Last verified: October 2026
Can an Orange County family pay for testing, evaluations & assessments with scholarship funds?
Norm-referenced tests, AP exams, industry certification exams, career assessments and initial or re-evaluation assessments can all be paid.
Testing, evaluations & assessments: which program pays?
The three programs handle this purchase in different ways.
| Status | How the rule reads | |
|---|---|---|
| Unique Abilities (FES-UA) | Eligible | Eligible items: initial and re-evaluation assessments, career-interest assessments, transition and postsecondary assessments, AP and industry certification exams, and state or national norm-referenced tests. |
| PEP (home-directed ESA) | Eligible | Covers AP exams, norm-referenced assessments, placement exams and certification exams, and each PEP student sits an annual norm-referenced test. |
| Private School Scholarship (FTC/FES-EO) | Eligible from leftover funds after tuition | A school's test fee is an eligible school fee, and assessments from outside providers draw on leftover funds. |
What rules apply to testing, evaluations & assessments purchases?
- An assessment missing from the list requires pre-authorization.
What is not allowed for testing, evaluations & assessments?
- Medical examinations
How does this work in Orange County?
A private psycho-educational evaluation is often how a family begins the FES-UA process, and after the scholarship is awarded a re-evaluation can be paid from the account.
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 academic support?
- How much is the Orange County award?
- Which programs can my child use?
- Can funds pay for tutoring?
- Can funds pay for reading intervention & dyslexia programs?
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.