Quick answers.
- Will my Step Up Q2 funds appear in EMA on November 1, 2026?
- Not necessarily on day one. Step Up’s family handbook explains that while the state disburses Quarter 2 funds to Step Up on November 1, “The funds will be credited to students' scholarship accounts within two weeks.”
- Why do some Florida families get their Q2 deposit before others?
- Step Up processes quarterly funding in rolling batches across tens of thousands of student accounts. Deposits can take several business days to populate all parent portals even after the funding cycle begins.
- Can I place MyScholarShop orders before Q2 funds post?
- No. MyScholarShop requires sufficient available funds in the student’s account at the time of checkout. You must wait until the Q2 balance reflects in EMA before submitting direct-vendor orders.
- What can cause a delay in my student's Q2 deposit?
- Delays typically happen if a public school attestation or withdrawal verification is pending, or if an account balance is already near the statutory $24,000 threshold.
The calendar reality.
Every fall, parent groups fill with the same question as November approaches: Why hasn’t my Quarter 2 deposit arrived yet?
The official funding calendar published by Step Up for Students lists November 1 as the date for Quarter 2 funding. However, there is a crucial operational distinction between when the state treasury transfers money to Step Up and when money becomes spendable in your Education Market Assistant (EMA) portal:
“The funds will be credited to students' scholarship accounts within two weeks.”
Because November 1 falls on a weekend in 2026, state transfers and portal account reconciliations do not complete instantly. In practice, deposits roll out over the first two weeks of November.
How the 2-week window works.
Step Up administers accounts for tens of thousands of scholarship recipients across the state of Florida. Rather than pushing an instantaneous balance update to every family at once, EMA credits accounts in rolling batches:
- State transfer: Florida disburses the statutory funding allocation to the scholarship funding organization.
- Eligibility verification: Step Up performs pre-funding compliance checks (confirming non-enrollment in full-time public school).
- Portal posting: Balances update incrementally over regular business days.
For the complete year-round schedule, see our master PEP payment dates guide. If your account has unspent funds from prior quarters, test your balance with our interactive $24,000 cap headroom calculator.
Don’t place orders until balances post.
A common mistake is submitting orders or requesting vendor direct-pay on November 1 before the new balance displays on your student dashboard.
If you purchase items through MyScholarShop:
- The marketplace checks available account balance at the moment of checkout.
- If your account only holds leftover Q1 funds that don't cover the total cart amount, the transaction will fail or be canceled.
- Wait until you see the new quarterly disbursement reflected under your student's EMA balance ledger before checking out.
If you pay out of pocket, you can submit for reimbursement as long as the purchase date falls within the allowable 2026–27 window, as explained in our Step Up reimbursement guide.
What can pause a Quarter 2 disbursement?
If the two-week window passes and your student’s Quarter 2 deposit has not posted, check for three common administrative flags:
- Pending public school attestation: Under new rules detailed in what changed for PEP in 2026–27, families may be asked to attest in EMA that the student is not enrolled full-time in public school. See our complete walkthrough on the Step Up quarterly attestation in EMA.
- Account balance ceiling: Florida statute caps cumulative carryover balances. Step Up’s handbook notes that a quarterly deposit can be withheld “if it raises the account balance greater than $24,000.” If you have accumulated substantial unused funds, review the rules in do PEP funds roll over.
- Pending scholarship reviews: If your student’s profile has unsubmitted annual assessment scores or unresolved verification notices, contact Step Up’s support line at (877) 735-7837.
Track every quarterly deposit and remaining balance.
The Florida PEP Tracker keeps each student’s allocation, actual disbursements, and spending together on your device.
One payment, no subscription: $49 for one student or $69 for a family. See pricing.
More Florida PEP guides.
News & policy updates
- 48 hours to Oct 31 deadline
With 48 hours until the October 31, 2026 midnight cutoff, learn which prior-year Step Up receipts expire, what proof is required, and how to file in EMA.
- Step Up Disney & theme park rules
Can Florida PEP pay for Disney, Universal, or SeaWorld? Learn the $299 annual cap, student-only admission rules, and how to avoid denied claims.
- LEGO, KiwiCo, & STEM kits
Does Florida PEP cover LEGO sets, KiwiCo boxes, and STEM kits? Learn what Step Up's Learning Manipulatives category allows and common reimbursement mistakes.
- Faith-based curriculum rules
Does Florida PEP allow religious and faith-based homeschool curriculum? Review Step Up purchasing rules, publisher receipts, and what qualifies in EMA.
- Sports and PE lesson rules
Does Florida PEP pay for sports lessons, martial arts, gymnastics, or swim instruction? Review Step Up Physical Education rules and prohibited items.
