Florida PEP Scholarship for Homeschool Families: Eligibility, Application, and What to Expect

What the PEP Scholarship Actually Is

The Personalized Education Program is an Education Savings Account created by House Bill 1 in 2023 under Section 1002.395, Florida Statutes. It gives Florida families state funding — averaging $7,600 to $8,200 per student for 2025–26 and 2026–27 — deposited quarterly into a managed account they can spend on curriculum, tutoring, testing fees, and other approved educational expenses.

PEP is administered by two Scholarship Funding Organizations: Step Up For Students (the larger SFO) and AAA Scholarship Foundation. Parents choose one SFO and apply through its portal. For the 2026–27 year, Step Up For Students reached its new-student PEP capacity, directing new applicants to AAA Scholarship Foundation.

The statutory student cap increases by 40,000 scholarships each school year: 120,000 for 2025–26 and 140,000 for 2026–27. The cap provision is scheduled to be repealed beginning July 1, 2027, removing the funded-student limit for 2027–28; awards still depend on available program funding.

Who Qualifies for PEP

Any Florida resident eligible for Kindergarten through Grade 12 who is not enrolled full-time in a public school, charter school, or private school receiving another state scholarship. Prior public school attendance is not required — a child who has never attended a Florida public school can still apply.

When applications exceed available funding, renewals receive first priority. New applicants are then prioritized in this order:

• Household income at or below 185% of the Federal Poverty Level, or children in foster or out-of-home care
• Household income above 185% and not exceeding 400% of the Federal Poverty Level
• Household income above 400% of the Federal Poverty Level, or no income information provided for priority consideration, first-come first-served subject to available funding

The Legal Status Change You Need to Understand

PEP is not traditional homeschooling under Section 1002.41. When a family accepts a PEP scholarship, they must terminate their home education registration with their county school district. The child's legal classification changes from "home education student" to "private education choice participant."

This means PEP parents are no longer subject to county portfolio reviews or the district's 15-day inspection rule. Instead, they answer to the SFO: submitting a Student Learning Plan each year, completing an annual assessment using an approved nationally norm-referenced test or statewide assessment, and maintaining an SFO purchase audit trail instead of a traditional portfolio.

Parents who value maximum independence from state oversight and don't need the funding often stay under Section 1002.41. Parents who want $7,600+ per child in educational funding and can handle the SLP and annual assessment requirements find PEP worthwhile.

If you decide to leave PEP later, you can exit by withdrawing in the SFO portal and simultaneously filing a new Notice of Intent with your county superintendent to return to traditional home education under Section 1002.41.

How to Apply

For 2026–27, new and renewal applications were due April 30, and families had to accept or decline the award by May 31. The PEP Student Learning Plan and, for renewal students, annual assessment results were also due by May 31. Applications submitted after the applicable deadlines are processed on a space-available basis.

The application sequence:

1. Create an account with your chosen SFO — Step Up For Students (EMA portal) or AAA Scholarship Foundation (Scholarship Management Platform)
2. Upload two different Florida residency document types, the child's age documentation, and Social Security numbers for parent and student
3. Submit a draft Student Learning Plan covering educational goals, subjects, planned purchases, and any accommodations
4. Wait for your award notification via portal and email
5. Accept the award in the portal before the deadline
6. If transitioning from public school, complete formal withdrawal and verify it in the SFO portal by July 31 for Quarter 1 funding

Families cannot apply to multiple SFOs for the same child simultaneously.

What PEP Funds Can and Cannot Buy

PEP funds cover core curriculum and workbooks, part-time tutoring from credentialed providers, standardized testing fees, Choice Navigator services, and part-time public school course fees. Extracurricular activities and physical education are allowed but capped at 25% of the total award and require pre-approval.

PEP strictly prohibits laptops, tablets, and desktop computers. It also prohibits clinical therapies like ABA, speech therapy, or occupational therapy — those are only available through the FES-UA scholarship for students with qualifying disabilities.

Each student may submit one reimbursement request per school year for a Florida theme park ticket or annual pass. Reimbursement covers the student's basic admission, up to $299 before tax; an eligible pass may include more than one park within the same resort family. The ticket or pass must be paid in full or have at least $299 paid before submission. Cash purchases are never reimbursable.

PEP vs. FES-UA: Which One Fits Your Family

If your child has a qualifying disability — autism, dyslexia, ADHD, cerebral palsy, or any diagnosis listed under Section 1002.394(2) — FES-UA typically provides higher funding ($9,600 to $39,000 depending on matrix level and county) and covers therapies and technology that PEP prohibits. FES-UA recipients can also keep their traditional home education registration, which PEP does not allow.

If your child doesn't have a qualifying diagnosis, PEP is the path. And families with mixed needs can place different children on different programs within the same household.

Our Florida FES-UA & PEP Scholarship Parent Guide walks through both programs side by side, with the exact application steps, an SLP template, a receipt-formatting checklist, and the full approved-expense comparison so you don't submit a claim that gets rejected.

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