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News & Policy Update

Step Up quarterly attestation: what to do before November 1.

With Quarter 2 funding scheduled for November 1, Florida PEP families are checking their EMA dashboards for deposit updates. Under 2026–27 state guidelines, scholarship funding organizations must verify continuing student eligibility before releasing payments. Here is what the quarterly attestation asks, how to complete it in EMA, and what to verify before the November disbursement.

  • ProgramFlorida PEP, through Step Up for Students
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For Florida PEP families whose scholarship is managed by Step Up for Students. AAA Scholarship Foundation publishes its own rules. Independent guide, not affiliated with Step Up; when anything here differs from Step Up’s current pages, Step Up is right.

A Florida parent reviewing their student portal on a laptop at a kitchen table
Step Up verifies student eligibility prior to each quarterly disbursement, requiring families to complete attestations in EMA to prevent payment holds.

Quick answers.

What is the Step Up quarterly attestation in EMA?
Beginning in 2026–27, Step Up's FAQ states that families of scholarship choice confirmed students must complete a Quarterly Attestation in EMA before each quarter, confirming the student is not enrolled full-time in public school.
What happens if I miss the quarterly attestation deadline?
Step Up's FAQ warns that if the attestation is not completed by the deadline, “funding may not be distributed for that quarter.”
When will Quarter 2 funds be deposited into EMA accounts?
Step Up receives state funds on November 1. Step Up's family handbook states that funds are credited to student accounts within two weeks of receipt, rolling out in batches across November.
Can my student be enrolled in public school while receiving PEP?
No. The handbook warns that if a student presented for funding is found by the Florida Department of Education to be enrolled full-time in a Florida public school, the family forfeits the scholarship for the entire year.

As Florida families approach the November 1 Quarter 2 funding milestone, many expect funds to appear automatically in their Education Market Assistant (EMA) balance. However, under Florida statutory requirements and updated SFO procedures for the 2026–27 school year, quarterly payments require ongoing verification.

Step Up’s family handbook states that Florida law requires scholarship funding organizations to verify that students remain eligible at least 30 days before each quarterly payment. For many families, that verification takes the form of an attestation or documentation alert inside EMA.

Here is what the quarterly attestation requires, why it was introduced this school year, and how to verify your account status before November 1.

What the quarterly attestation asks.

Beginning in the 2026–27 school year, Step Up introduced a formal requirement for families of scholarship choice confirmed students:

  1. Public school enrollment confirmation: The primary purpose of the quarterly attestation is to certify that the student is not currently enrolled full-time in a Florida public school district. Under Florida law, students cannot dually draw Florida Tax Credit (FTC) or PEP funds while receiving full-time public school state funding.
  2. Standard Withdrawal documentation: For students who previously attended a public school, Step Up requires proof of withdrawal (such as a completed district Standard Withdrawal Form or a signed district letter) uploaded to EMA.

Why it matters: The PEP Family Handbook issues an explicit statutory warning: if a student presented for funding is found by the Florida Department of Education to be enrolled full-time in a Florida public school, the family forfeits the scholarship for the entire school year.

For families transitioning from a standard home education program rather than a public school, district withdrawal procedures follow different statutory rules; see our breakdown on Florida PEP for homeschoolers.

Where to check in your EMA portal.

Attestation prompts do not always appear on the main login screen. To ensure your student's profile is fully clear for the Quarter 2 payment cycle:

  • Check the student dashboard: Log in to EMA and click on your student’s profile. Look for banner alerts marked Action Needed or Attestation Pending.
  • Review communications: Step Up notifies families by email when an attestation or withdrawal verification document is required. Check your spam and promotions folders for messages from Step Up.
  • Confirm Student Learning Plan (SLP) status: In addition to enrollment verification, the handbook notes that your student's Student Learning Plan must remain complete for each funding cycle. If an SLP is flagged as incomplete, funding remains paused.

If your EMA dashboard shows no pending alerts and your student’s status is confirmed, no additional form submission is needed. Step Up specifies that families will be notified individually if documentation is required for their student.

What happens if you miss the prompt?

Step Up’s FAQ explicitly warns that if the attestation is not done by the deadline, “funding may not be distributed for that quarter.”

If an attestation is completed late, funding is not permanently cancelled, but your student's disbursement is dropped from the initial November release batch. In such cases:

  • Your payment will be moved to a supplemental funding run once all compliance verifications are reviewed and approved by Step Up staff.
  • Because administrative reviews can take several weeks, resolving holds promptly is essential to avoid delayed curriculum purchases.

For parents tracking receipts from summer or early fall purchases, keep in mind that the prior-year receipt cutoff is also arriving; see our October 31 Step Up receipt cutoff guide.

When Quarter 2 funds will actually credit.

Even with an approved attestation, funds do not post instantaneously on November 1.

Step Up’s 2026–27 funding schedule notes that while November 1 is the date the state transfers Quarter 2 allocations to Step Up, “The funds will be credited to students' scholarship accounts within two weeks.”

Because Step Up manages scholarship disbursements for over 100,000 students statewide, deposits roll out across several business days in early November. For a detailed breakdown of deposit batching and what to expect during the payout window, see our guide on when Step Up Q2 funds reach EMA and the complete PEP payment schedule for 2026–27.

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Sources.

All read on October 28, 2026. We re-check them when new editions are published.

  • PEP Family Handbook (2026–27)

    Step Up for Students web page, read October 28, 2026: public school attestation and withdrawal rules, Quarter 2 deposit schedule of November 1, two-week crediting window, and full-year forfeiture policy.

    stepupforstudents.org
  • Step Up for Students FAQs

    Step Up for Students web page, read October 28, 2026: Quarterly Attestation in EMA before each quarter, and funding distribution rules.

    stepupforstudents.org