What Palm Beach County families can buy with a Florida scholarship
Tuition is only one use of Florida scholarship money. Unique Abilities and PEP accounts, plus any Private School Scholarship balance left after tuition, can pay for tutoring, therapies, curriculum, internet, music, sports, field trips, testing and college credit. Every category below spells out each program's rule, what is barred, and how Palm Beach County households put it to use. Current awards: $8,890 K-3 · $8,288 4-8 · $8,091 9-12.
Which Florida scholarship programs follow different spending rules?
Three programs follow different rules: Unique Abilities (FES-UA), PEP, and leftover Private School Scholarship funds after tuition.
What can a family buy under "Academic support"?
Tutoring & reading intervention
Part-time tutors and structured-literacy programs are among the most common purchases, and the credential rules decide whether a given tutor qualifies.
Rules →Academic supportTesting, evaluations & assessments
Annual norm-referenced tests, AP and certification exams, and some diagnostic evaluations can be paid from a scholarship account.
Rules →What can a family buy under "Therapies (FES-UA)"?
Speech, occupational & physical therapy
FES-UA can pay licensed therapists directly. Speech-language, occupational and physical therapy are named in Florida law as specialized services.
Rules →Therapies (FES-UA)ABA therapy & counseling
Applied behavior analysis is named in Florida's FES-UA statute, and licensed counseling is also an eligible specialized service.
Rules →Therapies (FES-UA)Sensory materials & assistive technology
Sensory tools, hearing aids, prescription eyeglasses and other assistive devices are purchasable under FES-UA, with narrower options on PEP.
Rules →What can a family buy under "Learning materials"?
What can a family buy under "Technology"?
What can a family buy under "Electives & enrichment"?
Music, art, coding & other electives
Lessons and supplies for music, art, drama, cooking, foreign language, photography and programming are eligible electives on FES-UA and PEP.
Rules →Electives & enrichmentSports lessons, P.E. & equipment
Florida treats physical education generously: lessons, team fees, sport-specific footwear and home exercise equipment can all be covered.
Rules →What can a family buy under "Experiences"?
What can a family buy under "High school & career"?
What can a family buy under "At a private school"?
What can a family buy under "Not covered"?
How does a family actually make a purchase?
There are three ways to buy: order from MyScholarShop, have the account pay an approved provider directly, or pay out of pocket and ask to be reimbursed. Each carries its own paperwork.
MyScholarShop
This is Step Up's catalog. Listed items are already approved, and orders are delivered to the Florida address tied to the account.
Find Providers / direct pay
A tutor, therapist or instructor approved in EMA is paid directly from the account, so the family spends no cash.
Reimbursement
Pay first, hold on to the itemized receipt and file the claim. Cash handed to a private seller is not reimbursable.
Need a plan for your child's account?
An advisor matches your award to the categories that fit and names the Palm Beach County providers that accept direct payment. Prefer to talk? Call (561) 567-9280.