For founders

How can I run a microschool in Florida?

Florida recognizes 7 canonical operator models. Each has different legal compliance pathways, capital requirements, and family relationships. Choose the one that fits your team. You can change later, but the legal mechanics differ enough that the choice shapes facility planning and scholarship eligibility.

Independent Private School

Viable

A parent-responsibility-free model where your microschool registers as a private school with FLDOE under § 1002.42 and assumes full legal responsibility for enrolled students. FLDOE does not accredit or curriculum-review private schools — the only state-level requirement is the annual database survey. Florida's universal voucher landscape (FES-EO, FTC) makes this the most common model for new microschools because participating schools can collect ~$8,000/student in scholarship funding plus an additional voucher stream for students with disabilities (FES-UA, ~$10,000 average).

Top requirements

Form business entity (LLC, corporation, or nonprofit) with Florida Department of State Division of Corporations at https://dos.fl.gov/sunbiz/.
Register the school with FLDOE through the Private School Annual Survey portal at https://www.floridaschoolchoice.org.
Complete annual private school database survey with FLDOE each year (§ 1002.42(2)).

Watch for

FES/FTC scholarship eligibility imposes meaningful operator requirements that go well beyond § 1002.42 baseline: Level 2 background screening, annual financial soundness demonstration, surety bond for schools with more than 250 scholarship students, and annual norm-referenced testing reported to FLDOE/SFOs.
Schools accepting FES-UA funds for students with disabilities are subject to additional service-plan and reporting requirements specific to that program.

Homeschool Cooperative

Viable

A shared-resource model where families operate as home education programs under § 1002.41 and use your facility for cooperative learning. Each family files their own Notice of Intent within 30 days, maintains their own portfolio, and provides for their own annual evaluation. Your role is to provide programming, space, and curriculum support — not to be the legal compliance entity. Families on this track are NOT eligible for FES-EO or FTC voucher funds (those require enrollment in a private school) but they may qualify for the Personalized Education Program (PEP), which terminates their home-education registration in exchange for ESA funds.

Top requirements

Form business entity with Florida Division of Corporations at https://dos.fl.gov/sunbiz/.
Structure operations and marketing as a shared homeschool resource, NOT as the children's school.
Document in family agreements that each family files their own NOI with the district superintendent within 30 days, maintains their own portfolio for 2 years, and provides for their own annual evaluation.

Watch for

Do not market as a "school" or refer to participants as "enrolled students" — use co-op, learning community, or shared homeschool resource language.
A child cannot be both a registered home education student AND a PEP student — moving a family from home education to PEP requires terminating their home education program.

Certified Tutor Practice

Viable

A program operating under Florida's private tutoring statute (§ 1002.43). The tutor must hold a valid Florida teaching certificate for the subjects/grades taught. The program may serve up to 25 students and may operate in commercial buildings, libraries, museums, performing arts venues, churches, and similar facilities. The tutor maintains attendance records and meets the § 1011.60(2) instructional-time minimums. This is a more permissive model than tutor pathways in most states because the 25-student cap allows real microschool scale.

Top requirements

Tutor must hold a valid Florida teaching certificate for the subjects/grades being taught — verify subject-area coverage matches your program.
Form business entity (sole proprietor, LLC, or S-corp) with Florida Division of Corporations.
Limit enrollment to 25 students.

Watch for

Single-tutor model: scale beyond one teacher requires reclassifying as a private school under § 1002.42.
The 25-student cap is statutory — exceeding it converts the program to a private school, which triggers separate registration and (if pursuing voucher participation) extensive operator requirements.

Religious Community School

Viable

A congregation-connected model operating as a parochial, religious, or denominational school under § 1003.21(1) and § 1002.42. Same baseline requirements as Independent Private School — register with FLDOE, file annual database survey, maintain attendance records, comply with local zoning. Florida law explicitly recognizes religious/denominational schools alongside secular private schools and imposes no curriculum review. Religious schools are eligible for FES-EO/FTC/FES-UA funds on the same basis as secular private schools, subject to nondiscrimination rules.

Top requirements

Same as Independent Private School: register with FLDOE, file annual database survey, maintain enrollment and attendance records.
Decide whether to operate as a ministry of the affiliated church (under the church's 501(c)(3)) or as a separate entity — tax and liability implications differ, particularly if accepting FES/FTC scholarship dollars.
Religious curriculum content is unrestricted; no FLDOE curriculum review.

Watch for

Operating as a church ministry vs. separate entity has significant implications for FES/FTC compliance, employment law, and liability — get this decision right before opening.
Florida's recent expansion of accepted SFO partners and increased scholarship dollar volume means substantial financial-controls scrutiny on religious-school operators receiving voucher funds.

