Last verified: October 2026. Checked against Step Up For Students' 2026-27 award tables, handbooks and purchasing guides.
Which Lee County private schools focus on autism and exceptional education?
By name, the Lee directory includes Christian Academy for Autism (two Lehigh Acres campuses), Lee Autism Academy in downtown Fort Myers, In Your Hands Behavior in North Fort Myers, Smart Start Exceptional Student Education in Fort Myers, Emerge Specialized Education Center and Center Academy Cape Coral. Check each one's FES-UA flag: not all of them carry it.
Which diagnoses qualify for FES-UA?
The program recognizes 23 conditions, among them autism spectrum disorder, specific learning disability, speech and language impairments, intellectual disability, other health impairment, emotional or behavioral disability, anaphylaxis, Down syndrome, cerebral palsy, hearing and visual impairment and rare diseases, plus a high-risk category for young children. The diagnosis or IEP must be signed by an MD, DO, physician assistant or psychologist; a nurse practitioner's signature isn't accepted.
How much is FES-UA in Lee County?
The 2026-27 base amounts are $11,345 (K-3), $10,759 (4-8) and $10,567 (9-12). Students with a Level 4 or Level 5 matrix of services get $21,963 or $35,056.
What's the deadline for new FES-UA students?
November 15, 2026 for 2026-27 applications, with award acceptance due December 15.
| 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 |