5-24-24 Updates re: using remaining funds after graduation and when to terminate/unenroll from other schooling options

We are at the FPEA convention this weekend, and I was able to get clarification from our Step Up contact on a couple of questions I've been getting often.

1. About accessing remaining PEP funds after graduation:

Parents have been asking whether they need to complete a renewal application even if their student is graduating this year, in order to have access to the student's remaining funds after graduation. The answer for anyone in EMA (which is all PEP students) would be No. You do not need to complete a renewal. You will automatically still have access to use any remaining funds for qualifying expenses after graduation.

2. About when to unenroll/terminate from other schooling once awarded PEP

I got confirmation that as soon as a parent has received the email saying their student is awarded the PEP for the upcoming school year, it is safe to unenroll that student from whatever other schooling track they were previously in (public school, private school, home ed with the county). This year there is not the false award email like there was last year, because they streamlined the application process to where PEP was a checkbox on the application rather than a second step that had to be completed separately. So an award email that says you have been awarded PEP means you actually have been awarded PEP. The only reason those parents would not receive the funding is if they do not complete their SLP or if they are a renewal and they do not submit the required standardized test for renewal.

Update as of 6-28-24:

Step Up's PEP Open House for June confirmed that parents should terminate/withdraw when awarded PEP. Below is a screenshot from their Open House webinar slides, showing the answer to the question about whether termination from home education is necessary for PEP and when it should be done:

I hope this helps! I know these are both common questions we've been hearing a lot.