Connect with us

Hi, what are you looking for?

Education

DeSantis Highlights Success of Florida Prepaid College Program; Encourages Parents to Claim Available Refunds

On Monday, Florida Governor Ron DeSantis announced record refunds to parents through the Florida Prepaid program and encouraged Florida families to take advantage of an affordable prepaid college plan.

“Because of our focus on academic achievement and fiscal responsibility, Florida has both the number one ranked higher education system and the lowest tuition in the country,” DeSantis said. “Florida’s flexible college savings options like the Florida Prepaid program allow parents to get a head start on paying for the future, and even get money back when tuition stays low. And because I have ensured tuition has not been raised in Florida since I’ve become Governor, we have another round of refunds available for parents now.”

In total, Florida has returned nearly $1 billion to Florida families through Prepaid Florida refunds. Florida Prepaid is the largest and longest running prepaid program of its kind, with a 35-year track record of helping over 1.2 million Florida families save for college so they can graduate and enter the workforce without burdensome loan debts.

“Florida is setting an example for the rest of the nation for ensuring that students can access higher education without taking on high amounts of debt,” said Florida Department of Education Commissioner Manny Diaz, Jr. “I am proud that Florida not only offers options like Florida Prepaid, but we are also returning money to parents because Governor DeSantis has kept tuition low.”

The Florida Prepaid college saving program allows Florida families to lock in future tuition costs at today’s prices. Because the program factors in what tuition may cost in the future, parents receive a refund if tuition stays lower than what is predicted, often resulting in thousands of dollars back.

“There is a national narrative that higher education is extremely costly and not worth it. As the number one state for higher education for eight years in a row, Florida universities are a great return on investment. Florida has held tuition and fees flat and continues to prioritize textbook affordability,” said Ray Rodrigues, Chancellor of the State University System of Florida. “National College Savings Month provides an opportunity to highlight the affordability of our public institutions and the benefit Florida’s Prepaid College Savings Programs offer to families.”

According to an official statement from DeSantis’ office, Florida has secured two rollbacks on Florida Prepaid Plan rates, one in 2020 and another earlier this year. These rollbacks have resulted in hundreds of thousands of families paying less, with their prepaid plan rates being reduced by a cumulative amount of $2.6 billion. In fact, more than 40,000 families still need to collect their 2024 refund, with over $130 million in unclaimed refunds. To find out if you have an unclaimed refund, please login to your Florida Prepaid account.

Advertisement. Scroll to continue reading.

Author

  • Florida Daily

    Florida Daily offers news, insights and analysis as we cover the most important issues in the state, from education, to business and politics. View all posts

Share Story Via Text, E-Mail, Facebook or Twitter

Follow Us on Social Media

Related Stories

Hurricanes

Florida’s U.S. Senators Marco Rubio and Rick Scott sent a letter to President Joe Biden urging his immediate approval of the State of Florida’s...

Florida Politics

As communities across Florida’s Gulf Coast recover from Hurricane Helene, Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis, Sen. Marco Rubio and Sen. Rick Scott are meeting with...

Florida News

With pools, lakes, rivers and coastline near every household, the risk of drowning is prevalent across the Sunshine State, and a leading cause of...

Economy

At a recent roundtable on condo costs, Florida Governor Ron DeSantis heard pleas from condo owners on large assessments they are facing due to...

Florida Politics

With condo owners’ annual fees rising due to a new law requiring annual inspections, many condominium owners in Florida are asking the state to...

Crime

During a press conference earlier today, Florida Governor Ron DeSantis announced that Florida Attorney General Ashley Moody’s Office of Statewide Prosecutor has been assigned...

Florida Politics

Florida Governor Ron DeSantis announced more than $122 million in awards to small county governments and rural municipalities across the state through the Florida Department...

Florida Politics

At a recent Republican Party dinner, Florida Governor Ron DeSantis didn’t shy away from calling out elected officials he perceived as being silent on...