Last verified: October 2026
What does the Unique Abilities Scholarship (FES-UA) pay in Orange County for 2026-27?
Step Up's 2026-27 table sets the Orange County base levels (matrix 251-253) at $10,584 for ages 3-4 and K-3, $9,995 for grades 4-8 and $9,803 for grades 9-12, with $21,655 at matrix level 4 and $34,799 at level 5.
FES-UA took over from the former McKay and Gardiner scholarships. Because the parent directs the account, one household can divide it among a school seat, a speech-language pathologist and a reading tutor.
Who qualifies for FES-UA in Orlando?
Qualification rests on a documented diagnosis from a licensed physician or psychologist, or on an existing IEP or matrix of services; household income is not part of the test.
Local supply helps too. The October 28, 2026 listing shows 215 FES-UA participant schools in Orange County and 92 schools reporting the disability categories they serve, so our diagnosis pages can name actual schools instead of stopping at categories.
Can a child use FES-UA and the Private School Scholarship at the same time?
No. A student holds one of the two in a given year, and changes happen in the switching windows Step Up publishes; this fall the window for the Quarter 3 move ran from October 2 to October 30.
FES-UA is usually chosen for its breadth, since it pays for therapies, tutoring and assistive technology as well as tuition. Many households stay on the standard scholarship for simplicity, because it needs no diagnosis paperwork.
FES-UA vs the Private School Scholarship
The table puts the two sides next to each other.
| FES-UA | Private School Scholarship | |
|---|---|---|
| Who gets it | Children with a diagnosis, IEP or matrix of services | Any Florida-resident K-12 child |
| Orange K-3 amount | $10,584 at the base tier | $8,420 |
| Pays for | School, therapies, tutors, curriculum, devices | Tuition and eligible school fees |
| Who spends it | The parent, from an account | The school, through EMA enrollment |