How to Use the FES-UA Scholarship for Homeschool Expenses in Florida

How to Use the FES-UA Scholarship for Homeschool Expenses in Florida

If your child has a diagnosis and you are homeschooling in Florida, there is money on the table that most families do not know about.

The FES-UA scholarship is a state-funded education savings account that averages around $10,000 per year for children with qualifying disabilities. It can be used for ABA therapy, speech therapy, occupational therapy, curriculum, tutoring, umbrella school tuition, and more. It is one of the most flexible education funding programs in the country and Florida families who qualify have access to it right now.

I am Genesis Pruna, a Board Certified Behavior Analyst and the founder of Brightseed Academy of Learning, a Florida DOE-listed umbrella school for homeschool families. I work specifically with families whose children have ADHD, autism, dyslexia, anxiety, and other learning differences. I see confusion around this scholarship constantly, so I want to walk you through everything you need to know in plain language.

What is the FES-UA scholarship

FES-UA stands for Family Empowerment Scholarship for Students with Unique Abilities. It was created by the Florida legislature in 2021 and is administered through Step Up For Students and AAA Scholarships, two state-approved scholarship funding organizations.

The scholarship creates an education savings account in your child's name. Florida deposits funds quarterly and you direct how the money is spent on approved educational expenses. You are not locked into one specific school or service. The money follows your child and your family decides how to use it.

The average award is around $10,000 per year. The actual amount depends on your child's grade level, your county, and your child's matrix level based on their IEP. Children with higher support needs receive significantly more. Students at matrix levels 254 and 255 can see awards averaging between $22,000 and $34,000 per year.

Who qualifies

To qualify, your child must be a Florida resident, between ages 3 and 22 or through 12th grade, and have a qualifying disability documented by a licensed physician or psychologist, or have a current IEP.

The list of qualifying conditions is broad. It includes autism spectrum disorder, ADHD under the other health impairment category, dyslexia, dyscalculia, intellectual disabilities, speech and language impairments, emotional or behavioral disabilities, cerebral palsy, Down syndrome, and many others.

One important note is that a 504 plan alone is not enough to qualify. Your child needs either a formal diagnosis from a licensed medical professional or a current IEP. If your child has a 504 but no diagnosis documentation, talk to your pediatrician or a psychologist about getting that in place.

Your child also cannot be enrolled full time in a public school while receiving FES-UA funds. Families need to be in a private school, an umbrella school, or a county-registered home education program to use the scholarship.

What the scholarship covers

This is where FES-UA really stands apart. The list of approved expenses is genuinely flexible and built for families like the ones I work with every day.

You can use the funds for ABA therapy, speech therapy, occupational therapy, and other specialized therapies from approved providers. You can also use them for curriculum and instructional materials, online learning programs, tutoring by a certified educator, specialized technology, standardized assessments, annual portfolio evaluations, and tuition and fees at an eligible private school.

For families homeschooling a child with ADHD or autism, this can mean having therapy services funded by the state while your child learns at home in an environment that actually works for their brain. That combination is genuinely powerful and it is exactly the kind of setup I help families build.

Funds are managed through the EMA portal, which is the Education Market Assistant platform through Step Up For Students. Providers need to be registered in that system to receive direct payment. You can also pay out of pocket for approved expenses and submit for reimbursement.

How FES-UA works with an umbrella school

One of the most common questions I hear from families is whether they can use FES-UA funds and also enroll in an umbrella school. The answer is yes, and it is one of the most powerful combinations available to Florida homeschool families right now.

When your child enrolls in an umbrella school, they become a private school student under Florida law. Tuition and fees at a private school that is registered with the Florida Department of Education and listed in the FLDOE Private School Directory are an approved FES-UA expense.

Brightseed Academy of Learning is registered with the Florida DOE and listed in the Florida Private Schools Directory. That means families enrolled at Brightseed who hold a qualifying FES-UA scholarship can use those funds toward Brightseed tuition and fees, in addition to using remaining funds for therapies, curriculum, and other approved services.

In practical terms this means a family could use their FES-UA scholarship to cover Brightseed enrollment, continue receiving ABA therapy or speech therapy through approved providers, purchase curriculum materials, and still have funds available for assessments and other educational expenses. All from one scholarship account.

