More than 7,400 children in Duval County benefit from Florida Tax Credit Scholarships
Florida’s insurance industry has stepped up to support the Florida Tax Credit Scholarship Program at a record level, committing $61.2 million this year to fund scholarships for more than 9,380 students. Leading the pack is UnitedHealthcare, which has contributed more than $83 million to Step Up for Students over the past decade.
UnitedHealthcare CEO Greg Reidy today visited Arlington Community Academy whose students are among the beneficiaries of the scholarships, to promote the program’s impact and encourage other insurance companies to participate.
UnitedHealthcare CEO Greg Reidy speaks to students at Arlington Community Academy
“By helping struggling students get into an educational environment where they can succeed, we know we are helping to make our state stronger,” said Greg Reidy, CEO of UnitedHealthcare. “It’s gratifying to meet the students who are benefiting from these scholarships and see them on a track to reach their full potential.”
Step Up For Students, the nonprofit organization that helps administer the needs-based Florida Tax Credit Scholarship Program, praised the insurance company’s historic support for the program. Step Up For Students provides scholarships for income-limited students to attend the schools that best meet their individual needs. A recent study found that students who receive these scholarships are 40 percent more likely to attend college than their public school counterparts, and 29 percent more likely to earn an associate degree.
Since 2009, UnitedHealthcare’s contributions have enabled more than 18,000 Florida students to attend schools that offer them a chance at a brighter future. The company’s recent contribution will help serve the 7,483 students who receive the scholarships in Duval County alone.
“Support from Florida’s insurance industry is critical for the work our team does to support children across the state,” said Doug Tuthill, president of Step Up For Students. “This contribution is an investment in students, and it enables the positive impacts of this program to continue and expand to change more lives for the better.”
Arlington Community Academy students
Families and students who have benefitted from the Florida Tax Credit Scholarship Program added their voices in support of the insurance industry’s efforts, urging other companies to consider participation.
“This program directly helps children in our local area, and I am grateful that my own child can now attend the school that’s right for her,” said Jacksonville parent Tamara Herring. “I am so grateful for the many donors who support this program, individuals and companies that are helping children like mine have a better future. Every child deserves that chance.”
To learn more about UnitedHealthcare, CLICK HERE. To learn more about the impact of the Florida Tax Credit Scholarship Program or how to support Step Up for Students, visit www.stepupforstudents.
