Congratulations!
Personalized Education Program (PEP) Option ESA
Students who are not enrolled in full-time public school or full-time private school can utilize their PEP Scholarship, which provides access to an education savings account (ESA) to help fund your student’s parent/guardian directed learning. Please note that PEP students are allowed to be enrolled in a PEP Hybrid Eligible Private School, where they have regular and direct contact with teachers at a private school’s physical location at least two school days per week and their student learning plan addresses the remaining instructional time. If applicable, PEP students must also terminate their home education program with their school district.
You're Awarded! Now What?
If the 2025-26 school year is the first year your student will use the PEP scholarship, you only need to complete the first requirement below.
For students who received PEP scholarship funding for the 2024-25 school year, you must complete both requirements below.
Parents/Guardians must complete a 2025-26 Student Learning Plan (SLP) for their student within EMA.
IMPORTANT: Please select 2025-26 from the drop-down to complete a 2025-26 SLP in EMA.
An SLP is simply a personalized learning plan developed by parents/guardians to help identify their student’s learning priorities and how to spend scholarship dollars best.
An SLP must be completed annually for each PEP student. Funding may only be disbursed into a student's account if the SLP is complete.
Click here to watch a video about SLPs, including step-by-step instructions on completing your student’s 2025-26 SLP. Another helpful resource can be found here.
A new SLP must be completed every school year.
Students who utilized the PEP scholarship in the 2024-25 school year must submit their 2024-25 end-of-year norm-referenced test or statewide assessment results in EMA. A list of approved tests can be found here.
If the above statement applies to your student, we will let you know when and how to submit their test scores. Again, this requirement does not apply to students using the PEP scholarship for the first time in the 2025-26 school year.
While submission of test scores is required by law, the results of the test will not impact your eligibility for scholarships or your ability to access your student's scholarship funds or any provider's services.
Please note: For previous PEP students who are exempt from Annual Assessment requirements, please complete and submit the Test Exempt Form.
MyScholarShop now includes three vendors offering a direct-buying option for approved norm-referenced tests: Homeschool Boss (administering the NWEA Measures of Academic Progress tests), Classic Learning Test (administering the CLT3-8, CLT10, CTL) and Thrive Academics (administering Thrive Academics Performance Series tests).
For more information on PEP, click here.
Award Amounts
The scholarship award amount is based on the student's county and grade level and is determined by a statutory formula. Scholarship award amounts may be prorated, if applicable, based on the student’s award.
The 2025-26 award amounts are not available at this time. They should be released later in the summer. The 2024-25 award amounts are below.
Funding
Using Your PEP Funds
Families use EMA (Education Market Assistant) to manage their student’s account.
Funds for the 2025-26 school year can be used for any approved items or services purchased on or after July 1, 2025. Funds cannot be used for purchases made in previous years.
Reimbursements for purchases during the school year (July 1, 2025 - June 30, 2026) must be submitted no later than August 31, 2026.
Keep track of your student’s scholarship balance. You may be responsible for any funds owed to schools or providers beyond what is available in your student’s account.
Don't Risk It!
We strongly encourage our FTC, FES-EO and PEP scholarship families to read the PEP Family Handbook. The handbook includes important resources on how to use your scholarship.
Families should also be familiar with the PEP Purchasing Guidelines, which includes which items/services are preapproved.
Funding is not guaranteed!
The parent/guardian applies for multiple scholarships under the Family Empowerment Scholarship and the Florida Tax Credit Scholarship programs for an individual student at the same time.
The student is enrolled on a full-time basis in a Florida public school, including the Florida Virtual School, the Florida School For The Deaf and Blind, the College-Preparatory Boarding Academy, the Florida School for Competitive Academics, the Florida Scholars Academy, a developmental research school, a charter school, or any other Florida public school as they are ineligible to receive a Family Empowerment Scholarship or a Florida Tax Credit scholarship. If the student is enrolled in a public school on a full-time basis during the 2025-26 school year, it will result in forfeiture of scholarship participation and the return of any remaining scholarship funds. This does not prohibit students using the Family Empowerment Scholarship or Florida Tax Credit Scholarship from attending one or more of these programs on a part-time basis, provided they are meeting regular school attendance requirements listed in s. 1003.01(16)(b)-(d), F.S. in some other way. Any participation in a public school on a part-time basis while receiving a scholarship must be paid for by the guardian using either personal or scholarship funds. A scholarship student may not be reported for state funding by a school district and receive a scholarship at the same time.
A post-award audit determines the student is not eligible. Additional information and/or documentation related to the application may be requested at any time post-award for auditing purposes.
You fail to comply with the provisions of the FTC, FES-EO or PEP scholarships or any parental obligations for the program, including fraudulent application, purchasing, or reimbursement activity.
You share your user ID and password with anyone (including schools or providers). Allowing schools and/or providers to access your account may put your scholarship in jeopardy of being misused.
Additional Details:
After the first year of using the Florida Tax Credit Scholarship and the Family Empowerment Scholarship for Educational Options, your student may continue participating in the scholarship program until he or she graduates from high school or returns to public school – regardless of changes to your income. Parents/guardians must apply annually to continue using the scholarship.
No Longer Interested?
Have you decided that you no longer want the PEP scholarship and would like to use the Private School option? Please contact us at 1-877-735-7837 so we can quickly and accurately complete this change request for you.
Have you decided you no longer want the PEP scholarship or would like to apply for a Unique Abilities scholarship or Transportation Stipend? Log in to EMA and use the “Decline” button. Please allow up to 24 hours for your request to be processed. An application for another scholarship cannot be submitted until your student reflects as declined in EMA.
2023-2024 | ||
| Persons in family/household | Priority 1 up to 185% | Priority 2 185%-400% |
| 1 | Up to $26,973 | Up to $58,320 |
| 2 | $36,482 | $78,880 |
| 3 | $45,991 | $99,440 |
| 4 | $55,500 | $120,000 |
| 5 | $65,009 | $140,560 |
| 6 | $74,518 | $161,120 |
| 7 | $84,027 | $181,680 |
| 8 | $93,536 | $202,240 |
| 9 | $103,045 | $222,800 |
| 10 | $112,554 | $243,360 |
| 11 | $122,063 | $263,920 |
| Each additional member +$9,509 | Each additional member +$20,560 | |
| Based on guidelines published by the Department of Health & Human Services in National Registry on January 2023 | ||