Childcare Preschool Program

Viable

A pre-compulsory-age model for children under 6 who turn 6 after February 1 of the relevant school year (§ 1003.21 compulsory threshold). Childcare licensing is administered by the Florida Department of Children and Families (DCF) under Chapter 402, F.S. The threshold is care for children from at least two unrelated families — that triggers either Family Child Care Home registration (renamed from 'Family Day Care Home' by HB 47, effective July 1, 2025) or higher-tier Large Family Child Care Home licensing. Center-based programs require full DCF licensing.

Top requirements

Regulated by Florida Department of Children and Families (DCF), Office of Child Care Regulation — NOT FLDOE.
Family Child Care Home (provider's residence): triggered by care for children from at least two unrelated families; requires DCF registration in most counties (some counties require licensing). Capacity capped at specified ratios depending on age groups.
Large Family Child Care Home: more children + at least two full-time caregivers (one being the owner/occupant); requires DCF licensing.

Watch for

DCF licensing is a substantively different regulatory universe from K-12 private schools — staff ratios, background screening (Level 2 fingerprint), training hours, facility inspections, and licensing fees apply.
Some Florida counties (Miami-Dade, Broward, Hillsborough, Pinellas, Sarasota) operate their own local childcare licensing standards in addition to DCF baseline — verify county requirements.

Hybrid University Model

Viable

A part-time program where children attend 2-3 days per week at your facility and complete instruction at home the remaining days. Two ways to structure: (a) families register as home education programs under § 1002.41 (NOI, portfolio, annual evaluation) and your program is a co-op resource; or (b) families enroll in your program as a private school under § 1002.42 and you assume academic responsibility. The PEP option (Personalized Education Program ESA) creates a third hybrid pathway — families terminate home education registration and use PEP funds to pay for hybrid programs and other approved providers.

Top requirements

Decide structure at the outset: home education co-op (no transcripts, families file NOI/portfolio/evaluation), part-time private school (registered with FLDOE, you issue transcripts), or PEP-supported provider (families spend ESA funds with you).
For home education co-op: same as Homeschool Cooperative model.
For part-time private school: register with FLDOE, file annual database survey, maintain attendance records.

Watch for

Mixing home-education-co-op framing with private-school framing creates compliance confusion — pick one.
PEP families cannot also be registered home education — moving from one to the other requires NOI termination.

Umbrella School Satellite

Viable

A satellite model operating under an established Florida private school's FLDOE registration. Because Florida private school registration is administrative (not accreditation-based), umbrella arrangements are operationally simpler than in accreditation-heavy states — the umbrella school files the FLDOE database survey covering the satellite, and the satellite operates under the umbrella's policies. Useful for FES/FTC eligibility because the umbrella school's track record satisfies the financial-soundness requirement that newer schools struggle to meet.

Top requirements

Negotiate a formal written affiliation agreement with an established Florida private school covering: satellite operation under the umbrella's FLDOE registration; sharing of attendance, enrollment, and FES/FTC reporting; allocation of liability; division of scholarship revenue if applicable.
The umbrella school files the FLDOE database survey covering the satellite as a campus or program.
Form a Florida business entity for the satellite OR operate as a branch of the umbrella entity.

Watch for

FES/FTC SFO policies on umbrella/satellite arrangements vary — confirm in writing with Step Up For Students or AAA Scholarship Foundation before relying on the umbrella's eligibility.
Liability for the umbrella school's compliance with FLDOE rules and FES/FTC accountability flows through the affiliation — make liability allocation explicit in the agreement.

For families

What programs help families pay for tuition?

Florida funds private school tuition through 5 state programs.

Education Savings Accounts

Personalized Education Program (PEP)

PEP

Created by HB 1 (2023). An ESA option administered by SFOs (primarily Step Up For Students) under the FTC umbrella for families who would otherwise homeschool. Funds flow to a PEP ESA managed by the SFO and may be used for online learning programs, private tutoring, instructional materials, therapies, community college costs, and other approved customized learning services. A PEP student CANNOT also be registered as a home education student with the district. Program capacity grows by 40,000 seats per year: 20,000 in 2023-24, 60,000 in 2024-25, 100,000 in 2025-26, and 140,000 in 2026-27.

Family eligibility (4 criteria)

Florida resident, eligible to enroll in K-12.
Cannot be enrolled full-time in public school OR in a private school.
Cannot be simultaneously registered as a home education student with the district school superintendent.
Universal eligibility (no income restriction) since HB 1 (2023); income priority for households at or below 185% FPL.

