What is Step Up for Students?

Step Up for Students is a Florida nonprofit that administers state-funded education choice scholarships, including programs that help families pay for private school, tutoring, and homeschool-related expenses.

Can homeschoolers use Step Up in Florida?

Yes, eligible families can use certain Step Up programs for approved educational expenses. Rules vary by scholarship type and change yearly.

What grades does Step Up cover for homeschool?

Scholarships are available for various grade levels depending on program. This section focuses on planning for grades 6–8 when essay writing, algebra, and activity records become critical.

How do I pay for curriculum with Step Up?

Many families use ClassWallet or program-specific marketplaces to purchase approved materials. Always confirm an item is eligible before buying.

Apply at stepupforstudents.org. We provide planning guides; we do not process applications.

Does Step Up pay for Homeschool Complete?

Eligibility depends on your scholarship program and current vendor rules. Check your account and our Step Up funds guide before purchasing.

Step Up Scholarship & Middle School Readiness

If your child is entering sixth grade — or you just filed your homeschool Letter of Intent for a twelve-year-old — Florida’s Step Up for Students program may help pay for instructional materials. It will not write your lesson plans or file your paperwork. That is still on you.

This page explains how Step Up fits into middle school homeschool (grades 6–8): what the program is, how families actually spend funds, what to teach those years, and what records to keep before high school applications start.

What Step Up for Students is

Step Up for Students administers Florida education choice scholarships funded by the state. Depending on eligibility, families receive funds that can offset:

Curriculum and instructional materials
Tutoring and therapies (program-specific)
Certain technology and supplies
Other approved educational expenses

We are not Step Up. We do not process applications or approve purchases. Always verify current rules on the official site and inside your parent account before spending.

Deep reads on this site:

How to apply (overview)

Every program has its own window and criteria. In general:

Step	Action
1	Create an account at stepupforstudents.org
2	Check which scholarships your child may qualify for (income, grade, special needs, etc.)
3	Submit application during open enrollment — waitlists are common
4	If awarded, read spending rules for your specific scholarship
5	Purchase only approved items through approved channels

Florida-specific hub: Step Up in Florida · Detailed walkthrough: scholarship guide

Paying for curriculum: ClassWallet and marketplaces

Most funded families do not write checks to curriculum companies directly. They use payment tools tied to the scholarship:

Tool	What it does
Class Wallet	Digital payment platform many Florida families use to buy approved materials from participating vendors
Program marketplace	Some scholarships require purchases through an approved vendor list inside your account
Reimbursement	Certain expenses may require receipts and pre-approval — read your program rules

Before every purchase: log in, search the vendor or product, confirm eligibility. A denied expense is worse than a delayed one.

What to teach in grades 6–8 (and why it matters for scholarships)

Middle school is when “good enough” stops being good enough. High school courses assume writing stamina, math fluency, and study habits built now.

Grade 6

Writing: Multi-paragraph essays with topic sentences and supporting details
Math: Fraction/decimal fluency, ratios, intro to variables
Science: Scientific method, lab reports with labeled diagrams
Social studies: World cultures, geography, civics foundations
Records: Start a volunteer/service log (date, hours, activity)

Grade 7

Writing: Research paragraphs, citing sources in simple format
Math: Pre-algebra, negative numbers, proportional reasoning
Science: Controlled experiments, data tables
Social studies: American history depth, primary source reading
Records: Save graded writing samples each quarter

Grade 8

Writing: Thesis-driven essays, revision process
Math: Algebra readiness — equations, graphing, functions intro
Science: Independent project with written conclusion
Social studies: Civics, economics basics, Florida government
Records: Activity resume draft (clubs, sports, service, awards)

Blog: Step Up high school readiness · Using Step Up in middle school

Records folder: start in sixth grade, not eleventh

Create a Middle School Portfolio the first week of sixth grade:

Scholarship applications and high school transcripts ask what your child did — not what you intended. Two sentences per activity is enough if dates and hours are accurate.

Florida evaluation requirements still apply: evaluations explained

Who this section helps most

Families leaving public school before middle school or mid-year
First-year homeschoolers with a sixth grader and a scholarship award letter
Working parents who need a structured plan that does not require six hours of teaching
K–5 families planning ahead while children are still in elementary

If your children are still in elementary, start with K–5 curriculum. Step Up planning builds on that foundation.

K–5 curriculum before middle school

Homeschool Complete covers preschool through 5th grade with open-and-go daily lesson plans (faith-based and secular). They are a curriculum provider based in Ocala — not an online school. Strong K–5 skills make middle school smoother.

About Homeschool Complete · Free sample lessons

Payment resources on this site

Parent support while you navigate funding

Scholarship paperwork is stressful. Pair it with a clear teaching plan:

Parent guides — first year, working, transition, overwhelm
Free Homeschool Complete community — ask other funded families what they bought
Florida parent hub

Your next step

Goal	Link
Apply or check status	stepupforstudents.org
Florida-focused planning	Step Up Florida hub
Spending + curriculum alignment	Scholarship guide
Elementary curriculum	Curriculum K–5

Explore Homeschool Complete K–5 →