Last verified: October 2026
Can a Broward family pay for speech-language therapy with Florida scholarship money?
It depends on the program: Unique Abilities: eligible; PEP: not eligible; Private School Scholarship: not eligible. Florida statute names speech-language pathology as one of the specialized services a Unique Abilities student can receive.
What are the rules for speech-language therapy in 2026-27?
These rules come from Step Up's 2026-27 purchasing guides and its September 16, 2026 summary of changes.
- A Florida Department of Health license, APD approval or SIS provider approval is required of the therapist.
- Insurance or an HSA that already covered a session rules out billing it to the account.
- Credentialed therapists may deliver sessions virtually from out of state.
What is not allowed for speech-language therapy?
The items below are excluded or need approval first.
- Doctor visits, medical exams and medical devices outside the listed services
- Services billed to insurance as well
How do Broward families use speech-language therapy?
77 Some Broward private schools tell the state they serve speech or language impairment. A family may choose one of them and still hire an outside speech-language pathologist from the same FES-UA account.
How does a Broward family pay for speech-language therapy?
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 speech-language therapy, and which do not?
Each program treats speech-language therapy differently, and the table gives the status for all three.
| Program | Status | What the rule says |
|---|---|---|
| Unique Abilities (FES-UA) | Eligible | The provider must be a speech-language pathologist holding a Department of Health license, an Agency for Persons with Disabilities approval or Specialized Instructional Services (SIS) approval, and sessions may be held in a clinic or over video. |
| PEP (home-directed ESA) | Not eligible | PEP does not pay for licensed therapies; a child who needs them usually belongs on FES-UA. |
| Private School Scholarship (FTC/FES-EO) | Not eligible | Not a permitted category, except where a school bills it as a fee for services during the school day. |
Related questions
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- How much is the Broward award by grade?
- What can PEP and FES-UA pay for overall?
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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.