PEP scholarship at a glance
| PEP, 2026-27 |
|---|
| What it is | Education savings account for home-based and part-time learners |
| Amount | County amounts, $7,463 to $12,217 by grade |
| Income limit | None |
| Capacity | Up to 140,000 students (cap removed in 2027-28) |
| 2026-27 window | February 1 - April 30, 2026 (closed) |
| Requirements | Student Learning Plan and an annual test |
| Administrators | Step Up For Students, AAA Scholarship Foundation |
The Personalized Education Program (PEP) is the reason so many people search "Florida homeschool scholarship." It gives families who direct their child's education outside a full-time school roughly the same money a private school student gets, held in an account for approved learning costs.
Who qualifies for the PEP scholarship in Florida?
Your child must live in Florida, be in grades K-12, be at least 5 by September 1 and be under 21. The child must not be enrolled full time in a public or private school. If you are registered as a district home education program, PEP replaces that status: you end the home education registration when your child joins PEP. Military families have two residency exceptions.
There is no income limit. When applications exceed the cap, Step Up serves renewals first, then households at or below 185% of the poverty level ($61,050 for a family of four), then 186% to 400% ($132,000), then everyone else on a first-come, first-served basis.
How much is the PEP scholarship?
PEP uses the same 2026-27 county table as FES-EO. For example, a Miami-Dade student gets $8,745 in K-3, $8,140 in grades 4-8 and $7,942 in grades 9-12. Hillsborough is $8,429, $7,837 and $7,644. Orange is $8,420, $7,831 and $7,639. Monroe County is highest at $12,217 for K-3. Money arrives quarterly and posts within about two weeks of each date. Unspent funds roll over, but an account balance can't exceed $24,000.
PEP vs Florida home education
| PEP | District home education |
|---|
| Register with | Step Up or AAA | Your school district |
| Letter of intent | No | Yes |
| Annual evaluation | Norm-referenced test or state assessment, reported to the SFO | One of five options, reported to the district |
| Funding | Yes, ESA | None (unless FES-UA) |
| Keeps extracurriculars, Bright Futures, dual enrollment | Yes | Yes |
PEP adds one more requirement: a Student Learning Plan (SLP), written and submitted in EMA each year. It guides instruction but, per the handbook, does not limit what you can buy. A late plan makes the student ineligible for funding that year.
Key dates
- February 1 - April 30, 2026: 2026-27 window for new and renewing students (closed; it can close early if the cap fills)
- May 31, 2026: accept the award and submit the Student Learning Plan
- August 1 (renewals) or September 1 (new), November 1, February 1, April 1: quarterly funding
- May 28, 2027: last day to request pre-authorization for a purchase
- July 31, 2027: last day to submit 2026-27 reimbursements
- 2027-28: dates not yet announced; join the interest list. The enrollment cap is scheduled to be removed that year.
How to apply for PEP
- Join the 2027-28 interest list on Step Up's PEP page.
- When the window opens, apply in EMA (or with AAA) and choose the FTC-PEP option.
- Upload proof of age and two proofs of Florida residency, plus income documents for priority.
- If you are a registered home education family, plan to end that registration.
- Accept the award and submit the Student Learning Plan by the deadline.
- Schedule the annual norm-referenced test and submit results before renewal.
What you can buy with PEP
PEP covers curriculum and instructional materials, part-time or hybrid private school tuition, home education instructional programs, part-time tutoring, approved online providers, private-pay Florida Virtual School, dual enrollment, testing fees and Choice Navigator services. It does not cover laptops, computers or other digital devices.
There are three ways to pay:
- MyScholarShop: buy approved curriculum and materials inside EMA; ships to Florida addresses only.
- Find Providers: pay pre-approved tutors, classes and schools directly after the service is delivered.
- Reimbursement: buy it yourself and submit receipts in EMA; reviews take up to 60 days, with one appeal.
A PEP year can be built around a boxed or open-and-go curriculum such as The Good and the Beautiful, Sonlight or Time4Learning, then add Math-U-See, All About Reading, Mystery Science or live classes on Outschool. Compare homeschool curriculum and online school options, save your picks to an Edulist wishlist, and check each item against Step Up's purchasing guide.
Homeschoolers and PEP
PEP is Florida's main homeschool funding program, but it is a different legal status from district home education. If you want to stay a registered home education family and your child has a qualifying diagnosis, the Unique Abilities scholarship works with a letter of intent. For Florida's home education rules, see homeschooling in Florida, and for funding across states, see homeschool funding.
Common PEP problems
- Late learning plan. No SLP by the deadline means no funding that year.
- Missing test scores. Renewal and next-year funding wait on assessment results.
- Device purchases. Laptops and tablets are denied; plan around that.
- Out-of-state shipping. MyScholarShop orders ship only to Florida.
- Waiting for reimbursement. Use MyScholarShop or direct provider pay for big purchases so you aren't out of pocket for 60 days.
Federal tax credit: has Florida opted in?
Yes. Florida is on the IRS list of participating states as of September 14, 2026, so federal tax-credit scholarships may become available to Florida students from 2027 under Treasury's proposed rules. See the Florida scholarships hub and the federal scholarship tax credit guide.