Quick answers.
- Does Step Up cover martial arts, gymnastics, or swim lessons?
- Yes. Step Up’s PEP Purchasing Guide explicitly lists sports lessons under Physical Education. Both individual and group instructional classes—including martial arts, gymnastics, swimming, tennis, and equestrian lessons—qualify for reimbursement.
- Can I use PEP funds to purchase sports uniforms and gear?
- Yes. Sport-specific uniforms (such as martial arts gis, dance leotards, and team uniforms) and sport-specific footwear (such as cleats or tap shoes) are eligible under Physical Education when required for participation.
- Are gym memberships or fitness club passes reimbursable?
- No. General fitness memberships, open gym passes, and recreational club dues are prohibited. Reimbursements must be tied directly to structured educational or athletic lessons taught by a qualified instructor.
- What documents are required to get sports lessons reimbursed in EMA?
- Step Up requires an itemized invoice showing the student's name, the instructor or facility name, specific lesson dates, a description of the instruction, and proof of payment showing a zero balance or payment card details.
Many families assume the Florida Personalized Education Program (PEP) only covers traditional classroom materials like textbooks, math workbooks, and standardized tests. However, physical education is an approved core domain under Florida’s scholarship framework.
Step Up for Students’ official PEP Purchasing Guide provides a dedicated Physical Education (P.E.) category that authorizes a wide range of athletic activities, lessons, and specialized gear.
At the same time, physical education is an area where claims frequently encounter administrative holds because parents misunderstand the boundary between educational instruction and general fitness recreation. Here is how Step Up evaluates athletic expenses.
What sports lessons are covered?
Under the Physical Education section of Step Up's purchasing guide, scholarship funds can be used for individual or group sports lessons provided by a business or qualified instructor.
Common eligible athletic disciplines include:
- Martial arts: Karate, Taekwondo, Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu, and Judo instruction.
- Gymnastics & Tumbling: Structured youth gymnastics classes and cheer tumbling instruction.
- Aquatics: Private or group swimming lessons and stroke clinics.
- Court & Field Sports: Tennis instruction, soccer clinics, baseball coaching, and basketball skills training.
- Equestrian: Horseback riding lessons focusing on horsemanship and riding technique.
- Dance & Movement: Ballet, tap, and contemporary dance classes taught as physical education.
The crucial requirement is that the payment represents structured instruction. The invoice must specify that the student received instruction from a coach, teacher, or studio.
Eligible gear: uniforms and equipment.
Beyond the lessons themselves, Step Up authorizes specific apparel and equipment needed to participate in approved physical education:
- Sport-specific uniforms: Team jerseys, martial arts gis, dance leotards, and team fees required for student participation.
- Sport-specific footwear: Cleats for soccer or baseball, tap shoes, bowling shoes, or wrestling shoes. (General athletic sneakers intended for everyday casual wear are excluded.)
- Instructional sports supplies: Swim goggles, kickboards, tennis racquets, baseball gloves, safety helmets, and soccer balls.
To review other covered items across science, arts, and technology, see our comprehensive guide on what PEP covers item by item.
Prohibited athletic items: what Step Up denies.
Step Up’s purchasing guidelines draw a hard line against recreational entertainment and general adult fitness expenses:
| Covered under Physical Education | Strictly Prohibited by Step Up |
|---|---|
| Structured gymnastics lessons | General gym or health club memberships |
| Swim lessons with an instructor | Swimming pools, above-ground pools, or hot tubs |
| Youth soccer clinic fees | Spectator tickets to professional or collegiate sports events |
| Martial arts gi and belt | Trampolines and bounce houses |
| Sport-specific cleats | Casual gym shorts, streetwear sneakers, or sweatpants |
A general membership fee to an open gym or YMCA that grants access to fitness equipment without structured classes will be denied. To qualify, invoices from community facilities must explicitly itemize enrollment in a specific class or lesson.
How to submit sports invoices in EMA.
When submitting sports receipts in EMA under the Physical Education category, make sure your documentation contains these 4 elements:
- Student name: The invoice or registration receipt must list the student's name directly.
- Provider name & credentials: The business name, studio address, or certified instructor details must appear on the document.
- Itemized lesson dates: The billing receipt must state the date range or individual lesson dates, such as weekly gymnastics instruction with specified session dates.
- Proof of payment: A zero balance statement, credit card slip showing the last four digits of the card, or receipt marked Paid.
If an activity involves an unusual sport or high-cost equipment outside standard limits, review the guidelines on PEP pre-authorization before paying out-of-pocket.
Track your sports lessons, uniforms, and category limits.
The Florida PEP Tracker keeps your athletic invoices, lesson logs, and remaining allocations organized on your device.
One payment, no subscription: $49 for one student or $69 for a family. See pricing.
