What's New for Step Up For Students Families in 2026–27
—3 min read —By Titan Dispatch
AI-assisted summary, read by Lewis Prep staff before publishing. Every claim links to its original source below.
A plain-language rundown of the scholarship changes that took effect July 1, 2026, from new award amounts to a hybrid-learning option for FES-UA students.
Several changes to Florida’s K–12 scholarship programs took effect on July 1, 2026, according to Step Up For Students, a nonprofit that administers many of the state’s scholarships. Here’s what families should know.
Award amounts for 2026–27. Award amounts for the Personalized Education Program (PEP), the Family Empowerment Scholarship for Educational Options (FES-EO), the Florida Tax Credit Scholarship (FTC) and the Family Empowerment Scholarship for Students with Unique Abilities (FES-UA) are set by the state budget, and Step Up has posted the 2026–27 amounts on its website. One thing that can cause confusion: Step Up says its EMA account system may keep showing last year’s (2025–26) amounts until it’s updated.
A hybrid-learning option for FES-UA. Students on FES-UA can now meet private-school contact requirements through a hybrid model: teacher contact at a physical location at least two school days a week, plus a Student Learning Plan that covers the rest of their instructional time.
Transportation stipends. Funding stays at $3 million for 2026–27, the same as last year. Step Up says all stipends must be paid out to recipients by December 15, 2026.
New Worlds Scholarship Accounts. There are no new New Worlds awards for 2026–27. Families who already have an account can keep using the money they have left, but accounts with no spending between July 1, 2026 and June 30, 2027 will close, and unspent funds go back to the state.
A new way to support scholarships. People who buy or register heavy trucks up to 8,000 lbs can now direct up to $105 of their vehicle sales tax to Step Up For Students at no extra cost. That money funds FTC and PEP scholarships.
What it means for your family: if your award in EMA looks different from what you expected, check Step Up’s posted 2026–27 amounts before you budget. Questions about using a Step Up For Students scholarship at Lewis Prep? Email [email protected].
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