Three New Rules for 2026–27: Quarterly Attestation, the Renewal Definition, and the Reimbursement Deadline

Most families read the scholarship rules once, the year they apply, and then run on habit. This year habit will get you in trouble. Three changes took effect for 2026–27, all of them procedural, all of them capable of stopping a deposit or knocking a student out of renewal priority. None of them is hard once you know it exists.

Rule one: the quarterly attestation, for everyone

Beginning with the 2026–27 school year, the parent of every scholarship student whose choice is confirmed must complete a short attestation in EMA before each quarter, confirming the student is not enrolled full-time in a public school. This used to be discussed as a FES-UA item; it now applies across the programs. The deadlines line up with the quarterly funding dates. Funds flow from the state to the funding organization on August 1 for renewing students and September 1 for new students, then November 1, February 1 and April 1, with up to two weeks of processing after each. If the attestation is not done, that quarter's funding waits until it is.

Rule two: what "renewal" now means

A renewal student is now defined as one who received Quarter 4 funding for the same scholarship last year and did not have the scholarship revoked. Two consequences follow. First, a student who was awarded but not funded through the final quarter, or who switched programs, is a new applicant next year and goes to the back of the line. Second, missing any renewal deadline costs renewal status outright. For 2026–27 the renewal window ran February 1 to April 30, and the acceptance deadline for renewing students was May 31. Expect the same shape next year and put both dates on the calendar in January.

Rule three: the reimbursement deadline

Reimbursement requests for 2026–27 expenses must be submitted by July 31, 2027. A receipt from September that sits in a drawer until August is not late; it is unpayable. This lands at the same moment the state is scrutinizing unspent scholarship balances, which news reports put in the hundreds of millions of dollars statewide. Rollover still exists, and the two-year dormancy rule still applies, but the direction is clear: use the account, document the use, and file on time.

Two dates that belong on the same calendar

• July 31 each year: the deadline to withdraw from public school for a student to receive Quarter 1 funding.
• May 31: PEP acceptance for both renewing and new students, and the PEP student learning plan submission date for 2026–27.

Action items

• Open EMA now and check whether the current quarter's attestation is complete.
• Create four recurring reminders, one week before each funding date, labeled "attestation."
• Confirm your student was funded for Quarter 4 last year if you plan to renew as a renewal student.
• File reimbursements monthly so nothing is left for July.
• Read the current-year FAQ on deadlines and payment schedules on Step Up's site each January; it is the page these rules live on.

The quarterly rhythm is explained in our Step Up guide, and the deadline calendar for every program is on the scholarships page.

My Learning Source is an independent marketplace and is not affiliated with Step Up For Students or the Florida Department of Education. Program rules and amounts change every cycle — confirm details on the official program pages before making financial decisions.