If you want to understand exactly how to set this up for your child's specific situation, including how to sequence the scholarship application and umbrella school enrollment, that is exactly what we work through together in a strategy session.

How to apply for FES-UA

Applications for the 2026-27 school year are open now. New applications are accepted through November 15, 2026. Apply as early as possible because the program has a participation cap and earlier applications receive priority processing.

First, create an account at stepupforstudents.org or aaascholarships.org. Both are approved scholarship funding organizations and either can administer your child's account.

Second, gather your documents before you start. You will need proof of your child's age, proof of Florida residency such as a utility bill or lease, and documentation of your child's qualifying diagnosis from a licensed physician or psychologist, or a copy of their current IEP.

Third, complete the application online and upload all required documents. The process takes roughly 20 to 30 minutes if your documents are ready. After submitting you will receive a confirmation email and processing typically takes four to six weeks.

Once approved, you will receive an award ID and access to your child's ESA. Funds deposit quarterly and you manage everything through the EMA platform.

A few things to keep in mind

Apply early. Priority goes to renewing students first, then to new applicants in the order they applied. Do not wait until fall to start the process for the upcoming school year.

Confirm your therapy and service providers are registered in EMA before committing to use scholarship funds for their services. Provider approval takes time and you do not want gaps in your child's schedule.

Keep records of everything. Every receipt, invoice, and approval. If you pay out of pocket and submit for reimbursement, documentation is required.

You can only hold one Step Up scholarship at a time. For most families in this community, FES-UA is the right choice because it offers the highest average award and the most flexibility for children with disabilities.

The bottom line

If your child has a qualifying diagnosis and you are homeschooling in Florida, this scholarship is worth pursuing. Around $10,000 a year toward therapies, curriculum, and educational services is significant money, and for families enrolled in an eligible umbrella school, those funds can cover tuition too.

The best homeschool setups I see are the ones where families have both the right legal framework and access to the right support services. FES-UA helps fund the services and the school. An umbrella school like Brightseed handles the legal structure and the ongoing support. When those two things work together, families can build something genuinely tailored to their child.

If you want to talk through how this could work for your family, including how to apply, what your child might qualify for, and how to set everything up from the start, book a 45-minute strategy session here: https://brightseedacademyoflearning.as.me/?appointmentType=90455074

Or if you want to start with a free overview of Florida's homeschool options and what changes when you enroll in an umbrella school, grab the Florida Starter Kit here: https://brightseed-academy-of-learning.kit.com/8b2e528464

Homeschooling a Child with ADHD: What Actually Works According to a BCBA

Homeschooling a Child with ADHD: What Actually Works According to a BCBA

If you have ever Googled tips for homeschooling a child with ADHD you have probably seen the same advice recycled on every website you visit. Keep lessons short. Use a timer. Allow movement breaks. Let them follow their interests.

All of that is true. None of it is enough.

As a Board Certified Behavior Analyst who has spent nearly a decade working directly with children who have ADHD, I want to give you something more useful than a list of tips. I want to explain what is actually happening in your child's brain during a hard learning moment and why certain approaches work while others backfire even when they seem logical.

Because once you understand the why, the what becomes a lot clearer.

First, let's talk about what ADHD actually is

ADHD is not an attention problem in the way most people think about it. Your child is not incapable of paying attention. If you have ever watched your child spend three hours completely absorbed in a video game, a Lego build, or whatever they are currently obsessed with, you already know this.

ADHD is an executive function disorder. Executive function is the set of mental skills that help us plan, start tasks, manage time, regulate emotions, and shift between activities. In children with ADHD those skills are developmentally delayed, typically by about two to three years compared to their peers.

What that means in practical terms is that a 10-year-old with ADHD may have the executive function capacity of a 7 or 8 year old. They are not being defiant when they cannot sit still and complete a worksheet. Their brain genuinely does not yet have the wiring to do it the way you are asking.

This one reframe changes everything about how you approach homeschooling.

The biggest mistake most parents make

The most common mistake I see homeschool parents make with ADHD kids is trying to replicate the structure of a traditional school day at home.

