Using Step Up For Students for Speech Therapy
Florida's Unique Abilities scholarship (FES-UA), run by Step Up For Students, provides eligible children with an education savings account that can cover therapy, including services from a licensed speech-language pathologist. Oasis Speech accepts Step Up For Students, and every session is live, one-on-one, via video with Sherry Owais, M.A., CCC-SLP.
A Florida resident between 3 and 22 years old, or through grade 12, whichever comes first. Your child must turn 3 by December 31 of the year you apply.
One of the scholarship's qualifying diagnoses, which include speech impairment, language impairment, autism, Down syndrome, traumatic brain injury, and "other health impairment" (which covers ADHD)
Not enrolled full-time in a Florida public school.
In Florida's definitions, a speech impairment affects speech sounds, fluency (stuttering), or voice. A language impairment affects understanding and using language, including vocabulary, grammar, conversation, reading, and writing. For ages 3 to 5, a developmental delay in language can qualify under "high-risk child."
Who Qualifies for FES-UA?
FES-UA works like a flexible account. Families can use it for private school tuition, home education, curriculum, tutoring, and therapists, including speech therapy. Step Up says the scholarship averages about $10,000 per student, and the 2026-27 amounts vary by county. See the 2026-27 scholarship amounts.
What the Scholarship Can Pay For?
A student can't be enrolled full time in a Florida public school and receive FES-UA at the same time. If your child gets speech therapy through a public school IEP, leaving public school changes that. Talk with your school's ESE team before you withdraw, and ask what services, if any, the district can still offer.
Staying in public school? Private speech therapy can run alongside school services, paid by insurance or self-pay instead of the scholarship.
Public School or Scholarship: Choose Before You Switch
Apply and get awarded through Step Up For Students.
Fill out our 2-minute form and choose "Step Up For Students" as your payment.
Sherry does the evaluation by video, and then weekly sessions begin.
We send each invoice through your Step Up account (EMA), and you approve it before payment goes out.
Have insurance we take, too? We'll talk through whether to bill insurance or the scholarship. Each session is billed to one or the other, never both.
How Paying With Step Up Works With Us
Step Up needs proof of the qualifying diagnosis or a current IEP. Each diagnosis has to come from the type of licensed professional listed in the FES-UA family handbook. If you don't have a speech or language diagnosis yet, ask us whether Sherry's private evaluation can document one for your application.
Documenting Your Child's Diagnosis
Children Under 3
FES-UA starts at age 3. Before that, Florida's Early Steps program serves babies and toddlers with delays. Under a 2025 law, some children can stay in Early Steps past age 3 through the new Early Steps Extended Option, but a child in that option can't receive FES-UA at the same time.
Step Up FAQ
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Step Up reports an average of about $10,000 per student. The exact amount depends on your county, your child's grade and their needs.
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Step Up opens applications for each school year in advance. Sign up for updates on the Step Up website and apply as early as you can.
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Step Up lists services from a licensed speech-language pathologist as an eligible specialized service. Our sessions are live, one-on-one video visits with a licensed SLP.
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Step Up has added flexibility for military families moving to Florida. Check its military families page, or call us and we'll point you in the right direction.
Ask About Using Your Scholarship
It takes about two minutes. We check your benefits first, then call you to set up the evaluation. Prefer to talk? Call (863) 663-2944.
Serving families across Florida by video. See all our Florida service areas.