Florida's FES-UA, the Scholarship Families Still Call Gardiner
Florida gives families of kids with special needs an education account worth about $10,000 a year, sometimes up to $34,000. Speech therapists are on the approved list, online therapy included. Here is who qualifies and how to apply.
Verified August 2026What FES-UA Is
Florida started this in 2014 as the Gardiner Scholarship. In 2021 it got a new name, FES-UA. Half of Florida still searches for Gardiner, and it is the same program.
It works like this: the state puts your child's education money in an account you control. You spend it on approved things: private school, home education, tutoring, and, most important here, therapists. Speech therapists are an approved category. Families use it for weekly sessions, summer intensives, and online therapy.
Is This for You?
FES-UA has one gate: your child's condition must be on the state's list of 23. There is no income limit. It is about your child's needs, not your paycheck.
Worth Applying If
Your child is 3 to 22 and has a listed condition. Speech impairment is on the list itself, along with autism, Down syndrome, cerebral palsy, and more. If your child has an IEP or a diagnosis from a licensed professional, you likely have the paperwork already.
If Your Child Is Under 3, or Happy in Public School
Under 3, start with Early Steps: Florida checks and helps young children for free, right now. Apply for FES-UA as the third birthday gets close. And if your child is doing well in public school with IEP services, think carefully: FES-UA is for education outside full-time public school. Check the current rules with Step Up For Students before changing schools.
How to Apply
Check the condition list.
23 conditions qualify, and speech impairment is one. The full list is on Step Up For Students' site. Most families know within a minute.
Gather the paperwork.
A diagnosis from a licensed professional, or your child's IEP, does most of the work. If you only suspect a delay, get an evaluation first. It is the key to this door.
Apply online with Step Up For Students.
They run the program for the state. Apply as early in the year as you can. Processing takes weeks.
Spend through the approved categories.
Speech therapists, including online therapy, sit alongside tuition and tutoring. Keep receipts. Every purchase goes through their approval flow.
Renew every year. Spend on now.
Unused money can roll forward, even toward college savings. But therapy in the early years pays off in a way saved dollars do not. Most families spend on now.
Do not treat this as either-or. FES-UA stacks with free Early Steps services before age 3, and with grants. Families who open every door at once get the most total help.
Questions Families Actually Ask
Is FES-UA the same as the Gardiner Scholarship?
Yes. Gardiner became part of the Family Empowerment Scholarship in 2021. Same idea, bigger program, new name.
Is there an income limit?
No. It is based on your child's condition, not your income.
How much money is it, really?
About $10,000 a year on average. The exact amount depends on your county, your child's grade, and support level. The top of the scale reaches about $34,000. Step Up For Students publishes the current numbers.
Can it pay for online speech therapy?
Yes. Speech therapists are an approved category, online included. That matters in the parts of Florida where the nearest open slot is a long drive away.
Does my child have to leave public school?
FES-UA funds education outside full-time public school, like private school or home education. The details change, so check the current enrollment rules with Step Up For Students before you decide anything about school.
My child's only diagnosis is a speech delay. Do we qualify?
Speech impairment is itself on the list, which makes Florida unusual. Most states' big programs require more. Paperwork matters, so start with a proper evaluation.
Keep Reading
Early Intervention: Free Checks Before Age 3
Every state checks young children's speech for free. No doctor's note needed. One phone call starts it, and we have your state's number.
Read the guideThe Katie Beckett Waiver, Explained
A rule that gets kids with big medical needs full Medicaid, no matter what their parents earn. How it works in every state.
Read the guideGrants That Pay for Speech Therapy
Real grants with real amounts: about $1,000 from Small Steps in Speech, up to $5,000 from UHCCF, plus state funds. Deadlines included.
Read the guideFlorida SLPs Know This Scholarship
Many Florida practices work with FES-UA families every week and can tell you exactly how paying through the scholarship works. Find one near you and ask that first.
Find an SLP near you