I understand why. It feels organized. It feels like real school. But here is the problem. That structure was designed for neurotypical learners in a group setting where one teacher manages 25 children. It was never designed for a child with ADHD. Taking that structure into your home does not fix the problem. It brings the problem with it.

Your child does not need more discipline. They need an environment that works with their brain instead of against it.

That is a completely different goal, and it leads to completely different strategies.

What actually works: building the right environment

Everything in this section comes from behavior science and from real experience sitting across from kids who were told they were lazy, defiant, or just not trying hard enough. They were not any of those things. They were working incredibly hard in a system that was not built for them.

Here is what I actually use.

Short work periods with predictable breaks

ADHD brains have a harder time sustaining focus on demand. But they are not incapable of focus. The key is working with the natural rhythm of attention rather than fighting it.

Try 10 to 15 minute work blocks followed by a short movement break. This is not a reward system. It is just good brain science. Movement increases dopamine and norepinephrine, which are the exact neurotransmitters ADHD brains have less access to. You are not letting them off the hook. You are refueling the engine.

Remove the blank page problem

Task initiation, the ability to start a task without a lot of prompting or delay, is one of the most affected executive function skills in ADHD. The blank page, the empty worksheet, the open-ended assignment, all of those create a starting problem that looks like resistance but is actually a neurological barrier.

Lower the starting cost. Give them the first word of a sentence to complete. Start the math problem together and hand it off halfway through. Use templates, checklists, and partially filled-in materials. The goal is to get the brain moving because a brain in motion is easier to keep in motion.

Use first/then framing instead of threats

First/then is one of the most useful tools from applied behavior analysis and it works beautifully at home. Instead of "do your math or you lose screen time," try "first math, then you can have your screen time."

The difference is subtle but the effect is significant. The first version is a threat. The second version is a roadmap. ADHD kids often do better when they can see exactly what comes next because the anticipation of the preferred activity actually helps with motivation and follow-through.

Make the schedule visual and static

Verbal schedules require working memory to hold onto. Working memory is significantly impaired in ADHD. A written or visual schedule on the wall removes the memory demand entirely.

Keep it simple. Three to five items per day maximum. Check them off as they go. The act of checking something off provides a small dopamine hit that ADHD brains genuinely respond to.

Reinforce the behavior, not the outcome

This is where a behavior science background really matters. Most parents praise outcomes. "Great job finishing your math!" But if finishing math took 45 minutes of meltdowns and prompting, praising the finished page misses what actually needs to be reinforced.

Praise and acknowledge the behaviors that lead to success. Sitting down when asked. Starting without a reminder. Taking a breath instead of throwing the pencil. Trying again after getting frustrated. Those behaviors are what you want to grow, and they grow when you notice them.

What about curriculum

The curriculum matters less than most parents think. What matters more is the format.

ADHD learners typically do better with short chunks over long units, immediate feedback over delayed grading, movement-based learning when possible, audio and video options alongside reading, and high-interest topics whenever there is flexibility.

If you are using a curriculum that feels like a constant battle, the issue is usually not your child's effort. It is often a format mismatch. Switching to something with shorter lessons and more built-in interactivity can change everything without requiring a complete overhaul of your approach.

A note on hard days

Some days will fall apart. Your child will hit a wall by 10am. You will run out of patience by noon. The lesson you planned will not happen.

Build a minimum floor for your school day before those days come. Decide in advance what counts as a successful school day on a hard day. Maybe it is one subject done. Maybe it is 20 minutes of reading together. Having that floor means you can hit it and stop without feeling like a failure.

ADHD kids pick up on adult stress and frustration and it makes regulation harder for them. Ending the hard day with something small and successful is worth more than forcing through a full schedule that ends in tears for both of you.

When to ask for more support

If you are consistently finding that strategies are not working, your child cannot access learning most days, or the emotional weight of homeschooling a child with ADHD is becoming unsustainable, that is a signal to get more support. Not because you are doing it wrong, but because some kids need a more individualized plan than general strategies can provide.

As a BCBA, I work with homeschool families to look at what is actually happening in their child's day, identify the specific functions of behavior that are getting in the way, and build a plan that is tailored to that child. That looks different for every family I work with.

