Last verified: October 2026
What does Step Up pay a Pinellas student in 2026-27?
Private School Scholarship and PEP: $8,643 K-3, $8,059 4-8, $7,868 9-12. FES-UA follows a separate matrix.
The figures come from Step Up's 2026-27 award table by district.
Where does a family manage the scholarship?
In EMA, Step Up's online system, where parents apply, accept awards and approve each quarter's enrollment.
Accounts for FES-UA and PEP are also spent there, through Step Up's marketplace, direct payment to providers or reimbursement.
How many Pinellas schools work with Step Up?
113 schools in the Pinellas file are flagged for FTC/FES-EO, 111 for FES-UA and 12 for PEP, as of October 28, 2026.
Those flags are what our directory shows on each school.
Is Step Up the only organization?
No. AAA Scholarship Foundation is Florida's other scholarship funding organization; a family applies through one or the other, not both.
Award amounts are the same either way.
Step Up's role, and what it doesn't do
| Task | Step Up does | Step Up doesn't |
|---|---|---|
| Award amounts | Publishes them | Set them (the Legislature does) |
| Schools | Pays participating schools | Choose your school |
| Tuition | Pays up to the award | Set school prices |