Using Step Up for tutoring
Which scholarships pay, the hour limits, and how to find, reserve, and pay a tutor in EMA.
Step Up For Students: a 2026-27 guide for Palm Beach County families
Step Up key facts
| Fact | Value | Official source |
|---|---|---|
| Average FES-UA award | About $10,000 on average | Unique Abilities Scholarship |
| Average PEP award | Between $7,700 and $8,500 on average in 2025-26 | PEP program fact sheet (PDF) |
| PEP 2026-27 applications | Closed April 30, 2026 | Personalized Education Program |
| New FES-UA and Private School applications (2026-27) | November 15, 2026 | 2026-27 scholarship schedule (PDF) |
| Part-time tutoring hour cap | 720 hours a year for grades K-3 and 900 hours a year for grades 4-12 | Part-time tutoring provider guide (PDF) |
| PEP students in Palm Beach County | 3,928 funded PEP students in 2025-26, the second most of any Florida county | PEP program fact sheet (PDF) |
| Step Up family support | 1-877-735-7837 | Log in or apply |
What is Step Up For Students?
Step Up For Students is the nonprofit that runs most of Florida’s K-12 scholarship programs. It handles applications, decides eligibility, funds scholarship accounts, and pays approved providers on families’ behalf.
Today it runs the Unique Abilities Scholarship (FES-UA), the Personalized Education Program (PEP), the Private School scholarships (FTC and FES-EO), New Worlds Scholarship Accounts, and the Transportation Stipend. Each program has its own rules, so the first job for any parent is figuring out which one fits your child.
You may also hear about the Hope Scholarship. Step Up says the Hope Scholarship has merged into the Florida Tax Credit scholarship, so families who once looked at Hope now start with the Florida Tax Credit (FTC) scholarship. There is also a Transportation Stipend, which offers up to $750 a year per household for some K-8 public school students; not taking applications right now.
Who Step Up scholarships are for
Step Up scholarships are for Florida students in kindergarten through 12th grade, and in some cases younger children with special needs. Which one fits depends mostly on where your child learns and whether your child has a qualifying diagnosis.
- Unique Abilities Scholarship (FES-UA): Florida residents ages 3 to 22 (or through grade 12) with one of 23 qualifying diagnoses. It can follow your child to a private school, a homeschool program, or a mix of services.
- Personalized Education Program (PEP): K-12 students not enrolled full time in a public or private school, at least 5 by September 1, at any income level. It is built for home education led by the parent.
- Private School scholarships: the Florida Tax Credit (FTC) and the Family Empowerment Scholarship for Educational Options (FES-EO) are for Florida residents eligible to enroll in a K-12 public school, at any income level, with priority for lower-income families. They pay private school tuition and fees.
None of this is a promise of eligibility. Step Up reviews every application and makes the final decision, so when in doubt, apply or call family support at 1-877-735-7837.
Compare the scholarships
Which scholarships pay for tutoring
The Unique Abilities Scholarship (FES-UA) and PEP are the main ways families pay for tutoring, and both can pay an approved tutor directly. Private School scholarships pay tuition and fees first, and any money left over may go toward part-time tutoring.
Only FES-UA and PEP pay for full-time private tutoring, which replaces school entirely. Part-time tutoring, which sits alongside school or homeschool, is capped at 720 hours a year for grades K-3 and 900 hours a year for grades 4-12.
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Your scholarship account in EMA
Your Unique Abilities (FES-UA) or PEP funds live in your Education Market Assistant (EMA) account.
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Janessa teaches the sessions
You choose Janessa in EMA and reserve funds for the sessions you plan.
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Step Up pays Janessa directly
After each session, Janessa sends the payment request. You can track it in EMA.
How the money moves: EMA and direct pay
Scholarship money does not come to you as a check. It sits in your child’s account in the Education Market Assistant (EMA), and you direct it to approved providers and purchases.
