Florida Family Empowerment Scholarship, FES-UA & PEP

Choose the scholarship before planning the purchase

Family Empowerment has two branches: Educational Options (FES-EO) and Students with Unique Abilities (FES-UA). PEP belongs to the Florida Tax Credit Scholarship Program, not to either FES branch. Step Up For Students administers several scholarships, so a Step Up account or marketplace reference does not identify the child’s funding rules. Check the exact scholarship shown on the award before comparing enrollment, curriculum or reimbursement.

PEP is the relevant starting point for many home-learning families

Florida’s Personalized Education Program is an education savings account scholarship within the Florida Tax Credit Scholarship Program. It serves students who are not enrolled full time in a public or private school. PEP registration is separate from district-registered home education. Families follow PEP’s student learning plan and assessment requirements, so first decide which legal arrangement fits before treating a scholarship as an available curriculum budget.

Use the guide for the scholarship year you are spending

Step Up For Students publishes program handbooks and purchasing guidance. At this review, the linked web purchasing guide was labeled 2025–26 while the scholarship page contained 2026–27 application information. Do not treat the older guide as the final rule for a newer award. Use the current handbook and account instructions for your scholarship year, and check whether the expense needs preauthorization, marketplace purchase or reimbursement documentation.

Family Empowerment Scholarship for Educational Options (FES-EO)

FES-EO is the Educational Options branch of Family Empowerment, commonly used for participating private-school attendance.

Program sources reviewed September 17, 2026

Who can qualify

Florida K–12 students can apply through an approved scholarship funding organization under current residency, age and participation requirements.

Award and budget

Use the applicable scholarship-year award table and the student’s award. Do not apply the FES-UA average or assume tuition leaves a supplemental balance.

How home education fits

Do not use FES-EO as a synonym for PEP or FES-UA. Match the scholarship to the child’s actual education arrangement before changing enrollment.

Curriculum and permitted expenses

Participating-school tuition and related program-approved expenses follow this scholarship’s own rules. Use its handbook for any remaining funds rather than carrying a PEP purchase category across.

Applying and using funds

Apply and annually renew through a Florida-approved scholarship funding organization, which determines and distributes funding.

• Florida DOE: Educational Options overview and FAQ

Family Empowerment Scholarship for Students with Unique Abilities (FES-UA)

FES-UA is Florida’s disability scholarship route, with an education savings account option for approved services and materials. It is separate from PEP.

Program sources reviewed September 23, 2026

Who can qualify

The administrator requires Florida residency, a qualifying diagnosis or disability documentation and applicable age/grade conditions. It can serve children as young as 3; use the exact current age cutoffs and documentation checklist.

Award and budget

The award varies with the student’s circumstances. Use the administrator’s 2026–27 scholarship-value information and the student’s actual funded balance rather than a statewide average.

How home education fits

Home-education expenses can be eligible. Apply FES-UA’s own participation rules and home-education obligations rather than PEP’s registration rules.

Curriculum and permitted expenses

The FCSUA 2026–27 guide covers instructional materials including tablets and digital pencils, curriculum, and educational software/subscriptions. Digital devices have a two-year purchase frequency with possible earlier replacement through preauthorization; multi-user subscription reimbursement is prorated to the student’s cost.

Applying and using funds

Apply and renew through an approved scholarship funding organization. Florida DOE lists Step Up For Students and AAA Scholarship Foundation. The organization determines eligibility, funding and eligible expenses.

• Florida DOE: Family Empowerment Scholarship
• FCSUA: FES-UA Purchasing Guidelines 2026–27
• AAA: FES-UA applications, award values and payments
• Step Up: Unique Abilities program

Florida Personalized Education Program (PEP)

PEP is an education savings account scholarship within the Florida Tax Credit Scholarship Program for students who are not enrolled full time in a public or private school.

Program sources reviewed September 17, 2026

Who can qualify

Florida K–12 students across income levels can apply, subject to age, residency and program requirements. Priority and available scholarships still affect awards.

Award and budget

PEP award amounts vary. Consult the administrator’s award table and the student’s actual award instead of assuming one statewide amount.

How home education fits

PEP registration is separate from district-registered home education. Families must follow PEP requirements, including the student learning plan and applicable annual testing rules.

Curriculum and permitted expenses

Instructional materials and home-education instructional programs appear in the linked 2025–26 web purchasing guide. For a 2026–27 award, use the administrator’s current-year handbook and account instructions to confirm categories, preauthorization and documentation before spending.

Applying and using funds

Step Up For Students says 2026–27 applications closed April 30, 2026. Current recipients should use their account and the current purchasing guide; new families should watch the official next-cycle announcements.

• Official Florida Pep guidance
• PEP web purchasing guide (labeled 2025–26 at review)

Choose the guide for your Florida scholarship

FES-EO supports eligible private-school education. FES-UA serves eligible students with unique abilities. PEP is part of the Florida Tax Credit Scholarship Program for students learning outside full-time public or private school enrollment.

• Florida PEP: curriculum and purchasing
• Florida FES-UA: eligibility, subscriptions and equipment

Use your scholarship’s guide and administrator’s payment instructions; Florida does not have one reimbursement policy for all awards.

Federal scholarships starting in 2027

Florida has made an advance election to participate in the Education Freedom Tax Credit (also called the Federal Scholarship Tax Credit) for 2027. The Education Freedom Tax Credit (EFTC/FSTC) is separate from the state options above. ECCA refers to its earlier legislative proposal.

IRS participation list, as of 2026-09-14: advance election recorded. An advance election does not establish an approved SGO list, an open student application or an awarded scholarship. Check the Education Freedom Tax Credit guide and how to find an SGO for the next steps.

Is the Family Empowerment Scholarship the same as PEP?

No. Family Empowerment includes FES-EO and FES-UA. PEP is part of the Florida Tax Credit Scholarship Program. Their eligibility, education arrangements and purchasing guidance differ.

Are PEP and district-registered home education the same?

No. PEP has its own registration and participation requirements, including a student learning plan and applicable annual testing. Check how to change arrangements with the relevant administrator before withdrawing or registering.

Can a new family still apply for PEP for 2026–27?

The Step Up For Students PEP page says applications for 2026–27 closed April 30, 2026. New families should follow the official next-cycle announcements; current recipients should follow their account instructions.

Where is the PEP purchasing guide?

Use the administrator links below and verify the year on the document. Our separate PEP guide explains curriculum purchasing, but the official guide and the administrator’s decisions control expense approval.

Can Florida homeschool families use these options?

Florida PEP is separate from district-registered home education. PEP recipients follow the student learning plan, testing and spending rules for that scholarship. Families considering FES-UA or a private-school scholarship should check that program’s own eligibility rather than carrying PEP rules across.