not guaranteed and is provided based on route availability. To receive transportation, there must be a current route available from your home to your requested school.  In the event a route is not available, you will be responsible for providing transportation for your child to and from school.  If your public school choice is granted with transportation and you move, you will need to re-apply. 

• If you fail to register at the approved site by the 1st day of school or within 10 days of receipt of the acceptance letter, you will forfeit your Public McKay.

• If your child is currently attending a private school on a McKay Scholarship and you wish to utilize your public choice option, you must notify the District ESE Department within 30 days of withdraw from the private school.

• If you have any questions, or would like an application for public school choice mailed to you, please call 754-321-2553.

FOR PUBLIC SCHOOL OUTSIDE OF BROWARD COUNTY

If you wish to use the John M. McKay Scholarship Program to have your child attend a public school outside of Broward County, you must contact the Exceptional Student Education Office in that county for information about your options.  If you are interested in attending a private school in an alternate county, please follow the instructions below.

FOR PRIVATE SCHOOL

If you wish to use the John M. McKay Scholarship program to have your child attend a participating private school:

• Go to www.floridaschoolchoice.org and file and intent.  You must have an intent on file by July 1st to be eligible to receive the awarded amount for the upcoming school year.  Currently, there is not a paper copy of this application.  Public access computers are available at Broward County Library locations and many City Halls.

• To file an intent, you will need your child’s last name, birth date, social security number and the name of the last school attended in Florida.

• Your child must have a current IEP before you file an intent.

• Once you have filed your intent, keep your confirmation number, as you will need it to check the status of your application in the future.

• Funding amounts for private schools are determined by the State and will be available July 1st.

• You may begin looking into the private schools that accept the John M. McKay Scholarship program, which is also available online at www.floridaschoolchoice.org

• Once you have chosen a private school, you must register and complete enrollment at that school an formally withdraw your child from the public school system.  Failure to meet these requirements could result in a loss of eligibility in the program or reduced funding.

• If you choose the private school option, you will be responsible for providing transportation for your student.

• Please familiarize yourself with the rules and regulations of participating in the McKay Scholarship program.

• It is your responsibility  to keep your address up to date with both the School Board of Broward County and the Florida Department of Education in order to receive important updates, such as re-evaluations and  FCAT testing.

• NOTE: Selecting “Public School” on the www.floridaschoolchoice.org website is NOT an application for choice in Broward County.  If you would like to have your child attend a public school other than your boundaried school, please refer to the instructions listed above.

• If you have any questions regarding private schools, you may contact Jenny Ligas at the Broward McKay Office at 754-321-2553 or the Florida Department of Education Office of Independent Education and Parental Choice at 1-800-447-1636.

If you are undecided about selecting a public or private school, you should complete procedures for both public and private school choice options.

If you need additional information, please contact:

The School Board of Broward County, Exceptional Student Education Department at 754-321-2553; or

Florida Department of Education Office of Independent Education and Parental Choice at 800-447-1636.

In compliance with the Florida Law (1002.39 F.S.), this notice provides parents with information about the John M. McKay Scholarship Program and School Choice Options.  This notice is not an approval of eligibility for the scholarship program, an offer of money, or a guarantee that a participating private school or the public school district will accept your choice.  As a choice program, you must meet your responsibilities by law, including obtaining specific information on eligibility, submitting applications by the appropriate deadline, and completing enrollment procedures at participating private or public schools.