TLDR
- Step Up does not have a category called "microschool." Most microschools and co-ops fall under Home Education Instructional Programs instead.1
- An eligible program must be parent-selected, enrichment-focused, publicly reviewable, and run as a business, not an individual.1
- Fully online programs do not qualify under this category, even if everything else matches.1
- Two requirements were removed for 2026-27: a published tuition schedule and a physical location are no longer required.2
- This is a FES-UA and PEP eligible expense. It is not an authorized use for FTC or FES-EO.1
Microschool, co-op, learning pod, home education program: families use these terms almost interchangeably, but Step Up does not. Which category a program falls into changes what your PEP or FES-UA scholarship will actually pay for.
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Why "Microschool" Is Not a Step Up Category
Searching Step Up's own materials for the word "microschool" will not get you very far, because that is simply not how the funding category is defined. What matters instead is what the program actually does and how it is structured, not what it calls itself.
What Actually Qualifies as a Home Education Instructional Program
According to Step Up's Home Education Instructional Program External Guide, an eligible program must:1
- Be a program selected by the parent as part of the student's home education or PEP parent-directed instruction
- Provide courses or activities that enhance or enrich the student's learning opportunities
- Have a publicly available, reviewable description of its courses or activities
- Be a business organization, not an individual. Tuition and fees cannot be paid to a single person, with narrow exceptions for regional program directors or designated liaisons of national home education communities
Eligible programs are open to FES-UA and PEP students specifically.
What Does NOT Qualify Under This Category
A few common mix-ups worth knowing before you commit funds:
- Private schools, virtual schools, and public or charter schools are not Home Education Instructional Programs, even if a homeschool family enrolls a student part time. Eligible private schools that offer courses to homeschoolers cannot be approved under this category, they may only offer those services as part-time private school instruction instead.1
- Fully online classes or programs do not qualify under this category at all. An online program may still be an eligible expense, but as an approved online or virtual provider, or as part-time tutoring, not as a Home Education Instructional Program.1
- A single individual running a program without operating as a registered business does not qualify, with the narrow exceptions noted above.
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What Changed for 2026-27
Two requirements that used to apply to Home Education Instructional Programs were removed for the 2026-27 school year:2
- The program no longer needs a published tuition and fee schedule
- The program no longer needs to operate out of a physical location
That second change is worth knowing if you looked into a specific microschool or co-op a year or two ago and ruled it out because it did not check every box at the time. It may be worth a second look now.
What the Program Needs to Have on File
To accept direct billing through EMA, a Home Education Instructional Program needs to submit:1
- A tuition and fee schedule
- The address where classes are held, unless the program qualifies under the 2026-27 exception above
- A completed Home Education Participation Agreement
- Descriptions of the courses or activities offered
It is completely reasonable to ask a program directly whether they have completed this agreement and are set up in EMA. A program that has done this legwork will usually say so without hesitation.
Who Can Use This Category
This is a FES-UA and PEP eligible expense specifically. It is not an authorized use for the FTC or FES-EO scholarships, which are built around full-time enrollment at an eligible private school instead.1
The Step Up handbooks are long. This guide isn't.
- What actually counts as a Home Education Instructional Program
- What changed for 2026-27
- A vetting checklist before you enroll
- Where to find providers already set up in EMA
Frequently Asked Questions
Does Step Up have a category specifically called microschool?
No. Most microschools and co-ops for homeschool and PEP students fall under the Home Education Instructional Program category instead, which has its own specific requirements.1
Can a fully online microschool or co-op qualify?
No. Home Education Instructional Programs cannot be online. A fully online program may still be an eligible expense, but under a different category such as approved online or virtual instruction, or part-time tutoring.1
Does the program need to be run by a registered business, or can one person run it out of their home?
It generally needs to be a business organization. Tuition and fees cannot be paid to an individual, with narrow exceptions for regional program directors or designated liaisons of national home education communities.1
What changed for the 2026-27 school year for these programs?
Two requirements were removed: a published tuition and fee schedule and a physical location are no longer required.2
References
- Step Up For Students, Home Education Instructional Program External Guide, definition and eligibility criteria. Available at stepupforstudents.org/document-library
- Step Up For Students, 2026-2027 Program Handbooks and Purchasing Guides Summary of Changes, Home Education Instructional Program updates. Available at stepupforstudents.org/document-library
Florida Education Vendors is an independent directory and is not affiliated with Step Up For Students or any scholarship funding organization. This guide is for informational purposes only. Scholarship rules and eligible expenses change regularly. Always verify current information at stepupforstudents.org before making any purchasing decision.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does Step Up have a category specifically called microschool?
No. Most microschools and co-ops for homeschool and PEP students fall under the Home Education Instructional Program category instead, which has its own specific requirements.
Can a fully online microschool or co-op qualify?
No. Home Education Instructional Programs cannot be online. A fully online program may still be an eligible expense, but under a different category such as approved online or virtual instruction, or part-time tutoring.
Does the program need to be run by a registered business, or can one person run it out of their home?
It generally needs to be a business organization. Tuition and fees cannot be paid to an individual, with narrow exceptions for regional program directors or designated liaisons of national home education communities.
What changed for the 2026-27 school year for these programs?
Two requirements were removed: the program no longer needs a published tuition and fee schedule, and it no longer needs to operate out of a physical location.