Private school tuition (rules differ by program) with Florida ESA and scholarship funds
What is covered, conditions and how to pay
| Field | PEP | Unique Abilities | Private School Scholarship |
|---|---|---|---|
| Status | Covered with conditions. Part-time or approved hybrid only; full-time private school is not allowed. | Covered with conditions. Participating private schools covered, full- or part-time; hybrid by reimbursement. | Covered with conditions. Full-time tuition at a participating private school, paid before anything else. |
| Conditions | Eligible private school; student may not attend full-time. PEP Hybrid schools allowed (in person at least two days a week with a Student Learning Plan). | School must meet state criteria and elect to participate in FES with FLDOE; parent meets the principal or designee; Hybrid eligible private schools added for 2026-27. | Student educated full-time at the physical location of an eligible participating private school; enrollment through EMA; tuition and fees committed quarterly before any other use. |
| Limits | Only listed fees are eligible (e.g., application, registration, book, test, technology, uniform fees). Application and registration fees may be paid in the preceding fiscal year. | Agreed tuition may not exceed the school's published rate for the grade; only listed fees eligible. | Agreed rate may not exceed the school's published rate; the family pays any amount above the award or uses rollover funds; a school that has the student for at least ten days in a quarter gets the full quarter's payment. |
| Payment routes | Direct pay through EMA, Reimbursement | Direct pay through EMA, Reimbursement | Direct pay through EMA, Reimbursement |
| Documentation | Itemized invoice and proof of payment: school name and address, student's legal name, time period, school year, published rates, method of payment. | Itemized invoice and proof of payment per UA-HB; direct-billed quarterly invoices approved by school and parent. | School invoices approved by the parent in EMA; for reimbursement, itemized invoice and proof of payment. |
| Not allowed | Full-time enrollment in a traditional private school; annual funds; before or after-school care; food fees; fundraising, donation or volunteer waiver fees; optional fees; credit card fees on tuition invoices; payments to non-participating schools. | Annual funds; before or after school care; food fees; fundraising, donation or volunteer waiver fees; optional fees; shoes and accessories. | Annual funds; food fees; fundraising, donation or volunteer waiver fees; optional fees; before or after-school care; credit card fees on tuition invoices. |
| Example | Individual classes or extracurricular activities at an eligible private school | Application fee | Registration fee |
| Source | 2026-27 PEP Purchasing Guide, Tuition & Fees At An Eligible Private School (version Last Modified October 7, 2026). Checked 2026-10-15. | FES-UA Purchasing Guidelines 2026-2027, Tuition and Fees at an Eligible Private School, pp. 13-15 (version 2026-2027, July 1, 2026). Checked 2026-10-15. | 2026-27 Private School Family Handbook (FTC/FES-EO), Direct Payment To Eligible Private Schools > Full-Time Eligible Private School Students (version Last Modified September 16, 2026). Checked 2026-10-15. |
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