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Can Step Up pay for zoo memberships? Florida field trip rules.

Field trips to science centers, aquariums, and zoos are staples of Florida homeschool education. Under the Florida Personalized Education Program (PEP), Step Up for Students authorizes zoo, aquarium, and museum admissions and annual memberships. However, Step Up enforces strict rules on family packages, requiring reimbursements to be prorated to the student's individual cost. Here is how the rules work, how to calculate proration, and what receipts must show in EMA.

  • ProgramFlorida PEP, through Step Up for Students
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For Florida PEP families whose scholarship is managed by Step Up for Students. Sourced from the official PEP Family Handbook and Step Up Purchasing Guide. Independent guide, not affiliated with Step Up; when anything here differs from Step Up’s current pages, Step Up is right.

A student observing marine biology exhibits at an aquarium during an educational homeschool field trip
Under Step Up’s PEP Purchasing Guide, aquarium, zoo, and museum admissions and memberships are eligible for student reimbursement.

Quick answers.

Can Florida PEP scholarship funds pay for zoo or museum memberships?
Yes. Step Up’s PEP Purchasing Guide explicitly includes aquarium, zoo, or museum admission and memberships under Field Trips & Other Activities Needed To Enhance Curriculum.
Can I get reimbursed for a family membership package?
Yes, but with proration. Step Up states that if using a family admission package, reimbursements will be prorated to cover only the scholarship student’s cost.
Are tickets bought on StubHub, SeatGeek, or resale sites reimbursable?
No. The PEP Purchasing Guide explicitly mandates that tickets must be purchased directly from the vendor or an authorized third-party seller, noting that secondary market or resale tickets are not reimbursable.
Does Step Up cover parking fees or meals during zoo and museum visits?
No. Transportation costs, parking fees, meals, and general concessions are listed on Step Up’s prohibited items list and cannot be reimbursed.

The short answer: yes, admissions and memberships qualify.

Visiting science centers, historical sites, botanical gardens, and zoological parks offers rich, experiential learning for homeschool students. Under the Florida Personalized Education Program (PEP), these expenses are recognized as core educational enhancements.

In the official PEP Purchasing Guide, Step Up for Students maintains a designated section for Field Trips & Other Activities Needed To Enhance Curriculum.

Under this section, aquarium, zoo, or museum admission and memberships are fully authorized for reimbursement. However, because venues frequently bundle passes into general "Family Memberships" that admit two adults and multiple children, Step Up applies strict rules to separate student costs from adult admission.

To understand how educational field trips differ from commercial entertainment, read our guides on theme park rules and what PEP covers.

Authorized field trip admissions in the Purchasing Guide.

Step Up for Students lists several specific venue types under the Field Trips category:

  • Aquarium, zoo, or museum admission and memberships: Day passes, annual passes, and educational memberships to science museums, children's museums, history centers, and accredited zoos.
  • Programs or events at aquariums, zoos, or museums: Guided student tours, homeschool day lab classes, animal encounter workshops, and lecture series.
  • State and National Park admission: Entrance passes for educational exploration of public lands and historical monuments.
  • Ticketed events: Plays, musicals, or orchestral performances that enhance fine arts or literature study.
  • Leisure admission under $75: Single-admission leisure events such as roller skating, ice skating, bowling, and trampoline parks (including equipment rental) under $75 per student.

Keep in mind: Tickets or admission must be purchased directly from the venue or an authorized ticketing agent. The guide explicitly warns that secondary market or resale tickets are not reimbursable.

The student-only rule: how family packages are prorated.

The most frequent source of confusion with zoo and museum memberships is the student-only admission limitation.

Step Up’s Purchasing Guide specifies:

“The following items are eligible for student admission only. If using a family admission package, reimbursements will be prorated to cover only the student’s cost.”

When you purchase an annual pass or a group ticket, Step Up will not reimburse the portion representing parent admission or non-scholarship siblings.

How proration is calculated

  1. Itemized Individual Student Rate: If the zoo sells individual youth passes alongside family passes, processors typically look at the standalone youth admission rate for the student's age group.
  2. Dividing Family Package Costs: When a facility only offers flat family memberships without individual tiers, SFO processors prorate the total membership price by dividing it across all named individuals on the pass and reimbursing only the scholarship student's share.

To avoid delays in EMA, include a screenshot of the venue’s official pricing table showing what a single student ticket or youth membership costs when uploading your receipt.

What is strictly excluded on field trips.

While the admission ticket or educational workshop is eligible, Step Up’s general purchasing provisions prohibit ancillary travel costs:

  • Transportation and Fuel: Gas, mileage, rental cars, and public transit fares are listed as prohibited.
  • Parking Fees: Parking passes at museums, national parks, and zoos cannot be reimbursed.
  • Food, Beverages, and Concessions: Meals, cafeteria snacks, and drinks purchased during field trips are strictly excluded.
  • Souvenirs and Gift Shop Items: Stuffed animals, decorative novelty items, and toys purchased in museum gift shops do not qualify.
  • International Travel: The Purchasing Guide explicitly states that field trips outside of the United States are not an eligible use of scholarship funds.

Out-of-state field trips require pre-authorization.

If your family is traveling outside Florida within the United States and plans an educational visit to an out-of-state science center or historical site:

  • Step Up requires an approved pre-authorization before the activity occurs, unless affiliated with a formal school program or approved active-duty military families stationed outside Florida.
  • Submit your pre-authorization request in EMA well ahead of your travel date, attaching an educational justification and the venue's syllabus or program details.
  • For timeline rules and submission steps, consult our guide to PEP pre-authorization.

Documenting your admission receipts for EMA.

When submitting your zoo or museum claim for reimbursement:

  1. Request an itemized invoice or electronic receipt from the venue showing the date of purchase, facility name, membership tier, and named passholders.
  2. Ensure your receipt includes proof of payment showing the credit card last four digits and a paid-in-full balance.
  3. Review our standards for Step Up proof of payment before final upload.

The ESA Funds Tracker allows you to record your field trip receipts, track prorated student costs, and verify invoice requirements offline on your personal device.

Track your field trip passes, admission tickets, and prorated costs.
The Florida PEP Tracker keeps your venue receipts, student allocations, and reimbursement statuses organized on your device.
One payment, no subscription: $49 for one student or $69 for a family. See pricing.

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Sources.

All read on November 3, 2026. We re-check them when new editions are published.

  • PEP Purchasing Guide

    Step Up for Students web page, read November 3, 2026: Field Trips, aquarium, zoo, or museum admission and memberships, student-only proration, and resale restrictions.

    stepupforstudents.org
  • PEP Family Handbook (2026–27)

    Step Up for Students web page, read November 3, 2026: Authorized Use of Funds, Field Trips, and out-of-state activity provisions.

    stepupforstudents.org
  • Step Up for Students FAQs

    Step Up for Students web page, read November 3, 2026: proof of payment, invoice line-item clarity, and allowable vendor criteria.

    stepupforstudents.org