What is the actual rule about reimbursement timing?

I submitted a reimbursement request for a 3/31/2025 purchase of an online curriculum (book lists and lesson plans). The curriculum is available from February 2025 through June 30, 2026. I am using the curriculum now and intend to use it through the year. I was only reimbursed for a third of the cost of the curriculum and was told to submit the rest of the charge after July 1 because Step Up is "not yet reimbursing for the 2025-2026 school year." 

The Step Up representative said, “Your parent handbook states that reimbursements should be submitted during the school year in which the curricula will be used, but the proof of purchase may be from the immediately preceding fiscal year. You can submit anything now for the 24/25 school year. If anything such as a subscription or other item extends into the 25/26 school year or if it is to be utilized in 25/26 you will currently only be eligible for the portion from 24/25 school year and the remainder will be submitted on or after July 1st, 2025. Anything after July 1st will be reviewed as the 25/26 school year. Please resubmit for the remaining cost for this request on or after 7/1/25.”

My understanding from the handbook was that curriculum purchased in the immediately preceding fiscal year prior to the CURRENT school year could be reimbursed during THIS school year, not that all curriculum had to exclusively be reimbursed during the year it is used? Applying the handbook statements regarding 2023-2024 purchases to materials purchased during the 2024-2025 school year penalizes those of us who school during the summer or purchase early to prepare for the next school year. Doesn't the handbook say that reimbursement requests are specific to the year when the purchase was made?

Is the Step Up representative’s interpretation accurate? I know others who have had the same purchase denied until next school year and some who had the entire thing reimbursed this year.