Gardiner Scholarship Application 2023/2024 – www.stepupforstudents.org

Gardiner Scholarship Application 2023/2024 – Apply for this year’s Special Needs Scholarship 2023-24. The application form is available at the Gardiner scholarship application portal – www.stepupforstudents.org/.  This is a Family Empowerment Scholarship (formerly Gardiner) that allows parents to personalize the education of their children with unique abilities by directing money toward a combination of programs and approved providers.

In this article, you will read the complete information on the Gardiner Scholarship Application. You will learn about the Gardiner Scholarship and its benefits, brief history, and academic and other requirements. You will also get information about the host institutions, level and field of study, number of awards, target group, as well as value and inclusions.

Still, in this article, we will provide you will details on the application portal, steps to apply for the scholarship, how you can log in, the deadline for application, acceptance rate, phone number, as well as past winners.

About Gardiner Scholarship Program and Benefits

The Gardiner Scholarship Program is a financial aid scheme that was founded by the Step Up For Students Organization to help parents personalize an education plan for their children with disabilities.

The scholarship program provides parents with an opportunity to individualize their children’s unique skills by channeling funds towards certain programs and approved providers which help to shape a better future for them.

These programs and providers include; specialists, schools, curriculum, therapists, and technology.

Gardiner Scholarship History

The Gardiner Scholarship was created by the Florida Legislature in 2014 alongside the Florida Tax Credit Scholarship program. Both initiatives were spearheaded by then-Governor Rick Scott as part of a comprehensive expansion of school choice in Florida.

The program was named after then-Florida Senate Majority Leader Andy Gardiner and his family. Gardiner’s son Andrew was diagnosed with Down syndrome, inspiring the Senator’s passionate advocacy for children with unique abilities and educational needs.

Gardiner Scholarship Academic and Other Requirements

To qualify for the 2023/2024 school year, K-12 students must:

1. Be a Florida resident
2. Meet household income limits or be designated “high priority”
3. Be 3 to 22 years old during the school year
4. Student must have been diagnosed with any of the following;

• Anaphylaxis
• Autism spectrum disorder
• Being a high-risk child
• Cerebral Palsy
• Down syndrome
• Emotional or behavioral disability
• Hearing impairment, including deafness
• Hospital or homebound
• Identification as dual sensory impaired
• Intellectual disability
• Language impairment
• Muscular dystrophy
• Orthopedic impairment
• Other health impairment
• Phelan-McDermid syndrome
• Prader-Willi syndrome
• Rare diseases
• Specific learning disability
• Speech impairment
• Spina bifida
• Traumatic brain injury
• Visual impairment, including blindness
• Williams syndrome

5. Students that are entering kindergarten must not be older than 5 years before 1st September.
6. Students that are entering first grade must not be older than 6 years before 1st September.

Gardiner Scholarship Host Institutions

The Gardiner Scholarship Program provides parents with an opportunity to individualize their children with unique skills by channeling funds towards certain programs and approved providers in Florida State which helps to shape a better future for them. These programs and providers include; specialists, schools, curriculum, therapists, and technology.

You can see a complete list of programs and providers here. https://www.stepupforstudents.org/for-parents/special-needs/how-to-find-a-gardiner-provider/

Level/Field of Study:

The Gardiner Scholarship is open for students in Florida State who are between the age of 3 years to 22 years or through 12^th grade depending on which one comes first. There are no specific fields of study as students are allowed to go through any suitable study.

Number of Awards:

The Gardiner Scholarship Program gives eligible students a scholarship award that enables them to purchase approved products and services.

This special scholarship program helps parents to meet the personal educational needs of their eligible children in a better way that greatly shapes the child’s future.

Target Group:

The Gardiner Scholarship Program is for students with special needs who are studying in Florida State and are between the ages of 3 years to 22 years or through 12^th grade depending on which one comes first.

Scholarship Value/Inclusions:

The scholarship amount a student receives is determined by several factors including county of residence, individual level of student’s need, and grade level. This is prorated based on when the student was found eligible.

• Students that were received on or before 1^st August and were declared eligible on or before 1^st September get 100%
• Students that were received on or before 1^st October and were declared eligible on or before 1^st November get 75%
• Students that were received on or before 1^st January and were declared eligible on or before 1^st February get 50%
• Students that were received on or before 1^st March and were declared eligible on or before 1^st April get 100%

See more on the amount as stated here; https://worldscholarshipforum.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/03/gardiner-scholarship.pdf

Gardiner Scholarship Application Portal

The application process for the Gardiner Scholarship is done through the Gardiner Scholarship Application Portal.

The Gardiner Scholarship board processes applications based on first-come, first-served. Award of scholarships to students is done based on the time and date the student was found eligible. The link to the Gardiner Scholarship Application portal is here. https://www.stepupforstudents.org/logins/special-needs-login/

Steps to Apply For the Gardiner Scholarship

The application for 2023/2024 opened in October 2022. Interested families can apply online through Step Up for Students and must provide documentation of a disability diagnosis and household income. Required records include an IEP, disability verification, and tax forms.

Applications are accepted year-round. Once approved, families can choose a participating provider and activate their scholarship account. Accounts are renewed annually with progress reports.

The program has an extensive waiting list, so families are encouraged to apply as early as possible. Award priority is given to designated high-need students.

For steps on how to apply, read below;

1. On your web browser, visit: https://www.stepupforstudents.org/logins/special-needs-login/
2. Scroll down to the ‘New Students’ block and click on ‘Apply’.
3. Follow the instructions fill in all required fields and submit.

How to log into the Gardiner Scholarship Portal

Parents or families whose child or children had been awarded the Gardiner Scholarship in 2022 can renew the application for the 2023 year by login into their account with the old username and password. You can also login to your account to make modifications.

For steps to renew or login, read below.

1. On your website browser, visit: https://www.stepupforstudents.org/logins/special-needs-login/
2. Scroll down to the ‘Renewal Students’ block and click on ‘Login/Apply’.
3. Insert Username and Password.
4. Click on Login/Apply when you are done.
5. Follow instructions and fill in all required fields to renew and submit, or make modifications as you desire.

Gardiner Scholarship Deadline For Application

Some key points on the Gardiner Scholarship application timeline:

• The application portal for 2023/2024 opened in October 2022. This application is for the school year starting in Fall 2023.
• Applications are rolling, meaning they can be submitted at any time of year rather than one set deadline.
• Award priority is given to renewing students and designated “high-need” students. Meeting early priority deadlines can increase the chances of an award.
• For access to funding at the start of the 2023/2024 school year, families will want to apply and complete the process as early as possible in 2023.
• Applications completed after peak periods may go on a waiting list if funding has been exhausted for the year.

So while there is no definitive cut-off deadline, applying by early 2023 can maximize a student’s chances of securing Gardiner Scholarship funding for 2023/2024. The key is completing the application and documentation process with enough time for full review and confirmation of eligibility. I hope these details help provide some guidance on optimal timing even without a fixed due date. Please let me know if you need any other specifics on the ongoing Gardiner Scholarship application period.

Gardiner Scholarship Acceptance Rate

The Gardiner Scholarship offers scholarships to students with special needs who are schooling in Florida State. Acceptance is based on several factors listed above and the eligibility status of the student.

Contact Phone Number:

If you have any inquiries to make regarding the Gardiner Scholarship Program, you can call them through the Contact Center at 877 – 735 – 7837.

Gardiner Scholarship Winners

Over 17,446 students have been awarded the Gardiner Scholarship in Florida State since when it was created and not less than $170,000,000 has been spent on scholarships with more than 7,000 participating providers.