TL;DR: For 2026-27, Florida funds a Lee County student at $8,779 in grades K-3, $8,193 in grades 4-8 and $8,001 in high school at any participating private school, with no income test. A child with a qualifying diagnosis can instead get a Unique Abilities account starting at $10,567. New applications for this school year close November 15, 2026.
How much is the Private School Scholarship for a Lee County student in 2026-27?
A Lee resident is funded at $8,779 for kindergarten through grade 3, $8,193 for grades 4 through 8, and $8,001 for grades 9 through 12. Those three numbers come from Step Up For Students' 2026-27 table, which gives every county its own row because the amount follows each school district's per-student funding in the state budget.
Lee lands in the middle of the pack. Its K-3 figure ranks 32th of 67 counties, between Volusia at the bottom ($8,238) and Monroe at the top ($12,217). The money is the same whichever school you pick, religious or secular, as long as the school is a participant. In the state directory pulled October 28, 2026, 55 of the 71 private schools registered to the Lee district carry that participation flag. You can check any of them in our Lee school directory.
How does Lee compare with Collier, Charlotte and its other neighbors?
Collier pays noticeably more, and that matters on the county line. The award is set by where the student lives, not where the school sits, so a Naples-area family enrolling at a Bonita Springs or Estero school brings Collier's amount with them. A Lee family crossing south into Collier keeps Lee's.
| County of residence | K-3 | 4-8 | 9-12 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Lee | $8,779 | $8,193 | $8,001 |
| Collier | $10,176 | $9,567 | $9,367 |
| Charlotte | $8,807 | $8,223 | $8,032 |
| Hendry | $8,348 | $7,743 | $7,544 |
| Glades | $9,559 | $8,954 | $8,755 |
| Sarasota | $9,057 | $8,466 | $8,273 |
The difference between Lee and Collier at K-3 is $1,397 a year per child. Charlotte, just north, is within a few dollars of Lee. The full list of all 67 counties is on our county award table, and the Bonita Springs and Estero guide explains the county-line rule in more detail.
What does the Unique Abilities Scholarship pay in Lee?
More than the standard award, and it scales with need. FES-UA uses its own table: for 2026-27 a Lee student at matrix levels 1 through 3, or funded on a qualifying diagnosis alone, receives $11,345 in K-3, $10,759 in grades 4-8 and $10,567 in grades 9-12. A Level 4 matrix of services pays $21,963 and Level 5 pays $35,056.
The account is parent-directed. It can pay a school, but also therapists, credentialed tutors, curriculum and, unlike the other programs, one computer every two years. 50 Lee private schools carry the FES-UA flag; they're gathered on our Unique Abilities page.
How many Lee County students already use the scholarship?
About twice as many as three years ago. State figures reported by Gulfshore Business in September 2026 put Lee students using FTC or FES-EO funding at 3,454 in 2022-23 and 7,154 in 2025-26, an increase of roughly 107%, with about $56.3 million in scholarship funding in Lee last year.
Growth on that scale shows up at the school level. Popular grades fill earlier, and some schools ask families to have the award accepted before they hold a seat. If you're comparing schools for next fall, ask each one how quickly its entry grades filled this year.
Private School Scholarship vs. FES-UA vs. PEP: which one fits your child?
Pick by how your child will learn, then by need. The Private School Scholarship is for full-time enrollment at a participating school and pays the school directly. FES-UA is for a child with a qualifying condition or IEP and gives the parent an account that can mix school, therapy and tutoring. PEP is for families learning outside full-time school, such as homeschool and part-week hybrids, and is funded at the same Lee amounts as the private school award.
- A child can hold only one of the three at a time.
- PEP and the Private School Scholarship both prohibit computers for 2026-27; FES-UA allows one every two years.
- Only 5 Lee-registered schools are flagged for PEP, so local hybrid seats are scarce.
What should a Lee family do before November 15?
Apply if you're new. The 2026-27 window for new Private School Scholarship and FES-UA applicants closes November 15, 2026, and a new student must accept the award in EMA by December 15, the same day the school's Quarter 3 enrollment is due. Students still unenrolled after that have until January 15, 2027 to be considered for any 2026-27 funding. Step Up hadn't published 2027-28 dates when we checked; last year's season opened February 1. Our Lee deadline list keeps every date in one place.
Frequently asked questions
How much is the Private School Scholarship for a Lee County student in 2026-27?
$8,779 for grades K-3, $8,193 for grades 4-8 and $8,001 for grades 9-12, paid to a participating private school.
How does Lee compare with Collier County?
Collier pays $10,176 at K-3, $1,397 more than Lee, and the award follows the county where the student lives.
What does the Unique Abilities Scholarship pay in Lee?
$11,345, $10,759 or $10,567 by grade band at matrix levels 1-3, and $21,963 or $35,056 at levels 4 and 5.
How many Lee County students use the scholarship?
7,154 Lee students used FTC or FES-EO funding in 2025-26, up from 3,454 in 2022-23.
Related questions
- Who qualifies for the Florida Private School Scholarship in Lee?
- What will my family receive in total?
- What's left after the award at a Lee school?
- Which program can pay for a laptop?
Sources
- Step Up For Students: 2026-27 FTC, FES-EO and PEP award amounts
- Step Up For Students: 2026-27 FES-UA award amounts
- Step Up For Students: FAQs for 2026-27 deadlines and payment schedules
- Gulfshore Business: Private school scholarship use surges in SWFL (Sep 9, 2026)
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