The short answer: Music lessons, art lessons, and related supplies fall under the Electives category, available across PEP, FES-UA, FES-EO, and FTC. Dance lessons fall under Physical Education instead. Instructors need a specific qualifying credential, not just informal experience, and musical instruments themselves are separately eligible for purchase, along with related maintenance and repair.
Table of Contents
- What Falls Under Electives vs. Physical Education
- What Credential a Music or Art Instructor Needs
- Buying Instruments and Equipment
- What Supplies Are Covered
- What Your Invoice Needs to Include
- FAQ
What Falls Under Electives vs. Physical Education
Music and art lessons fall under the Electives category, along with a fairly broad list of other enrichment subjects, including foreign language, drama, photography and videography, culinary, gardening, and programming. Electives are available across FES-EO, FES-UA, FTC, and PEP, so this is one of the more universally accessible categories regardless of which scholarship your child holds.
Dance is the exception worth knowing. Rather than falling under Electives, dance lessons and dance supplies (including footwear) are categorized under Physical Education instead. Both categories are available under the same set of scholarship programs, so this distinction mostly matters for how you categorize the expense, not whether it's covered at all.
What Credential a Music or Art Instructor Needs
This is where families sometimes assume any experienced instructor automatically qualifies, but Step Up requires documented credentials for elective and enrichment reimbursement requests. An instructor needs to meet the requirements for part-time tutoring or Choice Navigator services, or hold one of these:
- A valid or expired Florida educator's certificate
- A minimum of three years of experience in the relevant subject area, demonstrated through a full LinkedIn profile or resume
- Current enrollment in a postsecondary educational institution as a student of the relevant subject area
- A degree from a postsecondary institution in the relevant subject area
- Certification or national accreditation in the relevant subject area
Notice this list is somewhat broader than the tutoring credential list, a documented resume showing three years of piano teaching experience, for example, can qualify an instructor for elective reimbursement even without a formal certification.
Buying Instruments and Equipment
Musical instruments themselves are a separately eligible expense category, not just the lessons. This includes:
- The instruments themselves
- Equipment rentals
- Insurance
- Maintenance
- Repair
- Service agreements
- Tuning
This is worth knowing if you're weighing whether to buy or rent an instrument for a child just starting lessons, both paths are covered, along with the ongoing upkeep costs that come with owning one.
What Supplies Are Covered
Beyond the lessons and instruments themselves, elective course supplies are also eligible. For art specifically, this includes paint, pencils, canvases, paper, clay, and glue. Other elective categories have their own supply lists too, cooking supplies like measuring cups and mixing bowls, gardening supplies like soil and seeds, photography supplies like batteries and tripods, and so on.
What Your Invoice Needs to Include
For elective and enrichment reimbursement requests, your invoice or receipt needs:
- Student's first and last name
- Instructor's first and last name
- Provider's company name, if applicable
- Type of service rendered
- Time period of service (date range, semester, or session)
- Service rate
Summer day camps and seasonal enrichment programs can also be eligible under this same category, as long as they provide structured instruction in an academic, artistic, or skill-based area, led by an instructor meeting the same qualification requirements listed above.
Browse music and arts providers now: Explore Arts & Music vendors on Florida Education Vendors →
FAQ
Are music lessons covered by PEP and FES-UA? Yes. Music lessons fall under the Electives category, available across FES-EO, FES-UA, FTC, and PEP.
What credential does a music or art instructor need? An instructor needs to meet part-time tutoring or Choice Navigator requirements, or have a valid or expired Florida educator's certificate, three or more years of documented experience, current relevant postsecondary enrollment, a relevant degree, or certification or national accreditation in the subject.
Can I buy a musical instrument with scholarship funds? Yes. Musical instruments, along with related equipment rentals, insurance, maintenance, repair, service agreements, and tuning, are all eligible expenses.
Are dance lessons covered under Electives or Physical Education? Dance lessons and dance supplies, including footwear, fall under the Physical Education category rather than Electives, though both categories are available across the same scholarship programs.
Do I need documentation for elective art or music supplies? Elective course supplies, like paint, canvases, and clay for art, are eligible expenses tied to the elective category itself, separate from instructor invoicing requirements.
What does a music or art lesson invoice need to include? The student's first and last name, the instructor's first and last name, the provider's company name if applicable, the type of service rendered, the time period of service, and the service rate.
Frequently Asked Questions
Are music lessons covered by PEP and FES-UA?
Yes. Music lessons fall under the Electives category, available across FES-EO, FES-UA, FTC, and PEP.
What credential does a music or art instructor need?
An instructor needs to meet part-time tutoring or Choice Navigator requirements, or have a valid or expired Florida educator's certificate, three or more years of documented experience, current relevant postsecondary enrollment, a relevant degree, or certification or national accreditation in the subject.
Can I buy a musical instrument with scholarship funds?
Yes. Musical instruments, along with related equipment rentals, insurance, maintenance, repair, service agreements, and tuning, are all eligible expenses.
Are dance lessons covered under Electives or Physical Education?
Dance lessons and dance supplies, including footwear, fall under the Physical Education category rather than Electives, though both categories are available across the same scholarship programs.
Do I need documentation for elective art or music supplies?
Elective course supplies, like paint, canvases, and clay for art, are eligible expenses tied to the elective category itself, separate from instructor invoicing requirements.
What does a music or art lesson invoice need to include?
The student's first and last name, the instructor's first and last name, the provider's company name if applicable, the type of service rendered, the time period of service, and the service rate.