More than 500,000 Florida students have a Step Up scholarship this school year, and each award is worth roughly $8,000 to $10,000. Most private school scholarship money pays tuition. But families on the Unique Abilities scholarship and PEP can spend on tutoring, courses, therapies, and programs, and that's where teachers come in.
I see this from both sides. I'm a special education teacher and an approved Step Up provider, and I'm a Step Up parent too. When I'm choosing help for my own children, I'm looking at the same things every scholarship parent is: who is qualified, what will actually help, and how easy it is to book and pay.
So instead of guessing, I went to the data. Below are the official 2026-27 amounts, Step Up's own spending numbers, and national research on what parents want right now.
Source: Step Up For Students, Research and Reports. Step Up's separate FES-UA fact sheet lists 147,728 funded students for 2025-26, so the exact count depends on the date it was taken.
How much can families spend in 2026-27?
Award amounts are set each year by the Florida Legislature and vary by county and grade. Here are Step Up's published ranges for 2026-27:
| Scholarship | Grades | 2026-27 amount |
|---|---|---|
| Private school (FTC, FES-EO) and PEP | K–3 | $8,238 – $12,217 |
| 4–8 | $7,654 – $11,617 | |
| 9–12 | $7,463 – $11,421 | |
| Unique Abilities (FES-UA) | K–12 | Average of about $10,000; varies by county, grade, and need level |
Sources: FTC, FES-EO and PEP award amounts · FES-UA scholarship page · FES-UA award amounts
Not every program can be spent the same way. Private school scholarships mainly cover tuition. PEP and the Unique Abilities scholarship work more like an education account, so families can spend on a wider list of approved services, including tutoring and courses. Many families also have a smaller New Worlds reading or math account that can pay for tutoring.
Where does the money actually go?
Step Up publishes how families spend their funds. These two programs give teachers the clearest picture, because families choose how to use the money.
Unique Abilities (FES-UA): $1.03 billion spent in 2024-25
Source: Step Up For Students, FES-UA fast facts. Percentages calculated from the reported dollar amounts; smaller categories not shown.
After tuition, the biggest category is curriculum, courses, and instructional materials: $275.9 million. Families of children with unique abilities also spent $43.5 million on part-time tutoring and about $50 million on speech, ABA, occupational, and other therapies in a single year.
Personalized Education Program (PEP): $79.9 million spent in 2023-24
Source: Step Up For Students, PEP fact sheet. Percentages calculated from the reported dollar amounts.
PEP families are home educating, and almost all of their money goes to curriculum and courses. PEP has grown fast since then, to more than 76,000 students this year.
Families spend differently the longer they stay
A study of Florida's Gardiner Scholarship (the program that became today's Unique Abilities scholarship) followed more than 32,000 student-years. The share of spending that went to things other than tuition grew from 22% in 2015 to 42% in 2019, and families who stayed in the program longer spent less of their money on tuition. In other words, once families learn what's possible, many start building their own mix of services.
Want families to find you?
In my December Done-For-You program, we build your website and your offer so scholarship families can see exactly what you do and how to book. Limited scholarships available.
What parents are looking for right now
Tutors
In an October 2025 national EdChoice and Morning Consult survey, 19% of parents said their child was getting tutoring, and another 24% were looking or planning to look soon. Parents in that research said they'd be willing to pay an average of $357 a month for tutoring (what they'd pay, not what they spend), and interest topped 55% among special education parents.
Source: EdChoice, "A Kaleidoscope View of K–12 Tutoring in America" (2025)
Microschools
An EdChoice poll found that about 1 in 10 school parents already has a child in a microschool, and 41% want to learn more when it's described as a small learning environment of fewer than 25 students. What do they want most? 83% want state-licensed educators. That's you.
Source: EdChoice and Morning Consult, April 2024
What I look for as a Step Up parent
- A clear description of what you teach, for which grades, and what progress looks like
- Proof you're qualified, in plain words, not just a list of acronyms
- Easy booking and a quick reply
- Simple updates so I know the money is helping
What this means for teachers
Courses and curriculum are the biggest open door
After tuition, it's where Unique Abilities families spend the most, and it's nearly everything PEP families buy. A structured program with a clear start, end, and goal may fit how these families already spend. Each service has to be approved under the right Step Up category, so check the official service categories chart before you build your offer, and never label a service as something it isn't.
Tutoring is real money, and it's specific
$43.5 million went to part-time tutoring in one program in one year. Parents choose specific help: "reading support for K–3" beats "tutoring."
Special education skills are in demand
About $50 million went to therapies, and special education parents are among the most interested in tutoring. If you're a SPED teacher, your experience is exactly what many of these families are searching for.
Credentials are your advantage
Parents want licensed educators. If you're a certified teacher, say so clearly on your website and in your Step Up listing.
Your next step
Pick the one area above that fits you best and write a one-sentence offer for it. If you haven't started the provider process yet, my step-by-step guide walks you through it: How to Become a Step Up for Students Provider in Florida.
And if you want your website and offer built with you, so families can find you and book you, that's what my December program is for.
Your teacher business, built for you
Website and offer built with you, plus flexible payment plans. Limited scholarships for qualifying teachers and moms. I reply to every application within 2 days.
Sources
- Step Up For Students, Research and Reports (2025-26 enrollment)
- Step Up For Students, 2026-27 FTC, FES-EO and PEP award amounts
- Step Up For Students, Unique Abilities scholarship
- Step Up For Students, FES-UA fast facts (2024-25 spending)
- Step Up For Students, PEP fact sheet (2023-24 spending)
- Lofton & Lueken (2021), Distribution of ESA Usage Among Families: Evidence from the Florida Gardiner Program
- EdChoice (2025), A Kaleidoscope View of K–12 Tutoring in America
- EdChoice (2024), Poll Suggests 10% of School Parents Are Microschooling Their Kids
This article shares my own experience and publicly available information from Step Up for Students and published research. Amounts and rules change every school year, so always confirm current details with Step Up. It is not legal, tax, or financial advice, and it is not affiliated with or endorsed by Step Up for Students.
Special education teacher, approved Step Up provider, Step Up parent of three scholarship students, and founder of Teacher to CEO Academy. I help teachers and moms turn what they already know into income, without the tech overwhelm. teachertoceo.org