Can a Palm Beach County family pay for transportation, meals & child care with scholarship funds?
It depends on the program: Unique Abilities and PEP and Private School Scholarship cannot. The cards below give each program's rule.
Gas, mileage, public transportation, food fees, lodging and before- or after-school care are prohibited.
Prohibited.
Prohibited school fees; a separate Transportation Stipend exists only for public school students attending an out-of-zone public school.
Which rules apply to transportation, meals & child care?
- For working parents, aftercare is paid through School Readiness at the Early Learning Coalition of Palm Beach County, and the same charge cannot also go to a scholarship.
- A school with its own bus may charge for the ride, though transportation is missing from the eligible fee list.
What is not allowed for transportation, meals & child care?
- All transportation costs
- Food
- Lodging
- Before- and after-school care
How does transportation, meals & child care work for a Palm Beach County family?
The county runs from Boca Raton down south to Jupiter up north, with the Glades far inland, so start with schools close to your own neighborhood; the scholarship will not pay for a long daily drive.
How does a family buy transportation, meals & child care?
Look in MyScholarShop first, because its listings are pre-approved. Next try Find Providers in EMA, which lets the account pay tutors, therapists and instructors directly. If neither fits, pay by card, hold the itemized receipt and file for reimbursement. A purchase the guides do not list as eligible needs pre-authorization before you spend.
What can the funds pay for, and what can they not?
For this category, the table sets allowed purchases next to excluded ones.
| Can pay for | Cannot pay for |
|---|---|
| All transportation costs | |
| Food | |
| Lodging | |
| Before- and after-school care | |
| Unique Abilities: Gas, mileage, public transportation, food fees, lodging and before- or after-school care are prohibited. | |
| PEP: Prohibited. | |
| Private School Scholarship: Prohibited school fees; a separate Transportation Stipend exists only for public school students attending an out-of-zone public school. |
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Sources: Step Up For Students purchasing guides for FES-UA, PEP and FTC/FES-EO (2025-26 editions) and its "Program Handbooks and Purchasing Guides: Summary of Changes" page (last modified October 22, 2026). These are summaries, not legal advice; your scholarship funding organization's current guide controls.