Last verified: October 2026
Can an Orange County family pay for aba therapy (autism) with scholarship funds?
Florida's FES-UA statute names Applied Behavior Analysis, and for many accounts it is the single biggest therapy expense.
ABA therapy (autism): which program pays?
The three programs handle this purchase in different ways.
| Status | How the rule reads | |
|---|---|---|
| Unique Abilities (FES-UA) | Eligible | ABA is covered when a Board Certified Behavior Analyst provides it or supervises the technician who does. |
| PEP (home-directed ESA) | Not eligible | PEP does not cover it. |
| Private School Scholarship (FTC/FES-EO) | Not eligible | Not an authorized category. |
What rules apply to aba therapy (autism) purchases?
- Confirm the analyst's status in the Behavior Analyst Certification Board registry.
- Insurance-paid hours cannot be billed to the account as well.
- Counseling or psychotherapy from a licensed psychologist, mental health counselor, marriage and family therapist or clinical social worker counts as its own eligible specialized service.
What is not allowed for aba therapy (autism)?
- Technicians working without BCBA supervision
- Services insurance or an HSA already reimbursed
How does this work in Orange County?
Autism spectrum disorder tops the Orange County listing with 71 schools reporting it. When you tour, ask whether ABA takes place on campus and how the school invoices it to FES-UA.
How do I buy it?
Begin in MyScholarShop, where every listed item already has approval. Next, search the EMA provider directory for tutors, therapists and instructors who can be paid directly. If neither works, buy the item, save an itemized receipt and file for reimbursement. Anything the guide does not name as eligible needs a pre-authorization request before purchase, and the 2026-27 window for those runs until May 28, 2027.
Related questions
- What else can the scholarship buy under therapies (fes-ua)?
- How much is the Orange County award?
- Which programs can my child use?
- Can funds pay for speech-language therapy?
- Can funds pay for occupational & physical therapy?
Build my child's spending plan →
Sources: the 2026-27 Step Up For Students purchasing guides for FES-UA, PEP and the Private School Scholarship. These are summaries and not legal advice; your scholarship funding organization's handbook governs.