For Florida Families

How to use your Step Up For Students funds with Empathy School.

All of our curriculum, live classes, and consulting services are designed to be eligible for reimbursement through Florida's state-funded education savings accounts. Whichever scholarship your family uses — PEP, FES-UA, or NWSA — there is a path to using your funds with us.

Three ways to use your ESA funds with us

1
Reimbursement
Available now

Pay us directly via credit card or PayPal at checkout. We email you a clean PDF receipt with our business name, EIN, and itemized purchase details. Submit the receipt through your Step Up For Students portal to be reimbursed from your ESA. This path is available today, no waiting.

2
MyScholarShop direct-pay
In process — expected late 2026

We are currently in the supplier review process with MyScholarShop, Step Up's official marketplace. Once approved, families can purchase our curriculum directly using ESA funds — no out-of-pocket payment needed.

3
EMA direct-pay for live services
Coming soon

We are also applying to be listed on Step Up's EMA portal as a service provider for tutoring, navigator services, and specialized FES-UA services. Once approved, families can book and pay through EMA directly.

Which scholarships we support

PEP — Personalized Education Program

For homeschool families. Approximately $8,000/year per student. Most flexible — can be used for curriculum, classes, tutoring, navigators, and more. This is the scholarship most of our families use.

FES-UA — Family Empowerment Scholarship for Unique Abilities

For students with disabilities, ages 3 and up. Approximately $10,000+ per year per student. Can fund therapies, specialized tutoring, sensory curriculum, and more. Our neurodivergent curriculum and specialized tutoring services are designed to be eligible.

NWSA — New Worlds Scholarship Accounts

For VPK through grade 5 students who need extra reading or math support. Approximately $1,200/year per student. Best applied toward early literacy and math curricula in our library.

FTC and FES-EO

For students attending private school full-time. Most funds go to tuition, but some supplemental services may be eligible. Contact us if you're unsure whether a specific service qualifies under your scholarship.

What to spend your ESA on with us

A sample allocation for a typical PEP family with one child.

Empathy Pass annual subscription $239
Curriculum bundle (Whole-Child K–6) $449
Cohort classes (one cohort per semester) $560
1:1 tutoring (2 hours/week × 30 weeks) $3,900
Student Learning Plan service $249
Navigator support (2 hours) $350
Approximate total $5,747

This is one example. Actual spending varies by family and child. Typical PEP families have approximately $8,000/year to allocate, leaving ~$2,250 for other approved providers or services.

How to submit for reimbursement

1
Purchase a curriculum, class, or service at empathy.kids
2
Receive your PDF receipt via email immediately after purchase — includes our business name, EIN, and itemized line items
3
Log in to your Step Up For Students family portal
4
Submit the receipt for reimbursement under the appropriate category (curriculum, tutoring, educational services, etc.)
5
Step Up reimburses your ESA balance per their published schedule

Questions about your Florida ESA?

Questions about how your Florida ESA works with Empathy School? We're happy to help.

Contact us