Florida has more homeschool students than almost any other state — over 155,000 families are registered homeschoolers, and hundreds of thousands more participate in virtual schools and hybrid education models. If you are one of those families, you probably already know that Florida offers generous education scholarships. What you might not know is how well those scholarships cover online technology education: coding classes, game design, digital art, and other tech subjects that most homeschool parents cannot teach themselves. Let us walk through which programs work, how to apply, and how families are actually using the funds.
Which Florida Scholarships Cover Tech Classes?
Florida has multiple scholarship programs, but not all are equally relevant for homeschool tech education. Here are the three that matter most:
FES-UA (Family Empowerment Scholarship for Unique Abilities)
Best for: Homeschool families with a child who has a documented disability (autism, ADHD, learning disability, speech impairment, etc.). FES-UA provides $10,000 to $34,000 per year per student depending on diagnosis and needs. There is currently no waitlist, and applications are accepted year-round through Step Up for Students. This is the single most powerful scholarship for tech education in Florida because the funding amount is so high — even at the minimum $10,000 award, a family can cover 150+ sessions of 1-on-1 coding instruction per year.
PEP (Personalized Education Program)
Best for: All homeschool families, regardless of disability status. PEP provides approximately $8,000 per year per student. The catch: PEP has hit its 140,000-student cap and is currently waitlisted as of early 2026. However, spots do open throughout the year as families leave the program or fail to use their allocations. Apply and get on the waitlist — you may be activated faster than expected.
If your child has any documented disability — even a mild one like a 504 plan for ADHD — apply for FES-UA first. The funding is 2-4x higher than PEP and there is no waitlist. You can always apply for PEP as a backup, but FES-UA is the stronger play.
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Step Up for Students
Step Up for Students is not a separate scholarship — it is the nonprofit that administers PEP, FES-UA, and several other Florida scholarship programs. When you apply for PEP or FES-UA, your application goes through Step Up. They also maintain a marketplace of approved providers, process payments, and handle compliance. Think of Step Up as the middleman between your scholarship funds and the educational services you want to purchase.
How to Apply: The Practical Steps
- Go to stepupforstudents.org and create a parent account.
- Choose the scholarship you are applying for (FES-UA if your child has a disability, PEP if not).
- Upload required documentation: proof of Florida residency, student's birth certificate, and (for FES-UA) documentation of disability such as an IEP, 504 plan, or medical diagnosis.
- Complete the application. Step Up will review it within 2-4 weeks.
- Once approved, you receive access to a spending account. FES-UA funds are available almost immediately; PEP may require waiting for a slot to open.
- Search for approved providers or request that your preferred provider join the Step Up marketplace.
What Homeschool Families Actually Spend Scholarship Funds On
Based on conversations with hundreds of Florida homeschool families, here are the most common ways families use their scholarship funds for tech education:
- Weekly 1-on-1 coding or game design classes ($55-$65/session) — this is the most common use
- Technology equipment — laptops, tablets, drawing tablets for digital art
- Software subscriptions — Adobe Creative Suite, Unity Pro, curriculum platforms
- Standardized testing fees to satisfy Florida's annual evaluation requirement
- Supplemental STEM curriculum and textbooks
- Summer intensive programs and tech camps
Tips from Experienced Florida Scholarship Families
- Start the application process in January or February for the following school year. The earlier you apply, the sooner you get funds.
- Save every receipt and invoice. Florida conducts audits and you need documentation for every dollar spent.
- Use a dedicated email address for your Step Up account so nothing gets lost in your personal inbox.
- If your preferred provider is not on the Step Up marketplace, contact them directly — many providers accept scholarship payments through direct invoicing.
- Join Florida homeschool Facebook groups. Parents share provider recommendations, troubleshooting tips, and deadline reminders constantly.
Tech Tails works with scholarship families across Florida, Arizona, and Utah. We handle the invoicing process and make it simple to use your FES-UA or PEP funds for 1-on-1 coding, game design, and digital art classes. Book a free trial — no scholarship funds required — to see if it is the right fit before committing.
Florida homeschool families have access to some of the most generous education funding in the country. If you are not using those funds to give your child access to professional-quality tech education, you are leaving money on the table. Whether your child wants to learn Python, build Roblox games, create 3D art, or explore AI, there is a scholarship program that will cover it. The application takes less than an hour. The return on that hour could shape your child's future.