- MyScholarShop vs reimbursement
Compare Step Up MyScholarShop direct vendor pay versus out-of-pocket reimbursement: review turnaround times, price differences, and return rules.
- Oct 31 receipt cutoff
Florida PEP families face the October 31, 2026 deadline for 2025–26 reimbursement claims. See what receipts expire and how to file in EMA.
- The $24,000 balance cap
Why Step Up halts Quarter 2 funding if your account nears $24,000: how Florida's statutory ceiling works and what happens to paused PEP deposits.
- Black Friday Step Up deals
Can Florida PEP families claim Black Friday and Cyber Week sales? See how Step Up treats coupon discounts, bundled items, and gift card purchases in EMA.
- Step Up quarterly attestation
Before Step Up releases Quarter 2 funds on November 1, parents must verify student enrollment in EMA. Here is what to check to avoid funding pauses.
- On hold receipts in EMA
Seeing an 'On Hold' status on your Step Up reimbursement in EMA? Learn what document is missing, the 30-day upload clock, and how to fix claims.
- Denied reimbursement appeals
Has Step Up denied a reimbursement in EMA? Learn how the 30-day appeal clock works, Step Up's single-appeal rule, and how to submit a winning appeal.
Payments, balances, and deadlines
- Is Step Up money taxable?
Are Step Up for Students and Florida PEP scholarship funds taxable income? Learn what IRS educational grant rules, 1099 policies, and Florida law say.
- PEP payment dates for 2026–27
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)
Florida PEP families have until October 31, 2026 to request reimbursement for 2025–26 purchases. A step-by-step checklist to find, check, and submit every receipt in EMA.
- PEP award amounts by county
Every 2026–27 PEP scholarship amount from Step Up’s chart, for all 67 Florida counties and three grade bands, plus why EMA may show a different number.
- Do PEP funds roll over?
What Step Up for Students and Florida law say about unused PEP money: rollover, the $24,000 balance limit, inactive accounts, and switching programs.
- Is PEP free? Income and funding
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.
- Amazon receipts guide
Step-by-step guide to submitting Amazon receipts for Step Up reimbursement in EMA: downloading shipped invoices, proof of payment, and avoiding holds.
- Florida Virtual School and PEP
Can Florida PEP scholarship funds pay for Florida Virtual School? Learn Step Up's private-pay FLVS Flex rules, course tuition, and EMA invoice steps.
- The PEP Purchasing Guide, explained
A plain-English map of Step Up’s 2026–27 PEP Purchasing Guide: where to find it, the expense categories, prohibited items, and what needs pre-authorization.
- Splitting receipts between siblings
How Step Up prorates shared family purchases, multi-user subscriptions, and receipts split between siblings under Florida PEP.
- PEP for tutoring
Can Florida PEP pay for a tutor? Step Up’s credential rules for part-time and full-time tutors, what a tutoring invoice needs, and how tutors get paid.
- Does PEP cover it?
Does Florida PEP cover swim lessons, summer camp, sports, printers, headphones, transportation, or uniforms? Answers in the words of Step Up’s purchasing guide.
- PEP and therapy services
What Step Up’s PEP handbook and purchasing guide say about speech therapy, occupational therapy, ABA, and other specialized services, and where the pages differ.
- Finding PEP providers
Where Step Up for Students lists PEP providers and vendors: Find Providers in EMA, the vendor directory, the service categories chart, and how direct pay works.
- 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.
- Proof of payment guide
What Step Up for Students requires for proof of payment: PayPal rules, credit card receipts, bank statements, cleared checks, and fixing payment holds in EMA.
Eligibility and yearly rules
- Standardized testing options
Which standardized tests qualify for Florida PEP? Learn about CLT, CAT, Iowa, Stanford 10, assessment fees, and annual SLP submission requirements.
- 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?
How many Florida PEP scholarships the law allows, when the cap ends, what Step Up’s pages say about capacity, and why they don’t all match.
- PEP for military families
What Step Up’s pages say about Florida PEP for active-duty military families: residency proof, PCS orders, deadline exceptions, and moving out of state.
- 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 25, 2026. We re-check them when new editions are published.
- PEP Family Handbook (2026–27)
Step Up for Students web page, read October 25, 2026: funding schedule, Quarter 2 deposit date of November 1, two-week crediting window, rolling batch distribution, and $24,000 balance cap.
stepupforstudents.org - Step Up for Students FAQs
Step Up for Students web page, read October 25, 2026: quarterly funding cycles and processing timelines.
stepupforstudents.org - Program Handbooks and Purchasing Guides: Summary of Changes
Step Up for Students web page, read October 25, 2026: 2026–27 funding dates and attestation requirements.
stepupforstudents.org