If you want to talk through what that might look like for your child, you can book a 45-minute strategy session with me here

https://brightseedacademyoflearning.as.me/?appointmentType=90455074

The bottom line

Homeschooling a child with ADHD is genuinely hard. But it is also one of the best things you can do for them when it is done in a way that works with their brain.

The goal is not to create a school at home. The goal is to create a learning environment where your specific child can actually succeed. You have more flexibility to do that than any classroom teacher ever could. That flexibility is your superpower.

Use it.

If you are homeschooling a child who learns differently and want practical strategies grounded in behavior science, I put together a free guide specifically for families like yours. It covers learning environment setup, executive functioning support, curriculum fit, and more. You can grab it here: https://brightseed-academy-of-learning.kit.com/84cb0e259e

What Is a Florida Umbrella School and Do You Actually Need One?

When I tell people I run an umbrella school in Florida, I usually get one of two reactions. Either they have no idea what that means, or they think they know and they are half wrong.

So let me just explain it the way I would to a friend sitting across from me.

An umbrella school is a private school. That is it.

In Florida, there are a few different ways to legally educate your child at home. The most well-known option is registering directly with your county school district as a home education family. That is what most people picture when they think of homeschooling. You file a notice of intent, you keep a portfolio of your child's work, and once a year you have your child evaluated to show they are making progress.

That works for a lot of families. But it is not the only option.

The second option is to enroll your child in a private school that supports home-based education. In Florida these are called umbrella schools, cover schools, or sometimes 600 schools. When you enroll with an umbrella school, your child becomes a private school student under Florida law. That changes things significantly.

Here is what changes when you enroll with an umbrella school:

You do not file a notice of intent with your county. You do not need an annual evaluation. You do not submit anything to your school district. Your child's education is private, and the only people who have access to your records are you and the school you enrolled with.

You still provide the education at home. That part does not change. But the oversight structure is completely different and for most families, significantly simpler.

So why would you choose an umbrella school over just filing independently?

A few reasons come up over and over in the conversations I have with families.

Some parents want the peace of mind of knowing their paperwork is handled by someone who knows what they are doing. Filing a notice of intent sounds simple but it trips people up more than you would think. Wrong county, wrong format, missed deadline. When you are enrolled with an umbrella school, that is not your problem to manage.

Some parents want the private school designation specifically. It carries a different weight in certain situations, like applying for scholarships, enrolling in outside programs, or simply having an enrollment letter that says private school rather than homeschool.

And some parents, especially parents of children with ADHD, autism, anxiety, or other learning differences, want more than just paperwork. They want support. They want someone who understands how their child learns and can actually help them build a homeschool approach that works.

That last group is who I built Brightseed Academy of Learning for.

What makes Brightseed different from other Florida umbrella schools?

Most umbrella schools are administrative services. They handle your enrollment letter, they keep your records, and that is the extent of it. You are on your own for everything that actually matters, which is figuring out how to teach your child in a way that works for them.

I am a Board Certified Behavior Analyst with nearly a decade of experience working with children who have ADHD, autism, dyslexia, anxiety, and all kinds of learning differences. I am also a homeschool mom. When you enroll with Brightseed, you are not just getting your paperwork handled. You are getting access to someone who genuinely understands how your child's brain works and can help you build something that actually fits them.

That is not something you will find at most umbrella schools because most umbrella schools are not run by a BCBA.

Is an umbrella school right for your family?

It depends on a few things.

If you are comfortable managing your own paperwork, you have a clear curriculum plan, and you mostly just need your legal bases covered, filing independently with your county might work perfectly fine for you.

If you are new to homeschooling, if you are pulling your child out of public school for the first time, or if your child has learning differences that require more than a one-size-fits-all approach, an umbrella school with real support behind it is worth considering.

And if you are in Florida and you want to talk through which option makes more sense for your specific situation, I offer a free 15-minute call. No pressure, no sales pitch. Just an honest conversation about what is right for your family.

You can grab a time here: brightseedacademyoflearning.as.me

The bottom line:

A Florida umbrella school is a private school that covers your child's compulsory attendance requirement while you educate them at home. No notice of intent. No annual evaluation. No county oversight. Just you, your child, and a school that has your back.