Can PEP funds be used after graduation? What happens to remaining funds in my account?

You're welcome!

Hi, my son was awarded PEP for 2023/2024 and graduated. He did not take norm reference test because we were not renewing for 2024/2025, however he is now being asked to turn in test results and we are being told that the $6,000 he had left in his account from last year that we were going to use for tech school is not available to him????? HELP... this would be really devastating!!

Hi! I believe I responded to this via email or message, as I remember this question but there's no response here! But for the sake of others who may have similar questions, I'll also reply here... The norm-referenced test is part of the requirements parents agree to when they accept PEP, and is considered necessary to "complete" your school year with PEP (similar to how an evaluation is required to be submitted to the county when you complete a school year for home education). It is part of how they verify "attendance" for the year since PEP was your attendance track. So even if you are not renewing, you are still expected to submit the end-of-year evaluation. It is also how you remain eligible for future scholarship use (not just for PEP, but for ANY scholarship), since if you do not submit it, you have not complied with the requirements of the affidavit you signed when you applied. Step Up did eventually send out some clarifications on this which state basically the same thing I've just explained--we have another post in the forum about this, and someone actually posted a screenshot of this clarification (which Step Up released via their PEP Open House and also on their social media) in the comments of that post. You can find that here: https://www.flhef.org/forum/pep-faq/must-standardized-test-results-for-this-school-year-be-submitted-for-pep-students-even-if-not-renewing-pep-for-the-next-year-6-19-24 So in this case, because you did not submit the end-of-year testing, they are considering your student ineligible to continue accessing the scholarship funds. Since they are asking you to submit the test results, it seems they have not completely closed the door on that eligibility---they are just asking you to complete that step of the requirements in order for him to continue to access funds. I would suggest administering one of the approved norm-referenced tests and submitting the test results as soon as possible, to complete those compliance requirements. That should fix the problem.

That is my understanding. When I asked our Step Up rep about it, I was told the cut-off is two years of INACTIVITY. So yes, it seems if you're using the funds and haven't gone "inactive" for two years, they will not close your account.

Thank you for your reply!

I have always been told funds will roll over up to $24,000.

I spoke with Step Up yesterday and they confirmed that they changed the scholarship. They were not going to roll over funds from year to year (this is what I have been told all summer). This policy has changed and funds will now roll over from year to year up to $24,000. She said this information will be communicated via email soon. It will operate like the UA scholarship, however UA can have a higher balance. Thank you all from bringing this change in policy to our attention!