Financial Aid & Scholarship Resources for Families
The following programs can help offset the cost of child care, preschool, and educational services for your child. Eligibility, application windows, and award amounts vary by program: please review each one carefully and reach out to KLC of South Dade staff if you need help getting started.
8 Programs to Help Your Family
School Readiness (SR)
Working low-income families, infants to age 12
Voluntary Prekindergarten (VPK)
All FL 4-year-olds: FREE, no income limit
Head Start / Early Head Start
Low-income families, birth to age 5
Military Fee Assistance (CCAoA)
Active-duty military families
FTC & FES-EO Scholarships
K-12 private school students
FES-UA Scholarship
Students ages 3 to 12th grade with disabilities
Miami-Dade DHS Child Care Assistance
Low-income Miami-Dade families
Child Care Food Program (CCFP)
Free/reduced meals at child care
Full Program Information
1. School Readiness Program (SR)
Florida's School Readiness Program offers financial assistance to eligible low-income families for child care, so parents can work or attend school while their young children receive high-quality early education. Families pay a portion of child care costs based on income and household size. Foster children and families receiving cash assistance qualify regardless of income.
- Ages Eligible: Birth through 12 years
- Eligibility: At or below 150% of Federal Poverty Level; parent(s) employed at least 20 hrs/week or enrolled as a student
- Local Agency: Early Learning Coalition of Miami-Dade/Monroe | 305-646-7220 (Mon-Fri, 8am-5pm)
2. Voluntary Prekindergarten (VPK)
VPK is a FREE state-funded prekindergarten program for all 4-year-olds who reside in Florida. It prepares children for kindergarten with a high-quality curriculum and qualified teachers. There are no income requirements: every Florida 4-year-old qualifies.
- Ages Eligible: Children 4 years old on or before September 1
- Cost: FREE, no income limit required
- Program Hours: 540 hours of instructional time beginning in August
3. Head Start & Early Head Start (Miami-Dade)
Head Start is a federally funded program providing free, comprehensive early education, health, nutrition, and family support services to children from low-income families. Miami-Dade operates over 90 centers countywide. Applications are accepted year-round.
- Ages Eligible: Early Head Start: birth to 3 years | Head Start: 3 to 5 years
- Cost: FREE for eligible families
- Contact: 305-995-7632 (Department of Early Childhood Programs)
4. Military Child Care Fee Assistance (CCAoA)
Child Care Aware of America (formerly NACCRRA) partners with the U.S. Military Services to help service members find and afford quality child care. Eligible families receive a monthly subsidy that offsets the cost of child care at participating providers. Florida is part of the MCCYN-PLUS pilot: families using state-licensed providers may still qualify.
- Eligible Families: Active-duty Army, Navy, Marine Corps, Air Force, Space Force, Coast Guard, and some Reserve/Guard members on orders
- Phone: 1-800-424-2246, option 6 (Mon-Fri, 8am-7pm ET)
- How to Apply: Start at militarychildcare.com to create your household profile
5. Florida Tax Credit (FTC) & FES-EO Scholarships
These two scholarships work together and are administered through the same application. They provide financial assistance for private school tuition, public school transportation, tutoring, and other approved educational costs. As of the 2023-24 school year, ALL Florida K-12 students are eligible regardless of family income: though priority is given to lower-income families and foster children.
- Ages Eligible: Florida K-12 students
- Average Award: Approximately $8,000 per student
- Application Window: 2026-27 window opened February 1, 2026
6. FES-UA: Family Empowerment Scholarship for Students with Unique Abilities
FES-UA is an education savings account (ESA) for Florida students with disabilities. Funds can be used flexibly for private school tuition, therapists, specialists, curriculum, technology, tutoring, a college savings account, and more. Replaces the former Gardiner and McKay scholarships. Important: Applications are first-come, first-served and may close before the deadline if funding is reached: apply as soon as possible.
- Ages Eligible: 3 years old through 12th grade with a documented disability (IEP or validated diagnosis)
- Average Award: Approximately $10,000 (varies by grade and disability matrix)
- Priority: First-come, first-served: apply ASAP before funding closes
7. Miami-Dade County Child Care Financial Assistance (DHS)
Miami-Dade County's Department of Human Services provides additional child care financial assistance to low-income families. Applicants are evaluated at an in-person initial consultation at one of several eligibility centers across the county.
- South Dade Gov. Center: 10710 SW 211 Street, Suite 201, Miami, FL 33189 : (305) 234-1457
- Florida City / Homestead: 1600 NW 6th Court, Florida City, FL 33034 : (305) 242-4565
- Naranja Neighborhood Center: 13955 SW 264 Street, Miami, FL 33032 : (305) 257-5430
8. Child Care Food Program (CCFP): Free & Reduced Meals
CCFP is a federally funded program administered by the Florida Department of Health that reimburses participating child care centers for serving nutritious meals and snacks to eligible children. Families enrolled in SNAP, TANF, Head Start, or foster care automatically qualify for free meals; others may qualify based on income.
- How It Works: Complete a Free & Reduced-Price Meal Application at your child care center
- Auto-Qualify: Families enrolled in SNAP, TANF, Head Start, or foster care
- Benefit: Free or reduced-cost nutritious meals and snacks while in care
More Resources to Reduce Household Costs
These programs don't pay for child care directly, but they help reduce overall household expenses so families have more flexibility in their budgets.
Food, Cash & Health Assistance
WIC: Supplemental food & nutrition for pregnant women and children under 5: myflorida.comSNAP (Food Assistance): Apply through ACCESS Florida: myflfamilies.com/accessTemporary Cash Assistance (TCA): Apply through ACCESS Florida: myflfamilies.com/accessFlorida KidCare: Low-cost children's health insurance: floridakidcare.org
Reading & Literacy (Free)
New Worlds Reading Initiative: Free books mailed monthly to eligible students VPK to 5th grade: newworldsreading.comChildren's Trust Book Club: Free monthly books for children birth to 5 in Miami-Dade: thechildrenstrust.org
Scholarship Programs
Hope Scholarship: For K-12 students who experienced bullying or violence: stepupforstudents.orgNew Worlds Reading Scholarship: $500 ESA for K-5 struggling readers: stepupforstudents.org
Not Sure Which Program Is Right for You?
- If your child is 4 years old: Apply for VPK first, it's free and there's no income requirement. If you need full-day care or care for younger siblings, also look into School Readiness or Head Start.
- If you have low-to-moderate income and need help with child care costs: Start with School Readiness through ELC of Miami-Dade/Monroe. If you qualify for Head Start, apply year-round through Miami-Dade County or M-DCPS. Visit a Miami-Dade DHS eligibility center for additional county-funded assistance.
- If you're an active-duty military family: Start at militarychildcare.com to create your household profile, then apply for fee assistance through Child Care Aware of America (CCAoA).
- If your child has a disability or unique abilities: Apply for FES-UA through Step Up For Students or AAA Scholarship Foundation as soon as possible, applications close when funding runs out.
- If you're considering private school for K-12: Apply for FTC/FES-EO through Step Up For Students or AAA Scholarship Foundation. All Florida K-12 students are eligible regardless of income.
Need Help Applying?
The staff at Kids Learning Center of South Dade is happy to help you understand which programs you may qualify for and walk you through the application process. Visit our front desk or call us for assistance.
Information is current as of May 2026. Eligibility rules, application windows, and award amounts may change: please verify directly with each program.