The short answer: PEP award amounts are based on two factors, grade level and county of residence. FES-UA award amounts add a third factor, matrix level of services, which can significantly increase the award for students with more intensive documented needs. Amounts are set annually by the Florida Legislature and vary by county, so always check your EMA account or Step Up's current published chart for exact figures.
Table of Contents
- What Determines a PEP Award
- What Determines a FES-UA Award
- Understanding Matrix Levels
- How to Request or Update a Matrix Level
- When Your Award Amount Locks In
- FAQ
What Determines a PEP Award
PEP funding is calculated based on two factors only: the student's grade level and the student's county of residence. That's it, there's no diagnosis or needs-based adjustment involved in the PEP calculation, since PEP itself doesn't require a diagnosis to qualify in the first place.
Both figures are locked in based on what's submitted at the time the student is first considered for funding each school year (tied to Quarter 1 funding). Grade level and county can genuinely vary the award by a meaningful amount, since Step Up publishes separate award tables by Florida county, some counties award noticeably more than others for the same grade band.
What Determines a FES-UA Award
FES-UA uses the same two base factors as PEP, grade level and county, but adds a third: the student's matrix level of services. This third factor is what allows FES-UA awards to run significantly higher than PEP awards for students with more intensive documented needs.
Understanding Matrix Levels
The Matrix of Services is the specific document used to determine cost factors for exceptional education students, based on decisions made by the student's IEP team. It uses five domains to group types of services, and five levels (numbered 1 through 5, sometimes referenced as 251 through 255) to describe the nature and intensity of services within each domain.
Here's how that level translates to funding:
- Matrix Levels 1-3 (251-253), or students qualifying through a medical or mental health diagnosis rather than an IEP, are funded at the average amount of all students with matrix levels 251-253 in their local school district
- Matrix Levels 4-5 (254-255) receive higher scholarship amounts based on their specific diagnosis and documented needs
Importantly, Step Up For Students does not create or change matrix levels. That determination belongs entirely to your local school district's IEP team.
How to Request or Update a Matrix Level
If your child doesn't currently have an IEP or matrix level, you can request an evaluation from your local school district at any time. If your child already has one, you can request a re-evaluation once every three years, or sooner if you believe there's an error to correct.
Once you submit a request, Florida law requires your school district to:
- Complete the IEP and matrix level of services within 30 days of receiving your request
- Notify you and the Florida Department of Education within 10 calendar days after completion
Step Up will then update the student's application and adjust scholarship funding based on what the Department of Education shares with them.
One detail worth understanding once your award is finalized: in your EMA account, you'll see both an Award Amount (an estimate based on your application details) and a Funding Amount (the actual amount deposited quarterly). These can differ, especially for students grandfathered in from the 2020-21 Gardiner/McKay Scholarship transition. If your Award Amount looks off, trust the Funding Amount as the accurate figure.
When Your Award Amount Locks In
This is worth understanding clearly, since it surprises some families: your funding amount, based on grade level and county (and matrix level for FES-UA), is determined at the time of Quarter 1 funding consideration. Any grade level or county changes made after that point will not change that year's funding award. A mid-year move to a higher-award county, for example, won't retroactively bump up that year's amount.
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FAQ
What determines my child's PEP award amount? Two factors: the student's grade level and county of residence, both locked in based on the details submitted for Quarter 1 funding consideration.
What determines my child's FES-UA award amount? Three factors: grade level, county of residence, and matrix level of services, which reflects the intensity of special education support the student's IEP team has documented.
What is a matrix level and who assigns it? The Matrix of Services is a scoring document used to determine cost factors for exceptional education students, assigned a level between 1 and 5 by the local school district based on an IEP team's decisions. Step Up For Students does not create or change matrix levels, only the district can.
Can I request a new or updated matrix level? Yes. If your child doesn't have one, you can request an evaluation from your local school district at any time. If your child already has one, you can request a re-evaluation once every three years, or sooner to correct an error.
Does moving counties change my child's award mid-year? No. The funding amount is locked in based on the student's grade level and county of residence at the time they're first submitted for funding consideration each school year. Changes made afterward will not affect that year's award.
Where can I find the current official award amounts? Step Up For Students publishes updated funding charts annually once the Florida Legislature sets amounts for the year. Check your EMA account or Step Up's published funding chart directly for current figures, since amounts are set annually and vary significantly by county.
Frequently Asked Questions
What determines my child's PEP award amount?
Two factors: the student's grade level and county of residence, both locked in based on the details submitted for Quarter 1 funding consideration.
What determines my child's FES-UA award amount?
Three factors: grade level, county of residence, and matrix level of services, which reflects the intensity of special education support the student's IEP team has documented.
What is a matrix level and who assigns it?
The Matrix of Services is a scoring document used to determine cost factors for exceptional education students, assigned a level between 1 and 5 by the local school district based on an IEP team's decisions. Step Up For Students does not create or change matrix levels, only the district can.
Can I request a new or updated matrix level?
Yes. If your child doesn't have one, you can request an evaluation from your local school district at any time. If your child already has one, you can request a re-evaluation once every three years, or sooner to correct an error.
Does moving counties change my child's award mid-year?
No. The funding amount is locked in based on the student's grade level and county of residence at the time they're first submitted for funding consideration each school year. Changes made afterward will not affect that year's award.
Where can I find the current official award amounts?
Step Up For Students publishes updated funding charts annually once the Florida Legislature sets amounts for the year. Check your EMA account or Step Up's published funding chart directly for current figures, since amounts are set annually and vary significantly by county.