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Can my bullied child transfer schools with Florida's Hope Scholarship?

Use the free tool — Bullying Report Letter FL

What the Hope Scholarship is

Under Florida law (Fla. Stat. 1002.40), a student who reports being bullied or harassed at a public school may be eligible to transfer to another public school, or to receive a scholarship to attend a private school instead. This is an option the family can consider — it is not something the school forces on you, and it does not replace your right to have the bullying investigated where your child is now.

When does this option come up?

The school must notify the parent of this option when an incident is reported. That notice ties back to the bullying report itself, so the report matters — it's the trigger for the school telling you about Hope Scholarship eligibility.

• The report should be in writing, describing what happened, when, where, and who was involved (using placeholders for other students, not names, on anything shared outside your own file).
• Ask the school, in writing, whether your child qualifies and what the application steps are.
• This is presented as an option, not a recommendation — some families choose it, some don't, and choosing not to use it doesn't affect the school's duty to investigate.

What the school still owes you, either way

Separately from any transfer or scholarship, Florida's Jeffrey Johnston Stand Up for All Students Act (Fla. Stat. 1006.147) requires every district to have a bullying policy, to accept reports (including anonymous ones), to investigate, and to notify the parents of both the victim and the alleged perpetrator. The district's own policy sets the investigation steps and the timeline — ask for that written policy from the district's website or office.

What we don't know from state law

Florida law doesn't set one specific number of days for a district to finish investigating a bullying report — that timeline is set by each district's own policy, so get it in writing. The exact steps to apply for the Hope Scholarship, deadlines, and paperwork also come from the district and the scholarship program, not from this page — confirm those details with the school and with a professional if the process gets complicated.

If bias or safety is involved

• If the bullying is based on race, sex, disability, religion, or national origin, you can also file a complaint with the federal Office for Civil Rights (U.S. Department of Education), which has its own complaint process.
• If your child talks about self-harm, call or text 988 today, and tell the school counselor and pediatrician right away — do this before anything else.
• If there's a credible threat of violence, call the school and police immediately.

What to do next

The free tool takes what you type — what happened, when, where, who was told, and what you want (investigation, safety plan, or information about the Hope Scholarship) — and turns it into a written report addressed the way your district's policy needs it, plus a plain explanation of the Hope Scholarship option and what to ask the school in writing. Nothing you paste is stored. This is not legal advice; your district's policy controls the actual procedure, so confirm the details with the school or a professional.

Bullying Report Letter FL explains Florida's anti-bullying law and district procedures in plain language; it can be wrong, and it is not legal advice. District policies differ. For a civil-rights or safety matter, contact an attorney, the Office for Civil Rights, or law enforcement. Nothing you paste is stored.