Step Up's 2024-2025 FTC/FES-EO Purchasing Guide is now available!

Step Up released their FTC/FES-EO Purchasing Guide today! (This is the guide that applies to PEP, since PEP is an FTC scholarship.)

You can find it on Step Up's website, or download it directly here!

Here are some highlights of what's new and/or different in this year's guide:

• Clarifications on policies and examples of potential violations that could result in losing the scholarship (see pages 3-4)

• Clarifications on the Pre-Authorization process (see page 4)

• Stated requirement for shipping address to be a Florida residential address (with the exception of active-duty members of the Armed Forces with permanent change of station orders) - see page 5

• Frequency of purchase for MANY categories amended to allow replacement sooner with pre-authorization

• Multiples prohibition on MANY categories amended to allow for multiples on items less than $50, or even multiples over $50 with a pre-authorization, in some cases.

• Clarification of "textbooks, workbooks, and other books" added under Books description (see page 6)

• Added "but not limited to" phrase to MANY of the "including" lists within the categories.

• Expanded description of "Digital Materials" to include productivity, behavioral, and/or educational applications; added clarifying restriction on family or multi-user subscriptions (see page 6).

• Expanded "Educational Software and Subscriptions" to clarify that these should be safe for student use and provide opportunities for instruction, and expanded to allow (with an Educational Benefit form): Video/TV/online streaming service, musical streaming service, in-game purchases or credits, live television, social media, and family or multi-user software subscriptions (see page 7).

• Amended the Electives category to require an Educational Benefit Form ONLY for specific types of Electives (see page 8).

• Slightly expanded the options for eligibility criteria for Electives providers (see page 8).

• Clarified the Field Trips description and moved it all into one place rather than having part of it in the end of the guide (see page 8-9).

• Added "mobile hot-spots and streaming services" to Internet Resources (see page 10). Clarified that internet services will not be prorated to only cover the student's cost.

• Changed Lab Fees and Materials description to read "are eligible" rather than "may be" (see page 11) and clarified that lab equipment should be safe for student use and provide opportunities for instruction.

• Expanded the Musical Instruments section to say "are eligible" and to include insurance, maintenance, repair, service agreements, and tuning (see page 11).

• Amended Physical Education (P.E.) to include Dance lessons and Dance supplies (including footwear), digital or video-based sports instruction, Nintendo Wii equipment or similar movement-based platforms, specialized or sports-specific footwear (but not sneakers), two or three wheeled bicycles, and watercrafts (see page 12). Exercise equipment requires an Educational Benefit Form.

• Clarified/amended the list of "Prohibited items" under the Physical Education (P.E.) section (see page 12-13).

• Added printer ink and wax filament to the School Supplies list (see page 13).

• Made some clarifications to the Tuition and Fees at an Eligible Private School list on page 14 (this is for EO students, not PEP).

• Added new sections for "Tuition and Fees for Part-Time PEP Students" and "Tuition and Fees for Hybrid Private School Program PEP Students" (see page 15).

• Clarified that all other live instruction must meet the requirements for part-time tutoring services (see page 16--they have a typo here that says FES-UA, but they should be fixing that).

• Added a clarification about Dual Enrollment (see page 17).

• Removed the list of approved Virtual Instruction Programs and instead provided a link to the DOE's list (this makes sense, because the list will be changing as the DOE approves and/or removes providers from it) -- see page 18.

• Expanded the description for Standardized Testing Fees (see pages 18-19).

• Amended/clarified the qualification requirements for Part-Time Tutors and Choice Navigators (see pages 19-20).

• Updated the "Prohibited Items" list to include prohibition on Business and Starlink RV internet services, concert tickets (except plays, musicals, or orchestra performances), a clarifying list for digital devices, a list of digital periphery devices, a caveat that allows for specialized sport-specific footwear, an exclusion on full-time online instruction, an exclusion on gaming subscription services, a clarification that the exclusion on single-admission leisure events also excludes equipment rental, exclusion on special events tickets and sporting events tickets, and exclusion on TVs over 55 inches. (See pages 22-23.)

• REMOVED from the "Prohibited Items" list: video streaming services and television services, in-game and in-app purchases, and social media subscriptions. (See pages 22-23.)

• Added an Appendix B clarifying/re-stating which items require Pre-Authorization (see page 24).

• Added an Appendix C clarifying/re-stating which items require an Educational Benefit Form.

Whew, that's a lot, right? But hopefully this list helps you narrow down your focus as you're browsing the new guide. We still highly recommend you read the Purchasing Guide for yourself and familiarize yourself deeply with it! There are a lot of nuances, and trust me, if you have PEP through Step Up for Students, this guide is your best friend when it comes to understanding eligible purchases and reimbursements!