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