School eligibility (3 criteria)

Approved PEP providers must register with the relevant SFO (Step Up For Students operates the largest PEP marketplace at https://www.stepupforstudents.org).
Providers comply with SFO marketplace rules, fingerprint-based background screening, and reporting on services delivered.
PEP families spend ESA funds directly through the SFO portal — provider does not receive funds without family selection.

Education Savings Accounts

Family Empowerment Scholarship for Unique Abilities (FES-UA)

FES-UA

An ESA program for Florida students ages 3 through 12th grade with qualifying disabilities (autism, intellectual disability, traumatic brain injury, deafness, blindness, and other categories specified in § 1002.394, F.S.). Award amounts vary by county and disability matrix level; the average is approximately $10,000 per year, with higher awards for students with intensive needs. Funds may be used for private school tuition, online learning, tutoring, therapies, instructional materials, college courses, and other approved services. Administered by Step Up For Students and AAA Scholarship Foundation.

Family eligibility (3 criteria)

Florida resident.
Age 3 through 12th grade (or age 22 for students who continue to receive services).
Documented qualifying disability per § 1002.394, including autism, Down syndrome, deafness, blindness, intellectual disability, language impairment, traumatic brain injury, anaphylaxis, and others.

School eligibility (2 criteria)

Same as FES-EO for private school participation: registered with FLDOE under § 1002.42, fiscal soundness demonstration, Level 2 background screening for owners/employees, fire/health/safety inspections, annual financial reporting.
For service providers (tutors, therapists, online programs): register with the SFO marketplace and comply with provider standards.

Tax-Credit Scholarships

100%

$874M annual cap

Florida Tax Credit Scholarship Program (FTC)

FTC

Florida's flagship tax-credit scholarship program (§ 1002.395). Donors receive a 100% Florida tax credit (against corporate income tax, insurance premium tax, alcoholic beverage tax, oil/gas severance tax, and self-accrued sales tax) for contributions to state-approved Scholarship Funding Organizations (SFOs). SFOs award scholarships to eligible students for tuition at participating private K-12 schools. Universal eligibility since HB 1 (2023). FY 2025-26 program cap: $873.6 million, with automatic 25% annual growth if 90% of funds are used. Average scholarship: ~$8,000.

Family eligibility (4 criteria)

Florida resident, K-12 student.
Universal eligibility since HB 1 (2023) — no income cap.
Income priority: students from households at or below 185% FPL receive first priority; students at or below 400% FPL second priority.
Donor: Florida corporate income taxpayer, insurance premium taxpayer, beverage tax licensee, severance tax payer, or sales tax direct-pay holder. Individual donors are NOT eligible — FTC is a corporate credit only.

School eligibility (7 criteria)

School must be registered with FLDOE under § 1002.42 and in compliance with annual database survey requirement.
School must register as an Eligible Private School with at least one approved SFO (Step Up For Students or AAA Scholarship Foundation).
Demonstrate fiscal soundness — financial review by SFO; surety bond required if more than 250 scholarship students.
Owners and employees must complete Level 2 fingerprint-based background screening per § 1002.421.
Annual fire, health, and safety inspections.
Administer a nationally norm-referenced assessment (or state assessment) annually to FTC scholarship students in grades 3-10 and report results to the SFO and FLDOE.
Comply with nondiscrimination requirements per § 1002.421 (race, color, ethnicity, national origin).

Vouchers

Family Empowerment Scholarship—Educational Options (FES-EO)

FES-EO

State voucher program (§ 1002.394) funded through the Florida Education Finance Plan (FEFP). Universal eligibility since HB 1 (2023). Award amounts vary by grade and county based on FEFP calculations; statewide average is approximately $8,000. Students who use FES-EO to attend the public school of their choice receive $750. Administered by Step Up For Students and AAA Scholarship Foundation.

Family eligibility (4 criteria)

Florida resident, K-12.
Universal eligibility since HB 1 (2023) — no income cap.
Priority categories: parent in U.S. Armed Forces, child directly certified for SNAP/TANF, FDPIR participant, household income at or below 185% FPL (highest priority); income up to 400% FPL (second priority); above 400% FPL (lowest priority, subject to availability).
Cannot be simultaneously enrolled in public school full-time.

School eligibility (2 criteria)

Same as FTC: registered with FLDOE, Eligible Private School status with SFO, fiscal soundness, Level 2 background screening, fire/health/safety inspections, annual norm-referenced testing for grades 3-10, nondiscrimination compliance per § 1002.421.
School accepts the FES-EO award amount as full or partial tuition payment.

