Question 1

How do I find a tutor that takes Step Up near me?

Accepted Answer

SUFS's provider list is inside your logged-in EMA account (Marketplace → Find Providers → select student); SUFS has no public provider directory. You can search by provider name, email, website or location and filter by service category and type. SUFS reported about 16,000 individual providers and 9,500 businesses (not counting schools) on EMA as of Feb 20, 2026.

Question 2

My tutor isn’t listed in EMA — can I still use them?

Accepted Answer

Yes. You can ask SUFS to add the provider (the provider may decline), or pay the provider yourself and request reimbursement, sending the provider's credentials with each request. SUFS says direct-pay providers are already vetted, so processing is "in most cases" faster. Don't pay a private tutor or therapist in cash; cash payments to unaffiliated private providers are denied.

Question 3

Does AAA Scholarship Foundation have a list of approved tutors or providers?

Accepted Answer

No. AAA Scholarship Foundation publishes no provider registration program or directory; each expense is checked against its handbook's credential rules. For PEP/FTC you pay and get reimbursed; for FES-UA you can request a direct vendor payment by ACH using the provider's bank details. AAA Scholarship Foundation has no marketplace yet and calls one "a future goal."

Question 4

How do I find a speech therapist or ABA provider for FES-UA in broward?

Accepted Answer

At SUFS, search EMA Find Providers in the Specialized Services category, whose types include ABA, speech-language, occupational and physical therapy, psychotherapy or counseling, and vision therapy. The provider must be DOH-licensed, APD-approved, an approved SIS provider or a PSYPACT psychologist, and RBTs and therapy assistants must be listed under a fully credentialed supervising therapist. AAA Scholarship Foundation has no provider list; you request direct payment or reimbursement in SMP.

Question 5

Are scholarship tutors and therapists background checked?

Accepted Answer

Private-school staff and contractors with direct student contact must pass state background screening. The statutory tutor rules list credentials but no screening requirement, and licensed health practitioners are screened through their DOH licensure. SUFS's provider documents state no background-check requirement for non-school providers, so ask the provider directly.

Question 6

Can I find a tutor who speaks spanish or creole through Step Up?

Accepted Answer

SUFS's documented Find Providers tools are a search by name, email, website or location plus category and type filters; a language filter is not described in its public materials. Each provider's description (up to 1,500 characters) is shown in the Marketplace, so read it or ask the provider.

Question 7

How do I schedule sessions with a provider I found in EMA?

Accepted Answer

Contact the provider directly; EMA "is not used for scheduling." When you reserve funds and tick "Yes," the provider receives your contact information. Funding arrives quarterly, so plan bundled sessions around deposit dates.

Question 8

If a provider is approved by Step Up, are they approved by AAA Scholarship Foundation too?

Accepted Answer

No SFO document says provider approvals transfer; each SFO runs its own platform and review. Also, a provider's approval and whether a particular purchase is allowed are "separate considerations."

Question 9

Which online schools can FES-UA pay for?

Accepted Answer

Private virtual schools can't receive scholarship funding, but FES-UA students may pay an FDOE-approved virtual instruction (VIP) provider. FDOE lists 11 approved VIP providers and 10 online course providers, including K12 Florida, Connections Education of FL and Mater Virtual Academy. Under FTC/FES-EO, full-time online instruction isn't allowed, but approved online courses can be paid from leftover funds.

Question 10

How do I check a tutor's credentials?

Accepted Answer

Ask which statutory route the tutor qualifies under: a Florida educator's certificate, an adjunct certificate, a degree in the subject, demonstrated subject mastery, or a department-approved research-based training certification. SUFS may ask for transcripts, accepts a bachelor's degree only in the subject taught, and accepts FTCE score reports no more than 10 years old. For reimbursement, the provider name on the invoice must match the credentials, and credentials must be in English.

Question 11

Can I use the scholarship at a homeschool co-op or micro school?

Accepted Answer

There's no co-op category; a co-op may qualify as a home-education instructional program (HEIP) if it is organized as a business, and HEIPs are an FES-UA and PEP use. A micro-school can take scholarships only through an existing route: an FDOE-approved private school, a PEP hybrid school, full-time tutoring for up to 25 students, or an HEIP.

Florida K-12 scholarship FAQ: finding tutors, therapists and providers