Florida PEP Scholarship: Eligibility, Curriculum & Purchasing

PEP is designed for students whose education does not take place through full-time enrollment in a public or private school. It is administered as part of Florida’s Tax Credit Scholarship Program. A student’s scholarship status, education plan and purchasing approval each have their own requirements.

PEP and district home education are different

A family can learn at home in either arrangement, but the registration and accountability process differ. PEP families submit a student learning plan to the scholarship organization and follow the scholarship’s testing requirements. Confirm withdrawal or registration changes with the administrator and district before changing status.

PEP and FES-UA have different eligibility and purchasing rules

The FES-UA Unique Abilities Scholarship serves students who meet that program’s requirements. A FES-UA purchasing rule does not establish what a PEP account can buy. Start with the program named on the student’s award.

A curriculum purchasing checklist

1. Confirm that the student has an awarded PEP scholarship and an available account balance.
2. Identify the curriculum’s subject, format, age range, duration and price. Keep a product description that explains what the student will learn.
3. Find the exact category in the current PEP purchasing guide. A printed workbook, online instructional program and subscription can have different requirements.
4. Check whether preauthorization is needed and whether the product can be purchased through the administrator’s marketplace or requires reimbursement.
5. Keep the itemized invoice, proof of payment and any required supporting documentation. Do not rely on a vendor’s “ESA eligible” label as the administrator’s decision.

Step Up marketplace purchases versus reimbursement

EMA is the scholarship account portal. Its marketplace includes MyScholarShop for instructional materials and curriculum, and Find Providers for services. The official vendor catalog helps identify sellers, while the account shows the purchasing options available to the student. Step Up’s MyScholarShop guidance explains that sellers receive payment directly, without a separate out-of-pocket reimbursement claim.

Buying directly from a vendor and applying for reimbursement is a different route. Confirm the exact expense before paying, then retain the itemized invoice, proof of payment and any required approval. The linked PEP web guide has a 2025–26 heading alongside some 2026–27 dates, so verify the current-year document through Step Up’s handbook index and account instructions. Do not use its mixed-year display as a deadline or purchase authorization.

Preauthorization of an item does not itself establish a provider’s eligibility or guarantee an available balance. For software, clarify whether the subscription covers one student or multiple users; the guide treats the student’s share separately. Our ESA vendor reference explains how product catalogs differ from service-provider lists.

Can PEP cover a handwriting curriculum?

The linked 2025–26 purchasing guide includes instructional materials and home-education instructional programs. That makes handwriting a subject worth checking, but it does not approve every handwriting app or subscription. Present the exact product and expense category to the administrator before paying. For a 2026–27 purchase, obtain the guide for that school year from the administrator; the linked prior-year categories are background, not current purchase authorization.

Check software and equipment separately

For a handwriting subscription, identify the student, course term and per-student price. For an iPad or digital pencil, ask about the current PEP equipment category, purchase frequency and preauthorization. Keep course and equipment prices itemized; a bundle does not make every item eligible.

When can a family apply?

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.

The administrator’s official announcements control the next application cycle. Joining a curriculum publisher’s email list does not apply for a scholarship or reserve an award.

Return to the Florida funding overview or use the official vendor reference to find the appropriate catalog and purchase instructions.