PEP pays the family rather than a school. Step Up funds an account that the parent spends through MyScholarShop, direct payment to listed providers, or reimbursement.
A PEP student must be at least five by September 1, follow a student learning plan and sit for an annual norm-referenced test. The account is funded at the same Hillsborough amounts as the Private School Scholarship.
The 2026-27 PEP program reached its 140,000-student cap; the 2027-28 window runs February 1 to April 30, 2027.
Eleven Hillsborough private schools carry the PEP participant flag in the state directory — microschools and hybrid campuses in South Tampa, East Tampa, Plant City and Riverview among them. They are tagged on their school pages.
How to stack it
Personalized Education Program (PEP) can usually be combined with school-based tuition assistance and at least one other source on this site. Complete the funding check and an advisor will map the full stack for your child.