Personalized Education Program (PEP) Details (Florida)

What is the Personalized Education Program (PEP)
The PEP is a new Education Savings Account (ESA) established by the Florida Legislature for the 2023-2024 school term. Most of the details of the progam is in language that has been added to the Florida Tax Scholarship (FTC). The FTC is a scholarship fund managed by one of two (SFO) or Scholarship Funding Organizations. The SFO collects donations from a Florida business for which the business receives a tax credit. The SFO then administers the ESA for the students that have been approved for the scholarship. This is the first ESA that has been approved specificly for students that are homeschooled, that do not qualify for the FES-UA.

Below are excerpts from the legislation that goes into effect on July 1st, 2023.

Who can receive a PEP Scholarship?
A parent of a student may request and receive from the state (Florida) a scholarship for the purposes specified in paragraph (4)(a) if the student is a resident of this state (Florida) and is eligible to enroll in kindergarten through grade 12 in a public school in this state (Florida).

Applications for the scholarship will go through the approved SFO's which are:
Step Up for Students (SUFS) and
AAA Scholarship Foundation.

Priority must be given in the following order:
    a. A student whose household income level does not exceed 185 percent of the federal poverty level or who is in foster care or out-of-home care.
    b. A student whose household income level exceeds 185 percent of the federal poverty level, but does not exceed 400 percent of the federal poverty level.

Authorized Uses of Program Funds:
    1. Tuition and fees at an eligible private school.; or
    2. Transportation to a Florida public school in which a student is enrolled and that is different from the school to which the student was assigned or to a lab school as defined in s. 1002.32. 290
    3. Instructional materials, including digital materials and Internet resources.
    4. Curriculum as defined in subsection (2).
    5. Tuition and fees associated with full-time or part-time enrollment in an eligible postsecondary educational institution or a program offered by the postsecondary educational institution, unless the program is subject to s. 1009.25 or reimbursed pursuant to s. 1009.30; an approved preapprenticeship program as defined in s. 446.021(5) which is not subject to s. 1009.25 and complies with all applicable requirements of the department pursuant to chapter 1005; a private tutoring program authorized under s. 1002.43; a virtual program offered by a department-approved private online provider that meets the provider qualifications specified in s. 1002.45(2)(a); the Florida Virtual School as a private paying student; or an approved online course offered pursuant to s. 1003.499 or s. 306 1004.0961. department pursuant to chapter 1005; a private tutoring program authorized under s. 1002.43; a virtual program offered by a department-approved private online provider that meets the provider qualifications specified in s. 1002.45(2)(a); the Florida Virtual School as a private paying student; or an approved online course offered pursuant to s. 1003.499 or s. 306 1004.0961.
    6. Fees for nationally standardized, norm-referenced achievement tests, Advanced Placement Examinations, industry certification examinations, assessments related to postsecondary education, or other assessments.
    7. Contracted services provided by a public school or school district, including classes. A student who receives contracted services under this subparagraph is not considered enrolled in a public school for eligibility purposes as specified in subsection (6) but rather attending a public school on a part-time basis as authorized under s. 1002.44.
    8. Tuition and fees for part-time tutoring services or fees for services provided by a choice navigator. Such services must be provided by a person who holds a valid Florida educator's certificate pursuant to s. 1012.56, a person who holds an adjunct teaching certificate pursuant to s. 1012.57, a person who has a bachelor's degree or a graduate degree in the subject area in which instruction is given, a person who has demonstrated a mastery of subject area knowledge pursuant to s. 1012.56(5), or a person certified by a nationally or internationally recognized research-based training program as approved by the department. As used in this subparagraph, the term "part-time tutoring services" does not qualify as regular school attendance as defined in s. 1003.01(13)(e)

Parent Responsibilities:
    1. Apply to an eligible nonprofit scholarship-funding organization to participate in the program by a date set by the organization. The request must be communicated directly to the organization in a manner that creates a written or electronic record of the request and the date of receipt of the request.
    2. Sign an agreement with the organization and annually submit a sworn compliance statement to the organization to satisfy or maintain program eligibility, including eligibility to receive and spend program payments by:
        a. Affirming that the student is enrolled in a program that meets regular school attendance requirements as provided in s. 1003.01(13)(b), (c), or (d).
        b. Affirming that the program funds are used only for authorized purposes serving the student's educational needs, as described in paragraph (4)(b); that any prepaid college plan or college savings plan funds contributed pursuant to subparagraph (4)(b)6. will not be transferred to another beneficiary while the plan contains funds contributed pursuant to this section; and that they will not receive a payment, refund, or rebate of any funds provided under this section.
        c. Affirming that the parent is responsible for all eligible expenses in excess of the amount of the scholarship and for the education of his or her student by, as applicable:
            (I) Requiring the student to take an assessment in 681 accordance with paragraph (9)(c);
            (II) Providing an annual evaluation in accordance with s. 683 1002.41(1)(f); or
            (III) Requiring the child to take any preassessments and postassessments selected by the provider if the child is 4 years of age and is enrolled in a program provided by an eligible Voluntary Prekindergarten Education Program provider. A student with disabilities for whom the physician or psychologist who 689 issued the diagnosis or the IEP team determines that a 690 preassessment and postassessment is not appropriate is exempt from this requirement. A participating provider shall report a student's scores to the parent.
        d. Affirming that the student remains in good standing with the provider or school if those options are selected by the parent.
        e. Enrolling his or her child in a program from a Voluntary Prekindergarten Education Program provider authorized under s. 1002.55, a school readiness provider authorized under s. 1002.88, or an eligible private school if either option is selected by the parent.
        f. Renewing participation in the program each year. A student whose participation in the program is not renewed may continue to spend scholarship funds that are in his or her account from prior years unless the account must be closed pursuant to subparagraph (5)(b)3. Notwithstanding any changes to the student's IEP, a student who was previously eligible for participation in the program shall remain eligible to apply for renewal. However, for a high-risk child to continue to participate in the program in the school year after he or she reaches 6 years of age, the child's application for renewal of program participation must contain documentation that the child has a disability defined in paragraph (2)(e) paragraph (2)(d) other than high-risk status.
        g. Procuring the services necessary to educate the student. If such services include enrollment in an eligible private school, the parent must meet with the private school's principal or the principal's designee to review the school's academic programs and policies, specialized services, code of student conduct, and attendance policies before his or her student is enrolled.