How to Use Step Up for Students Funds for Altitude
Florida families with PEP or FES scholarship funds can use them for Altitude. Here's how the eligibility works, which programs apply, and how to purchase.
You chose a different path for your teen's education. And if you're a Florida family using Step Up for Students, you may have scholarship funds sitting in an account right now, funds that can go toward exactly the kind of whole-human development Altitude is built to provide.
Here's how it works.
Which Step Up Programs Apply
Step Up for Students administers several scholarship programs. The two most relevant for homeschool families using Altitude are:
The Personalized Education Program (PEP) is designed specifically for families in parent-directed learning, homeschoolers. Average award is approximately $8,000 per year. Funds can be used for curriculum, online learning programs, and other approved educational expenses. PEP funds are managed through an Education Savings Account (ESA).
The Family Empowerment Scholarship for Educational Options (FES-EO) is available to Florida K-12 students regardless of household income. Once private school tuition and fees are covered, remaining funds can be used for online learning, curriculum, and other approved expenses through approved vendors.
The Family Empowerment Scholarship for Unique Abilities (FES-UA) serves students with qualifying diagnoses. Funds can be used for curriculum, approved online classes, tutoring, and educational materials.
Important: Program availability and eligibility requirements change. For current enrollment status, application windows, and program details for your specific scholarship, always verify directly at stepupforstudents.org.
How Altitude Fits the Eligible Categories
Altitude qualifies as an educational platform under the Electives category for Step Up for Students programs. It is an online learning program delivering structured, competency-mapped learning experiences for young people ages 13–18.
Altitude is not a tutoring service, not academic core curriculum, and not a therapy product. It is a human development platform, structured, research-grounded, and delivered through the Whole Human Framework: 31 competencies across the domains of Thought, Emotion, Social, Values, Mindset, and Identity.
This positioning matters for families completing their reimbursement documentation. When submitting a purchase for review, describe Altitude as an online learning program / educational software subscription in the Electives category.
Compliance note: Altitude is an eligible purchase, not an accredited curriculum and not credit-bearing. Altitude does not assign academic credit. Families should always verify current vendor eligibility with Step Up for Students before purchasing.
How to Use Your Funds: The Two Paths
Path 1: MyScholarShop (MSS)
PEP and FES families can purchase directly through MyScholarShop, Step Up's online marketplace for approved educational products. Once Altitude is listed in MyScholarShop, families with active scholarship accounts can purchase directly through the platform.
Path 2: Direct Purchase and Reimbursement
Families can also purchase Altitude directly and submit a reimbursement request through the EMA system. Keep your receipt and documentation. Reimbursements must be submitted within the school year window (typically July 1 – June 30) and must meet the purchasing guide requirements for the relevant program year.
For current purchasing guidelines and approved expense documentation requirements, visit the Step Up for Students Purchasing Guides page.
What to Keep for Your Documentation
When using scholarship funds for Altitude, maintain:
Proof of purchase: A receipt or confirmation from Altitude showing the subscription amount, date of purchase, and that it is a single-student subscription. Note: multi-user subscriptions are prorated to cover only the scholarship student's cost.
Description of service: Altitude is an online educational platform delivering structured learning experiences across six domains of human development. The primary experience types include courses, challenges, workshops, guided practices, and tools, all competency-mapped to the Whole Human Framework.
Age appropriateness: Altitude is built specifically for ages 13–18, meeting the age-appropriateness guidelines that Step Up applies to educational products.
When to Act
The application window for the 2026-27 Step Up PEP program has closed for most new students, the priority deadline of April 30, 2026 has passed. However:
- Renewing students should check their current enrollment status
- Applications for the 2027-28 school year will be announced on stepupforstudents.org, sign up for email updates to be notified when they open
- FES-EO and FES-UA families should check their current account status and eligibility directly
If you're a Florida family thinking about using Altitude starting January 2027, now is the time to confirm your scholarship enrollment and begin the documentation process.
Frequently asked questions
Can I use Step Up for Students funds for Altitude?
Altitude is an online learning platform for ages 13–18 that qualifies under the Electives category for PEP and FES scholarship programs. Families should verify current vendor eligibility at stepupforstudents.org before purchasing, as program guidelines are updated annually.
Which Step Up programs can be used for online learning platforms?
PEP (Personalized Education Program) is the primary program for homeschool families and covers online learning programs. FES-EO and FES-UA families can also use remaining funds for approved online educational programs after tuition and fees are covered. Eligibility and approved uses vary by program. Verify at stepupforstudents.org.
How do I submit a reimbursement for an online educational subscription?
Purchase Altitude directly, keep your receipt, then submit a reimbursement request through the EMA system within the current school year window (July 1 – June 30). Describe the purchase as an online learning program in the Electives category. Current documentation requirements are detailed in the Step Up Purchasing Guides.
Is Altitude credit-bearing or accredited?
No. Altitude is an educational learning platform, not accredited academic curriculum and not credit-bearing. Altitude does not assign academic credit. For scholarship purposes, Altitude is an eligible educational expense, not an academic course that earns credit.
What if PEP is at capacity for new students?
PEP scholarship applications for new students for 2026-27 have closed. Renewing students maintain priority. For new families, check stepupforstudents.org for 2027-28 program year details, which will be announced there. Sign up for Step Up email updates to receive notification when applications open.
Related Resources
From Altitude:
You already made a choice that said your teen deserves something different. If Step Up for Students funds are part of how you're building that, Altitude is built to be part of it.
Altitude opens to founding families in January 2027. Join the waitlist to be among the first families in Florida and Georgia.