If you live in Florida and your child has been approved for a Step Up for Students scholarship, you may be trying to find the right educational support and services for them. A common question many parents have is:
Can Step Up for Students pay for private tutors?
The short answer to this question is yes! However, there are some rules and requirements that are important for you to understand before you select a tutor for your child. This article will explain Step Up for Students tutoring and how you can use your child’s funds to help them thrive.
Can Step Up for Students funds be used for private tutoring?
Yes! Step Up funds can absolutely be used for private tutoring, and it’s a great way to use these funds to help your child improve their academic skills. However, the tutor or tutoring program you choose must be an approved provider through the Step Up program.
This means:
- The tutor or tutoring program must be registered and authorized through Step Up
- The tutoring services must meet the program guidelines
- Step Up tutoring payments must go through the approved platform
If a tutor or tutoring program is not approved through Step Up, you generally cannot use your child’s funds with them, even if you think they are a good fit. When looking for a tutoring program for your child, always ask if they are a Step Up approved tutoring provider.
What type of tutoring is covered by Step Up funds?
Step Up for Students can help students with a wide variety of educational needs. Academic services that may be covered include:
One-one one academic tutoring
Skills development in:
- Reading
- Spelling
- Writing
- Math
- Executive functioning skills
- Test preparation
Specialized tutoring
- Orton Gillingham reading instruction
- Executive functioning coaching
- ADHD tutoring
- Autism tutoring
- Learning disabilities instruction
Homeschooling
- Curriculum for your child’s homeschool program
- One-on-one teaching to supplement your child’s homeschooling program
- Hybrid homeschool models
Many parents feel their child benefits the most from customized, one-on-one instruction that is individualized to their needs.
Learn more about using Step Up Scholarships for tutoring in Florida at:
https://knowledgeplustutoring.com/how-to-use-step-up-scholarships-for-students-with-learning-challenges-in-florida/
Step Up requirements you should know
Before hiring a Step Up for Students tutor for your child, it’s important to note the following rules:
1. The tutor must be Step Up approved
You can only use your child’s Step Up funds with:
- Step Up approved individual tutors
- Step Up approved tutoring organizations, like Knowledge Plus Tutoring
Always check with the tutor or tutoring program to make sure they are Step Up approved for tutoring before your child begins receiving the tutoring services from them.
2. Tutoring services must be educational
When selecting a tutor for your child using Step Up for Students tutoring funds, the sessions must focus on educational development. Specifically, the tutoring should be connected to:
- Academic improvement
- Reading, writing, math, or other skills development
- Educational goals
Services that are not educational won’t qualify.
3. Payments need to follow Step Up guidelines
When using Step Up for Students tutoring funds, you can’t do the following:
- Pay tutors outside of the approved system and rules
- Receive reimbursement without documentation, if that’s a requirement under your program
How to find a Step Up approved tutoring program
If you are looking for a Step Up approved tutor or tutoring program for your child, you may not know where to start. Here is how most parents find Step Up approved tutors:
Search the Step Up Marketplace
When searching the Step Up marketplace, look for:
- Specific skills expertise
- Special education experience, including expertise in working with students who have IEPs or 504 Plans
- Specialized instruction, such as dyslexia tutoring, executive functioning coaching, or Orton Gillingham instruction
Ask the tutoring program directly
Before committing to a tutoring program, ask them specifically:
- Are you a Step Up approved tutoring provider?
- Have you worked with Step Up funded students before?
Look for specialized tutoring providers
If your child has an IEP or 504 Plan, or has a diagnosis such as the ones listed below, you should find a tutoring program that specializes in working with neurodiverse students, not just general homework helpers.
- ADHD
- Dyslexia
- Dysgraphia
- Dyscalculia
- Autism
- Executive functioning disorder
- Language processing disorder
Why private tutoring works so well with Step Up scholarship funds
Private tutoring can help students strengthen their academic skills, especially if the tutoring is one-on-one and catered to their unique needs. Many parents choose Step Up for Students tutoring for their child because it offers:
Individualized instruction
One-on-one tutoring sessions can be tailored to your child’s specific areas of needs, and the methodologies used should be research-based and multi-sensory.
Faster academic improvement
One-on-one tutoring can result in faster gains than small group instruction, especially when your child receives an initial evaluation followed by specialized tutoring that is catered to their unique needs.
Self-confidence building
Many students who struggle in school often have poor self-esteem. With one-on-one academic tutoring, your child’s academic skills and self-confidence can improve immensely.
Step Up tutoring in Florida
Parents across Florida, including Boca Raton, Orlando, Tampa, and Jacksonville, amongst other areas throughout Florida, use Step Up funds to pay for private tutoring for their children. Choosing a local or virtual Step Up approved tutor can make an immense difference in your child’s academic progress.
Closing thoughts
Step Up for Students can fund a private tutor for your child as long as the tutor or tutoring program is an approved Step Up tutoring provider and the services meet the program guidelines.
For many students, Step Up funded tutoring can be life-changing, especially if your child needs:
- Individualized one-on-one tutoring
- Specialized academic intervention
- Increased self-confidence and motivation
Looking for a Step Up approved tutoring provider?
Knowledge Plus Tutoring is a Step Up for Students approved tutoring provider offering one-on-one tutoring for students throughout Florida.
We specialize in:
- Dyslexia tutoring
- Orton Gillingham instruction
- ADHD and executive functioning coaching
- Autism tutoring
- Reading, writing, and math support using research-based, multi-sensory techniques
We provide in-home tutoring throughout Florida and virtual tutoring nationwide.
Contact us today to see how we can help your child excel and learn how to use your Step Up funds effectively.
Our Boca Raton location is located at 433 Plaza Real, Suite 275, Boca Raton, Florida 33432. Our Orlando location is located at 480 North Orlando Avenue, Suite 236, Winter Park, FL 32789. We provide in-home tutoring throughout Florida, and we also provide online tutoring nationwide.
Read more about whether your child is eligible for Step Up scholarships at https://knowledgeplustutoring.com/who-is-eligible-for-step-up-for-students-in-florida-funding-scholarships-and-tutoring/
Frequently Asked Questions about Step Up Tutoring
Can I choose any private tutor with my child’s Step Up funds?
You can’t choose any provider for Step Up scholarship tutoring. The tutoring program must be approved by Step Up for Students.
Can I use Step Up funds for virtual tutoring?
Yes! Many students benefit from virtual tutoring. This modality typically offers more flexible scheduling and access to specialized tutors who may not be available in your local area. If the tutor you select is an approved Step Up tutoring provider, virtual tutoring is typically allowed.
Read more about virtual tutoring using Step Up funds at How Can Virtual Tutoring Help Your Child? | Knowledge Plus Tutoring
Can I use Step Up for multiple tutors?
Yes! Some families choose to use different tutors for various skills and subjects with Step Up scholarship tutoring. At Knowledge Plus Tutoring, we help students with all skills and subjects, through both in-person and virtual tutoring, and we are a Step Up approved tutoring provider.
Can Step Up funds be used for homeschooling and tutoring?
Yes, many parents combine homeschooling with private one-on-one tutoring using Step Up funds.
Dr. Emily Levy, the executive director of Knowledge Plus Tutoring, holds her Doctorate Degree in Education and her Master’s Degree in Special Education. She has helped thousands of students with specialized learning needs through one-on-one tutoring over the past twenty years. She frequently speaks at national educational conferences and appears as an educational expert on podcasts. She is the author of the Strategies for Study Success, Flags and Stars Orton Gillingham, and Flags and Stars Multi-Sensory Math student workbook programs, all of which are used by students and schools nationwide.
