Last verified: October 2026
Can a Broward family pay for school fees, uniforms & books with Florida scholarship money?
It depends on the program: Unique Abilities: eligible; PEP: conditional / pre-authorization; Private School Scholarship: eligible. At a Broward private school, the award goes to tuition before anything else, and an itemized list of fees can follow.
What are the rules for school fees, uniforms & books in 2026-27?
These rules come from Step Up's 2026-27 purchasing guides and its September 16, 2026 summary of changes.
- Next year's application and registration fees can be paid in the spring before.
- Uniform pieces must come from the vendor the school requires.
What is not allowed for school fees, uniforms & books?
The items below are excluded or need approval first.
- Fundraising or annual giving charges
- Charges for food
- Child care before or after school
- Fees the school labels optional
- Shoes and accessories
- Charges for managing the scholarship
How do Broward families use school fees, uniforms & books?
Request a fee schedule from each Broward school you compare, with scholarship-eligible items listed apart from items the family pays; the gap between schools can reach several hundred dollars a year.
How does a Broward family pay for school fees, uniforms & books?
Begin with MyScholarShop, where listed items need no further approval, and next try Find Providers in EMA so tutors, therapists and instructors are paid directly. If neither works, pay by card, save the itemized receipt and ask for reimbursement. Something the guides leave out must be approved before you buy it, and requests for 2026-27 approval stop on May 28, 2027.
Which programs allow school fees, uniforms & books, and which do not?
Each program treats school fees, uniforms & books differently, and the table gives the status for all three.
| Program | Status | What the rule says |
|---|---|---|
| Unique Abilities (FES-UA) | Eligible | Fees for academic services, activities, applications, athletics, books, clubs, graduation, registration, security, technology, testing and plain uniforms, along with charges tied to a student's individual needs. |
| PEP (home-directed ESA) | Conditional / pre-authorization | Part-time private school fees only, since a PEP student cannot be enrolled full time. A PEP hybrid student attends at least two full days a week in person. |
| Private School Scholarship (FTC/FES-EO) | Eligible | Tuition and the same allowed fees; the school enters the enrollment in EMA, and the parent signs off on each quarterly payment. |
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Based on the FES-UA Purchasing Guide (FCSUA and Step Up For Students) and the PEP Purchasing Guide for 2026-27, plus Step Up's "Program Handbooks and Purchasing Guides: Summary of Changes" dated September 16, 2026. Treat this as a plain-language summary and not legal advice, since the handbook of your funding organization governs.