Last verified: October 2026. Checked against Step Up For Students' 2026-27 award tables, handbooks and purchasing guides.
Can a Lee County homeschooler get state money?
Yes, through PEP, but not while registered with the district as a home education student. A PEP student files a learning plan, tests every year, and spends $8,779 to $8,001 depending on grade on approved curriculum, tutors, classes and programs.
When is the next PEP application window?
The main 2026-27 window closed April 30, 2026, with only a limited late route for some students that doesn't guarantee funding. Step Up hasn't posted 2027-28 dates; last year's pattern points to February 1 through April 30, 2027.
Where are PEP hybrid programs in Lee County?
Only 5 Lee-registered schools carry the PEP flag right now, spread between Estero, downtown Fort Myers, North Fort Myers and Lehigh Acres. Families who can't find a hybrid seat often combine online courses and a credentialed tutor instead. One example of a low-cost Christian online option is American Faith Academy (AmFaith); note that PEP can pay for individual online courses but not full-time online schooling, so confirm the fit with Step Up.
Is FES-UA a better fit for a homeschooled child with a diagnosis?
Often. FES-UA can also fund a home-based education, its Lee base amounts are higher than PEP's, and unlike PEP it can buy a computer every two years.
| What it is | What it isn't |
|---|---|
| Private School Scholarship: $8,001-$8,779, paid to a school | Not paid to parents, and not for computers |
| FES-UA: from $10,567, parent-directed | Not combinable with the standard award |
| PEP: county award for learning outside full-time school | Not a full-time online school or a computer budget |