A Catholic Education is Affordable

At the Diocese of Orlando Catholic schools, our students grow their love and knowledge of Christ through our religious and rigorous curriculum. You might be worried that the private schools in Leesburg or Ocala are expensive, but we are here to let you know that Catholic education can be affordable to all. We work with the following scholarship programs that can help fund your child’s education.

AAA Scholarship Foundation
The AAA Scholarship Foundation (AAA) provides economic assistance to disadvantaged families and for families who have children with disabilities. AAA is a private non-profit organization approved by the Florida Scholarship Funding Organization (SFO). The program awards annual scholarships to eligible students to help them attend a private school of their choice. 

Gardiner Scholarship
The Gardiner Scholarship is a program designed for Florida students in kindergarten through 12th grade, or children ages three or four years old, with one of the following disabilities:

1. Autism Spectrum Disorder

2. Down syndrome

3. Cerebral palsy

4. Intellectual disability

5. Prader-Willi syndrome

6. Spina bifida

7. For a 3–5 year old, being a high-risk child

8. Muscular Dystrophy

9. Williams syndrome

To participate, you must apply to one of the non-profit scholarship funding organizations that are administering the program.

McKay Scholarship
The McKay Scholarship is a program for K–12 students with disabilities the opportunity to attend the school of their choice. To qualify, these students are documented as having an intellectual disability; a speech or language impairment; a hearing impairment; a visual impairment a dual sensory impairment; an emotional or behavioral disability; a specific learning disability, such as dyslexia, dyscalculia, or developmental aphasia; a traumatic brain injury; a developmental delay; or autism spectrum disorder.

Step Up For Students 
Step Up For Students (SUFC) provides legislatively-authorized K–12 scholarships and support to disadvantaged families. SUFC is a state-approved non-profit scholarship funding organization that helps administer two scholarships for Florida students. 

• Florida Tax Credit Scholarship: The Florida Tax Credit Scholarship is an income-based scholarship that assists children who come from low-income households.

Voluntary Pre-K Program (VPK)
Florida was one of the first states to offer free pre-kindergarten for all four-year-olds regardless of family income. The Voluntary Pre-Kindergarten Education Program prepares early learners for success in kindergarten and on. Children must live in Florida and be four years old on or before September 1 of the current school year. Using educational material that is geared to various stages in a child’s development, the program builds a strong foundation for schools.

For more than 50 years, the Diocese of Orlando, which includes the top private schools in Leesburg or Ocala, have been helping children grow to their fullest potential and become leaders within their communities. We offer unique and dynamic learning environments that engage students and encourage them to become confident and responsible adults. To learn more about what makes us different, contact us today.