Last verified: October 2026. Checked against Step Up For Students' 2026-27 award tables, handbooks and purchasing guides.
Can a Lee County family pay for tutoring with scholarship funds?
Part-time tutoring by a qualified tutor is an authorized FES-UA expense, as is a private tutoring program registered under Florida law.
Tutoring is a core PEP purchase. The tutor must meet one listed credential, for example a Florida teaching certificate or a college degree in the subject being tutored.
Once tuition and required fees are paid, any balance can go to eligible services such as credentialed tutoring.
Which rules apply in Lee County?
| Allowed, with conditions | Not allowed |
|---|---|
| The tutor needs one listed credential: a Florida educator's certificate, a degree in the subject, or another qualification named in the current guide. | Tutors who hold none of the listed credentials |
| Ask whether the tutor is already an approved provider; then the account pays the tutor directly and you skip reimbursement. | |
| Keep invoices that show the student's name, dates and subject. |
How does this play out in Lee County?
Lee families most often use a tutor for reading and math support next to a regular school day. Before you sign on with someone in Cape Coral or Fort Myers, ask for proof of the credential the guide requires.
How do I pay for it?
Look in the program marketplace first, where listed items are pre-approved. Next, check whether the provider is approved for direct payment. Otherwise pay, keep an itemized receipt with your Florida address and file for reimbursement; anything not listed as eligible needs pre-authorization before you buy.
Rules summarize Step Up For Students' 2026-27 PEP Purchasing Guide and 2026-27 Private School Purchasing Guide (both revised September 16, 2026) and the FES-UA Purchasing Guide Step Up currently links (2025-26 edition, July 1, 2025). Your scholarship organization's current guide controls; ask before an unusual purchase. Summaries, not legal advice.