Last verified: October 2026
Can an Orange County family pay for curriculum & curriculum materials with scholarship funds?
Full curricula, individual courses and self-paced online programs are all eligible under the three programs; the thing to watch is whether the public can buy the material.
Curriculum & curriculum materials: which program pays?
The three programs handle this purchase in different ways.
| Status | How the rule reads | |
|---|---|---|
| Unique Abilities (FES-UA) | Eligible | Curriculum and curriculum materials are authorized. |
| PEP (home-directed ESA) | Eligible | This is the heart of PEP spending. Recorded self-paced courses are fine, live online teaching must come from an approved online provider, and full-time online school is not allowed. |
| Private School Scholarship (FTC/FES-EO) | Eligible from leftover funds after tuition | Leftover funds can pay for supplemental curriculum. |
What rules apply to curriculum & curriculum materials purchases?
- Curriculum that is not publicly available requires pre-authorization.
- A family or multi-user subscription is prorated down to the student's share.
- There is no cap on books, and buying a second copy is allowed.
What is not allowed for curriculum & curriculum materials?
- Full-time online school enrollment through PEP (choose a private-school scholarship or FES-UA with an approved online provider instead)
How does this work in Orange County?
New PEP families usually buy curriculum first, and in Orange County that can sit next to a part-week program, since 41 private schools in the listing carry the PEP flag.
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 learning materials?
- How much is the Orange County award?
- Which programs can my child use?
- Can funds pay for online courses & virtual school?
- Can funds pay for at-home classroom furnishings & school supplies?
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.