PARENT NAVIGATOR

Start where you are.

Two kinds of parents come here: the ones going back to school themselves, and the ones getting a child there. Sometimes both. You don't need an account, a login, or a degree to use any of it. Pick the sentence that sounds like you. Nothing you type here leaves your phone.

Going back to schoolI need help nowMy child's roadToolsStudent tools →

Which one is you today?

PARENT TOOLS · NO ACCOUNT · NOTHING SAVED

Tap it. Answer it. Get the words.

The same idea as the student tools on REACH, built for you. Each one takes about a minute.

Ask the School

Turn a worry into a short, respectful email to the right person — in 60 seconds.
Grades droppedReading is hardMath is hardTrouble focusingBeing bulliedAsking about a 504 or IEPA placement decisionI just want a meeting
Copy it, change anything, send it from your own email. We never send anything for you.

Parent Résumé in a Minute

For going back to school, a new job, or a program application. Your real life counts as experience.
Managed a household budgetCared for children or familyWorked while parentingBilingualVolunteer at church or schoolHandled schedules and appointmentsCustomer serviceReliable and on timeTrained new peopleHandled money or cash

Back-to-School Path Finder

Three questions. One honest next step for going back as an adult.

School Jargon Decoder

Type the word from the letter. Get the plain-language meaning and the question to ask.
FOR PARENTS GOING BACK TO SCHOOL · AND FAMILIES WHO NEED A HAND

Your turn. It's not too late.

Every link is a government or official site. No "find your degree" pages, no fees for free things. Verified September 2026 — and the four facts that change most often are marked.

Money for your own school

FAFSA — Federal Student AidFree to file. No age limit. Adults 24+ file as independent. 2026–27 Pell Grant up to $7,395 — money you never repay. Workforce Pell (new July 2026)Pell for short job-training programs. Ask the college if its program is approved. College ScorecardReal cost, graduation rate, and what graduates earn — by program. FloridaShinesCompare every Florida college and technical program in one place. Free.

Finish high school, learn a trade, get certified

GED Testing ServiceThe official test. Ask your county adult-ed center about free prep and fee help. Florida Adult EducationFree GED prep, adult high school, and English classes through your school district. Find an American Job CenterFree career centers; many pay for training. Question: "Can WIOA fund my training?" CareerSource FloridaFlorida's workforce network — training, résumé help, job leads. Apprenticeship.govEarn while you learn. Registered programs near you.

Food, health, housing, internet

211Dial 2-1-1. Free, confidential, 24/7: rent, food, utilities, childcare. SNAP — including if you're a studentParents caring for a child under 6, working 20 hrs, or in job training usually qualify while in school. Florida KidCareHealth coverage for kids birth–18. Most families pay $15–$20 a month or nothing. Lifeline — phone & internetUp to $9.25/month off. The old ACP program ended in 2024 — this is what's left. If you're between homes: McKinney-VentoYour child can enroll today with no papers and keep their school. Every district has a liaison. Find a food bankFeeding America locator.

Someone to talk to

988 — call, text, or chatFree, 24/7. Spanish: press 2, or text AYUDA to 988. NAMI family programsFree classes for families. Helpline 1-800-950-6264. StopBullying.govWhat to do, what the school must do.
FOR PARENTS WHOSE CHILD IS HEADED TO COLLEGE — OR ANYWHERE

You don't have to have gone to get them there.

Start as early as you like. These are the official places, by age. Sit with your child for the last two — they're the first lessons.

Ages 0–5: the foundation

Dolly Parton's Imagination LibraryA free book in the mail every month until age 5. Bilingual option. Check your ZIP. HIPPY home visits (Florida: USF)Free weekly school-readiness visits for parents of 2–5 year olds. English and Spanish. Find Head StartFree early education for eligible families, birth to 5. Florida New Worlds Reading — free books K–5Enrollment flyers in English, Spanish, and Haitian Creole.

If your child is struggling or has a plan

Find your Parent Training CenterFree, federally funded help with IEPs and 504s in every state. The most important link on this page. Family Network on Disabilities (Florida)Florida's parent center. An advocate can review your child's plan with you. Understood.orgPlain-language guides to IEPs, 504s, dyslexia, ADHD. Florida third-grade retention: the rulesDidn't pass the reading test? There are good-cause exemptions. Ask about a portfolio.

Middle and high school: the road

Federal checklists by gradeWhat to do in each grade to prepare and pay. Free. Florida Bright FuturesUp to 100% of tuition. Apply after Oct 1 of senior year and before Aug 31 after graduation — miss it and it's gone. QuestBridgeFull four-year scholarships for high-achieving, low-income seniors. Free to apply. Deadline each fall. Florida Prepaid / 529Start small. Ask about the minimum monthly plan.

Do these two together

Look up one college's real priceTen minutes, side by side. Talk about net price, not sticker price. Join the EFF Future Graduate ClubAt your child's school, or ask us to bring it. Use "Ask the School" aboveOne question this month: "What decides my child's placement next year?"

EFF provides educational information and resource navigation. Outside programs set their own rules and availability. EFF cannot guarantee funding or assistance from any outside organization. If you are in immediate danger, call 911. For mental-health crisis support, call or text 988.