Scholarship Granting Organizations

Federal Education Freedom Tax Credit (FSTC)

FSTC

Federal program created by the 2025 reconciliation package (One Big Beautiful Bill Act). Provides a dollar-for-dollar nonrefundable federal tax credit of up to $1,700 per donor for individual contributions to IRS-approved Scholarship Granting Organizations (SGOs). Contributions begin January 1, 2027; scholarships available to families up to 300% of the area median income. FLORIDA OPT-IN STATUS: Governor DeSantis announced Florida's opt-in on January 28, 2026 — Florida is among roughly 23 states that had announced formal participation by early 2026. Step Up For Students and AAA Scholarship Foundation are positioned to operate as approved SGOs.

Family eligibility (3 criteria)

Donor: individual federal taxpayer; nonrefundable credit up to $1,700.
Recipient student: families up to 300% of area median income; recipient list set by federal guidance and Florida's approved SGO roster.
Florida opted in January 28, 2026 (DeSantis announcement); SGO list and operator rules pending final IRS rulemaking and Florida Department of Revenue guidance.

School eligibility (2 criteria)

Final operator requirements pending IRS rulemaking and Florida opt-in policy.
Expected to mirror existing FES/FTC private school requirements administered through SFOs.

Family-side compliance

How families satisfy compulsory attendance

Florida recognizes 3 legal pathways for families to satisfy compulsory attendance. The pathway determines who's legally on the hook (your microschool, the parent, or both) and shapes the operator model you should use.

Private School

Fla. Stat. § 1003.21(1); § 1002.42

A child satisfies compulsory attendance by attending a parochial, religious, denominational, or other private school. Florida private schools are NOT accredited or curriculum-reviewed by FLDOE. The only state-level requirement is to register with FLDOE and complete the annual database survey (§ 1002.42(2)). Schools must keep enrollment and daily attendance records open to the superintendent or designee on request.

Home Instruction

Fla. Stat. § 1002.41

A parent may satisfy compulsory attendance through home education. The parent files a Notice of Intent with the district school superintendent within 30 days of establishing the program, maintains a portfolio of educational records, and provides for an annual evaluation. Home education is a parent-directed program; a microschool supporting these families is NOT the legally responsible party. Note: a student CANNOT be enrolled simultaneously in PEP (Personalized Education Program) and registered with the district as a home education student — PEP terminates the home education program for that child.

Certified Tutor

Fla. Stat. § 1002.43

A child satisfies compulsory attendance through a private tutoring program if the tutor holds a valid Florida teaching certificate for the subjects/grades being taught. The tutoring program may serve up to 25 students and may operate in commercial buildings, libraries, community service centers, museums, performing arts venues, theaters, cinemas, churches, or facilities owned by Florida College System institutions or universities. Tutors must keep all records and reports required by the state and district, including attendance records, and meet the minimum length of school instruction prescribed by § 1011.60(2).

Licensing trigger

When does Florida require a state license?

Florida imposes one state license requirement that may apply to your microschool. Most general microschools never trigger it.

Operating a child-care program for children under age 6 (or under § 402.302 thresholds)

Fla. Stat. Chapter 402; rules administered by DCF Office of Child Care Regulation; HB 47 (effective July 1, 2025) renamed Family Day Care Homes to Family Child Care Homes.

Care for children from at least two unrelated families triggers DCF Family Child Care Home registration (or licensing in some counties). Larger operations require Large Family Child Care Home licensing or Child Care Center licensing under Chapter 402. Background screening, training hours, ratios, and inspections apply. Some counties (Miami-Dade, Broward, Hillsborough, Pinellas, Sarasota) operate local licensing programs in addition to DCF baseline.

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Verification

Primary sources

Every claim on this page traces to a primary source. The full list of state code sections, regulatory citations, and government program pages cited:

All sources cited (26)

Microschool laws in Florida

How can I run a microschool in Florida?

Independent Private School

Top requirements

Watch for

Homeschool Cooperative

Top requirements

Watch for

Certified Tutor Practice

Top requirements

Watch for

Religious Community School

Top requirements

Watch for

Childcare Preschool Program

Top requirements

Watch for

Hybrid University Model

Top requirements

Watch for

Umbrella School Satellite

Top requirements

Watch for

What programs help families pay for tuition?

Personalized Education Program (PEP)

Family Empowerment Scholarship for Unique Abilities (FES-UA)

Florida Tax Credit Scholarship Program (FTC)

Family Empowerment Scholarship—Educational Options (FES-EO)

Federal Education Freedom Tax Credit (FSTC)

How families satisfy compulsory attendance

Private School

Home Instruction

Certified Tutor

When does Florida require a state license?

Operating a child-care program for children under age 6 (or under § 402.302 thresholds)

Ready to plan your Florida microschool?

Primary sources