How to pay a private tutor with PEP and get reimbursed
Your child's tutor isn't in the EMA marketplace. You still want to use your scholarship. Here is exactly what Step Up for Students requires, in the order you need to do it.
Last updated September 6, 2026. Based on the PEP Purchasing Guide revised August 4, 2026 and the PEP Family Handbook.
The short answer
- Confirm your tutor holds one of Step Up's listed credentials.
- Never pay in cash. Pay by a method that leaves a record, to a named provider.
- Get an invoice showing every required field and proof it was paid in full.
- Submit it in EMA before July 31, 2027.
Step 1: Confirm your tutor qualifies
Part-time tutoring is an eligible PEP expense, but only when the tutor meets a credential requirement in Step Up's Purchasing Guide. The guide defines eligibility by credentials, not by whether the tutor is registered in EMA. Ask your tutor which of these they hold, and get a copy for your records:
- A valid Florida educator's certificate
- An adjunct teaching certificate
- A valid professional standard teaching certificate issued by another state
- A bachelor's or graduate degree in the subject area being taught
- Certification from Barton, Orton-Gillingham, Wilson Reading, or a MACTE-accredited program
- National Board (NBPTS) or ABCTE certification
- A passing score on the Florida Teacher Certification Exam (FTCE) for the subject, not more than 10 years old
- ACTFL oral and written proficiency scores for a foreign language, not more than 10 years old
- A Florida school district form documenting subject-matter competency
- A valid Statement of Status of Eligibility from Florida Educator Certification
Full-time tutoring has a stricter standard (a valid Florida teaching certificate and minimum hours). This guide covers part-time tutoring, which is what most families use.
Step 2: Pay in a way Step Up can verify
This is where most private-tutor reimbursements go wrong. The PEP Family Handbook states that requests for reimbursement of cash purchases from private sellers that are not affiliated with a company or institution (garage sale, Facebook Marketplace, Craigslist, private tutors, private therapists) will be denied. It also states that handwritten notes and unofficial documents cannot be accepted.
Avoid
- Cash, for any amount
- A handwritten receipt or a note from the tutor
- A payment with no record of who was paid
- An invoice in a different name than the credential
Do this instead
- Pay by card through a platform or the tutor's business
- Keep the payment receipt that names the provider
- Make sure the payer name matches the parent on the account
- Get a typed, itemized invoice marked paid in full
Step Up has not published guidance on card payments made to an independent tutor through a third-party payment platform. A traceable card payment, a named provider, and an invoice that meets every requirement below is the strongest documentation you can submit. Approval is still Step Up's call.
Step 3: Get an invoice with every required field
Step Up reviews the document, not the tutoring. An invoice that is missing any of these is the most common reason a legitimate expense gets bounced. Before you submit, check that the invoice shows:
- The complete transaction date, written as MM/DD/YY
- The tutor's first and last name, exactly as it appears on their credential
- Your student's first and last name, exactly as it appears in EMA
- Each session's date, duration, and subject
- A breakdown of every cost: the base rate, any fees, and the total paid
- Proof it was paid in full: a paid-in-full stamp, the invoice amount next to the payment amount, or a zero balance
- How the payment was made (for example, the card type and last four digits)
Step Up's wording is direct: an invoice that does not show payment in full, or that does not list how payment was made, will not be accepted. Uploads must be PNG, JPG, or PDF. See a sample invoice with every field marked.
Step 4: Submit in EMA before the deadline
The PEP scholarship year runs July 1, 2026 through June 30, 2027. Requests for reimbursement using 2026-27 scholarship funds must be submitted in EMA by July 31, 2027. That is a hard deadline for the whole year's purchases, so submit as you go rather than in one batch at the end.
Upload the invoice and the proof of payment as separate, legible files. If you paid a business and the invoice is in the tutor's personal name (or the reverse), include a short letter from the provider explaining the difference.
Paying for tutoring in advance
You can request reimbursement for services up to four months in advance. Requests for services more than four months out may be approved through the rest of the school year, up to one year, if the provider attests in writing that the prepaid services are non-refundable. Useful if your tutor offers a semester package.
Why tutoring reimbursements get denied
Cash paid to an individual
The handbook says reimbursement requests for cash purchases from private sellers not affiliated with a company or institution, including private tutors, will be denied.
Invoice doesn't show it was paid, or how
Step Up states plainly that an invoice that does not show payment in full, or that does not list how payment was made, will not be accepted.
Handwritten or unofficial paperwork
Handwritten notes and unofficial documents cannot be accepted, even if every number on them is right.
Names don't match
The provider's name on the invoice must match their submitted credentials. If the name on your proof of payment differs from the invoice, you need a letter from the provider explaining why.
Tutor doesn't hold a listed credential
Part-time tutoring is an eligible expense only when the tutor meets one of the credential requirements in the Purchasing Guide.
Submitted after the deadline
Requests for 2026-27 purchases must be submitted by July 31, 2027. Late requests are not funded.
How ScholarLedger handles this for you
ScholarLedger is a free tool built around this exact checklist. Your tutor records their credential and logs each session. You pay by card through the platform, so every payment has a traceable record naming the tutor. When you're ready to submit, it generates an itemized invoice and per-session receipts with the transaction date, tutor and student names, cost breakdown, payment method, and a paid-in-full total, formatted for EMA upload. It also tracks what you've submitted against your student's reimbursement cap and counts down to July 31, 2027.
Frequently asked questions
Can I use PEP funds for a tutor who isn't listed in EMA?
Step Up's Purchasing Guide defines an eligible tutor by credentials, not by EMA registration, and the PEP Family Handbook allows parents to pay for services and request reimbursement. However, the handbook also says cash purchases from private sellers, including private tutors, will be denied. Paying by a traceable method with a complete invoice is the strongest position you can take. Final approval is always Step Up's decision.
Is it better to have my tutor register in EMA for direct pay?
If your tutor is willing to set up an EMA provider account, submit a participation agreement, and wait for Step Up to pay them after each service, direct pay avoids you fronting the money. Many independent tutors prefer to be paid at the time of service, which is where reimbursement comes in.
Can I pay for tutoring in advance and get reimbursed?
Yes. Parents can request reimbursement for services up to four months in advance. Requests for services more than four months out may be approved through the remainder of the school year, up to one year, if the provider attests the prepaid services are non-refundable.
What is the reimbursement deadline?
Purchases made during the 2026-27 scholarship year (July 1, 2026 to June 30, 2027) must be submitted for reimbursement by July 31, 2027.
Does ScholarLedger guarantee my tutoring reimbursement?
No. ScholarLedger structures your documentation to match Step Up's published requirements and flags common problems before you submit. Eligibility and approval are determined solely by Step Up for Students.
Sources
- PEP Purchasing Guide (tutor credential requirements; revised August 4, 2026)
- PEP Family Handbook (proof of payment, private sellers, advance payment, scholarship year)
- PEP Reimbursement (invoice and receipt requirements, deadline)
- Become a Service Provider (EMA direct pay for tutors)
ScholarLedger is not affiliated with Step Up for Students or the Florida Department of Education. This guide summarizes Step Up's published materials as of September 6, 2026; those materials control if anything here differs. Reimbursement eligibility and approval are determined solely by Step Up.