More Florida PEP guides.
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Payments, balances, and deadlines
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Step Up for Students PEP payment schedule for 2026–27: quarterly funding dates, how long deposits take to post, and what can hold a payment back.
- PEP deadline checklist (Oct 31)
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- PEP award amounts by county
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What Step Up for Students and Florida law say about unused PEP money: rollover, the $24,000 balance limit, inactive accounts, and switching programs.
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Is Florida PEP free or income based? What Step Up and Florida law say about application fees, income priority, and where PEP scholarship money comes from.
Spending and reimbursements
- Can Step Up pay for gift cards?
Can you buy gift cards or use Amazon or Target store credit with Florida PEP funds? Learn why Step Up denies gift card claims and how to handle discounts.
- Can Step Up pay for a desk?
Can Florida PEP or Step Up funds buy a homeschool desk, chair, or bookshelf? Explore eligible at-home classroom furnishings, restrictions, and the 2-year rule.
- Online curriculum and apps
Can Florida PEP pay for IXL, Beast Academy, Outschool, and digital curriculum? Learn Step Up's single-user rules and reimbursement documentation.
- Can Step Up pay for a laptop?
Can you buy a laptop, computer, iPad, or printer with Florida PEP scholarship funds? Learn what Step Up's handbook and purchasing guide prohibit.
- Musical instruments & lessons
Can Florida PEP scholarship funds pay for musical instruments, instrument rentals, or piano lessons? Review Step Up fine arts rules and required invoice details.
- Zoo & museum memberships
Can Florida PEP scholarship funds pay for zoo, aquarium, and museum annual passes? See Step Up proration rules, family pass calculations, and EMA steps.
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- PEP pre-authorization
Which PEP purchases need pre-authorization from Step Up, how to submit a request in EMA, what to include, how long review takes, and what happens after approval.
- PEP reimbursement guide
How Step Up reimburses Florida PEP purchases: receipt rules, proof of payment, EMA steps, the Educational Benefit form, review time, holds, and appeals.
- How MyScholarShop works
How MyScholarShop works for Florida PEP families: when it opens, checking out, order statuses, shipping, returns, and cancelled orders, from Step Up’s own pages.
- What is EMA?
What EMA (Education Market Assistant) is for Florida PEP families: what you can do in it, account setup, MyScholarShop, and the account rules.
- PEP for private school, college, VPK
Can Florida PEP pay for private school, college classes, VPK, or preschool? What Step Up’s PEP pages and Florida law say, and which program fits instead.
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Eligibility and yearly rules
- Standardized testing options
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- Can you lose PEP?
The reasons Step Up lists for losing a Florida PEP scholarship, including public school enrollment and moving, what happens to the money, and whether you repay it.
- What’s new for PEP in 2026–27
What changed in the 2026–27 PEP Family Handbook: public school attestation and withdrawal deadlines, deposit dates, switching rules, and purchasing guide updates.
- PEP application statuses
What each Step Up EMA status means for a Florida PEP application, from Pending and On Hold to Pending Review, Scholarship Choice Confirmed, Funded, and Denied.
- PEP and homeschooling
Is Florida PEP for homeschoolers? How PEP differs from a home education program: registration, letter of intent, testing, and when to end home education.
- How to apply for PEP
How to apply for the Florida PEP scholarship through Step Up: age and residency rules, documents, the EMA steps, and last year’s dates while 2027–28 dates are pending.
- How to renew PEP
How Florida PEP renewal works with Step Up: who counts as a renewal student, what keeps renewal status, documents, and last year’s renewal dates.
- What Step Up for Students is
What Step Up for Students is, and which Florida scholarship the name refers to: PEP, private school (FTC and FES-EO), or Unique Abilities.
- Is PEP full?
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- PEP for military families
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- PEP testing and SLP
Florida PEP’s yearly requirements: the norm-referenced test, who must test (including K–2), the Student Learning Plan, deadlines, and exemptions.
- PEP vs FES-UA
What the FES-UA scholarship is, who qualifies, and how it differs from Florida PEP: diagnosis, ages, home education, therapies, devices, and deadlines.
Sources.
All read on October 30, 2026. We re-check them when new editions are published.
- PEP Purchasing Guide
Step Up for Students web page, read October 30, 2026: Physical Education section, sports lessons, team fees, sports uniforms, sport-specific footwear, and prohibited recreation items.
stepupforstudents.org - PEP Family Handbook (2026–27)
Step Up for Students web page, read October 30, 2026: Authorized Use of Funds, Physical Education frequency limits, instructor qualifications, and reimbursement requirements.
stepupforstudents.org - Step Up for Students FAQs
Step Up for Students web page, read October 30, 2026: invoice line items, proof of payment standards, and provider criteria.
stepupforstudents.org