To pay a tutor, families open Marketplace, select Find Providers, and choose an approved provider who bills the scholarship directly. That is called direct pay, and it means no money out of pocket for approved services.
If you buy an eligible item yourself, you can ask for a reimbursement in EMA instead. Reimbursement takes longer and has its own rules, so most families use direct pay for tutoring. The EMA guide walks through both, screen by screen.
Award amounts in Palm Beach County
Award amounts depend on the scholarship, your child’s grade, and your county. Step Up publishes the exact figures each year, and Palm Beach County amounts are below.
- Unique Abilities (FES-UA), 2026-27: For 2026-27 in Palm Beach County, base FES-UA amounts (Matrix levels 251-253) are $11,054 for ages 3-4 and grades K-3, $10,452 for grades 4-8, and $10,255 for grades 9-12. Students at higher need levels receive more: $22,439 at level 254 and $35,893 at level 255.
- PEP, 2026-27: $8,890 (K-3), $8,288 (grades 4-8), and $8,091 (grades 9-12)
- FTC and FES-EO, 2026-27: $8,890 (K-3), $8,288 (grades 4-8), and $8,091 (grades 9-12)
PEP is popular here. Palm Beach County had 3,928 funded PEP students in 2025-26, the second most of any Florida county, so you are far from alone if you are homeschooling with a scholarship.
Your real balance is always the one in EMA. Use the tutoring budget planner to see how a schedule fits your award.
The family journey
Five stages, from first hearing about Step Up to paying for services. Each one has its own guide.
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Accept
If your child is awarded a scholarship, accept it by the deadline and set up your EMA account.
EMA guide -
Spend
Pay approved providers directly, or buy approved items, following the purchasing guide.
Purchasing guide explained
Rules worth knowing before you spend
A few rules trip up families every year, and most are easy to avoid once you know them. The biggest ones are about public school, hour caps, and approved purchases.
- Public school: A student with a Private School, FES-UA, or PEP scholarship who enrolls full time in a Florida public school is no longer eligible for additional scholarship funding. Funds already in the account stay available in EMA.
- Part-time tutoring hours: capped at 720 hours a year for grades K-3 and 900 hours a year for grades 4-12.
- Full-time private tutoring: requires at least 720 instructional hours (K-3) or 900 (grades 4-12) a year with a valid Florida teaching certificate for the subject and grade, and only FES-UA and PEP only can pay for it.
- Approved purchases: every scholarship has a purchasing guide. Read the official purchasing guides before you buy curriculum, devices, or services.
What is changing for 2026-27
Florida’s scholarship rules change a little every year, and 2026-27 brought several updates that matter to families. Here are the ones most likely to affect tutoring and planning.
- Hybrid schooling: Starting in 2026-27, FES-UA students may meet private school contact requirements in a hybrid setting, with teacher contact at a physical location at least two school days a week and a Student Learning Plan for the remaining instructional time.
- New Worlds: No new New Worlds Scholarship Accounts are being awarded for 2026-27. Existing balances can still be used on approved items and services, and accounts with no spending for a full fiscal year are closed.
- Private School scholarships and tutoring: under the 2026-27 purchasing guide, tuition and fees come first, and leftover funds may pay for part-time tutoring.
- Federal tax credit: Step Up lists a federal scholarship tax credit as listed by Step Up as coming in 2027. Watch Step Up’s page for updates before planning around it.
Where to start if you are new
Start by matching your child to a scholarship, then learn the dates, then plan how you will spend. The quiz takes about two minutes and points you to the right guide.
If your child already has a scholarship and you want tutoring, go straight to using Step Up for tutoring. If you are applying for the first time, read how to apply and keep the key dates page handy. If your child’s scholarship is through AAA Scholarship Foundation instead, read the AAA guide.
I am an approved Step Up For Students provider and a Florida-certified teacher, and I wrote this guide because the official rules are spread across many documents. It is an independent summary, so please confirm details in the official family handbooks.
Every Step Up guide
Unique Abilities guide
Who qualifies, the qualifying diagnoses in plain words, Palm Beach award amounts, and how families use FES-UA for tutoring.
PEP guide
Who qualifies, the Student Learning Plan, yearly testing, what PEP pays for, and how to get ready for 2027-28.
EMA guide
Logging in safely, Marketplace and Find Providers, reserving funds, direct pay versus reimbursement, and fixes for common problems.
How to apply
Choosing a scholarship, setting up your account, the documents to gather, renewal and switching deadlines, and 2027-28 timing.
Key dates
Every confirmed 2026-27 Step Up date, from application deadlines to quarterly funding and reimbursements.
Purchasing guides
What the official purchasing guides say about tutoring, curriculum, testing, and Choice Navigators.
Private school scholarships
How FTC and FES-EO work, what they pay for, and when leftover funds can cover part-time tutoring.
Step Up FAQ
Short answers to 25 common Step Up questions, from choosing a scholarship to paying a tutor.
Eligibility quiz
Six questions to see which scholarship may fit your child.
Tutoring budget planner
See how much tutoring your scholarship can cover.
The Step Up tutoring checklist
How to find, reserve, and pay a tutor in EMA, on one page.
Get the 2027-28 application reminder
One email when 2027-28 applications open, and one before they close. That's it.
Step Up questions parents ask
Is this site part of Step Up For Students?
No. I am an independent, approved Step Up For Students provider, and this is my plain-language guide. Always confirm program rules in the official handbooks.
Which Step Up scholarships pay for tutoring?
The Unique Abilities Scholarship (FES-UA) and PEP can pay an approved tutor directly. Private School scholarships pay tuition first, and in 2026-27 tuition and fees come first, and leftover funds may pay for part-time tutoring.
Using Step Up for tutoring Do I need a diagnosis for the Unique Abilities Scholarship?
The Unique Abilities Scholarship is for students with one of 23 qualifying diagnoses, and new applicants send documentation. Step Up reviews it and makes the final decision.
Unique Abilities guide When do applications open for 2027-28?
Step Up has not announced the dates yet; expected in early 2027; not yet announced. Sign up for the reminder on this page and I will email you when they are announced.
Key dates How much is the Unique Abilities award?
The average award is about $10,000 on average. Your amount depends on your child’s grade, county, and level of need.
See Palm Beach County amounts Can I pay a tutor who is not an approved provider?
Generally, Step Up pays approved providers directly, and other expenses must follow the purchasing guide. Check the guide for your scholarship before you pay anyone out of pocket.
Purchasing guide explained Is there a limit on tutoring hours?
Yes. Part-time tutoring is capped at 720 hours a year for grades K-3 and 900 hours a year for grades 4-12. Hours beyond that must be filed as full-time tutoring.
Check a schedule Can you help me fill out the application?
I can walk you through what the application asks for on a free fit call. You submit it yourself on Step Up’s site, and Step Up family support can answer questions at 1-877-735-7837.
Book a free fit callOfficial sources
Program rules change each school year. These are the documents this page is based on.
- Family handbooks · Step Up For Students
- Purchasing guides · Step Up For Students
- 2026-27 scholarship schedule (PDF) · Step Up For Students
- Legislative updates · Step Up For Students
- Unique Abilities Scholarship · Step Up For Students
- FES-UA scholarship award amounts, 2026-27 (PDF) · Step Up For Students
- PEP program fact sheet (PDF) · Step Up For Students
- FTC, FES-EO, and PEP award amounts, 2026-27 (PDF) · Step Up For Students
- Private School purchasing guide, 2026-27 · Step Up For Students
- Part-time tutoring provider guide (PDF) · Step Up For Students
- Full-time private tutoring provider guide (PDF) · Step Up For Students
- Unique Abilities: how to spend funds · Step Up For Students
- Step Up For Students FAQ · Step Up For Students
- Federal scholarship tax credit · Step Up For Students
- Hope Scholarship update · Step Up For Students
- Log in or apply · Step Up For Students
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