Florida parent guide · T09

Student Learning Plans for Florida PEP students

A Student Learning Plan (SLP) is a customized learning plan a parent develops, at least annually, to guide instruction and to identify the goods and services needed for the student’s academic needs (s. 1002.395(2)(n), F.S.). This page is about that plan: what it is, what it contains, who reviews it, and where parents confirm. It is not legal advice.

Confirm current steps and dates with your Scholarship Funding Organization (SFO), the Florida Department of Education (FLDOE), or the statute. Tools for Education does not write or check anyone’s plan.

Video explainer

At a glance

Two visuals for the same written guide: what the statute says goes in the plan, and where the plan fits.

A three-box graphic titled "What Goes in a Florida PEP Student Learning Plan." Box 1, "A plan to guide instruction": a parent develops it at least annually to guide instruction. Box 2, "Goods and services needed": it identifies the goods and services needed to address the student's academic needs. Box 3, "Hybrid private school": if a student is in a hybrid private-school arrangement, the plan addresses the remaining instructional time. A red banner says the statute and handbooks checked name no required subject list, no required template, and no set number of parts. A footer cites s. 1002.395(2)(n), F.S. and s. 1002.421(1)(i), F.S., says to confirm current rules with your scholarship-funding organization and FLDOE, and says Tools for Education does not write or check anyone's plan. — What the Florida statute says goes in a Student Learning Plan: guide instruction, and identify the goods and services needed. Confirm current rules with your scholarship-funding organization and FLDOE.

A left-to-right pointer map titled "Where the Student Learning Plan Fits" with four boxes joined by arrows. Box 1, "Choose your curriculum": see our guide to choosing curriculum for PEP. Box 2, "Write your plan": a parent develops the plan. Box 3, "Submit it to your SFO": through the scholarship-funding organization that administers your account. Box 4, "Confirm with your SFO": check current steps and dates with your SFO, FLDOE, or the statute. A red banner says PEP is a scholarship account administered by a scholarship-funding organization (SFO), that it is different from district home education, and that Tools for Education does not write or check anyone's plan. — Where the Student Learning Plan fits for Florida PEP families: choose curriculum, write the plan, submit it to your SFO, and confirm current steps and dates with your SFO.

What the plan is

Section 1002.395(2)(n), F.S., defines a Student Learning Plan as a customized learning plan developed by a parent, at least annually, to guide instruction for his or her student and to identify the goods and services needed to address the academic needs of his or her student.

PEP is a scholarship account administered by an SFO under s. 1002.395, F.S. It is not district home education, and it is not a homeschool scholarship. The path comparison lives on District Home Education vs. PEP.

Step Up For Students’ PEP Family Handbook (last modified September 16, 2026) says the plan is a guide for educational planning and does not determine or limit what a parent can purchase with scholarship funds. That sentence is Step Up’s. How families spend funds lives on a different page.

Tools for Education is an independent information hub. We are not FLDOE and not an SFO. We do not write or check anyone’s Student Learning Plan. Parents write their own plan and submit it through their SFO. This page is not legal advice. Confirm current rules with your SFO, FLDOE, or the statute.

Who writes it and who must have one

The statute puts the plan duty on a parent whose student will not be enrolled full time in a public or private school, within PEP (s. 1002.395(7)(b), F.S.). The parent develops the plan (s. 1002.395(2)(n), F.S.). Step Up’s handbook says “parents or guardians”; that wording is the handbook’s.

An eligible nonprofit scholarship-funding organization may not further regulate, exercise control over, or require documentation beyond the requirements of that subsection unless the regulation, control, or documentation is necessary for participation in the program (s. 1002.395(7)(c), F.S.).

What it contains

The sources name two purposes, and one extra clause for a hybrid private-school arrangement:

It is a plan to guide instruction (s. 1002.395(2)(n), F.S.).
It identifies the goods and services needed to address the student’s academic needs (s. 1002.395(2)(n), F.S.).
If a student is in a hybrid private-school arrangement, s. 1002.421(1)(i), F.S., says the plan addresses the remaining instructional time.

No statute or handbook checked for this topic names a required list of subjects, a required template, or a set number of parts. Anything a parent sees in an SFO form is that SFO’s tool. Confirm with your SFO.

Where it goes

A parent whose student is in PEP submits the plan to the scholarship-funding organization and revises it at least annually before program renewal (s. 1002.395(7)(b)2.c., F.S.).

The SFO must provide parents with information, guidance, and support to create and annually update a student learning plan. The organization must maintain the plan and allow parents to electronically submit, access, and revise the plan continuously (s. 1002.395(6)(e)5., F.S.). Upon submission by the parent of an annual student learning plan, the organization funds a scholarship for a student determined eligible (s. 1002.395(6)(e)6., F.S.). That is the statute’s wording. It is not a guarantee of funding, timing, or outcome.

SFO practices differ in detail. Use each source’s own verbs:

Step Up For Students’ handbook uses “submitted.”
AAA Scholarship Foundation’s Florida PEP page says it will review each submitted SLP form and determine whether it is complete, and will fund the PEP accounts for students with completed SLP forms. That completeness review is AAA’s.
AAA’s page also states that if a student is enrolled in a school district home education program, the family must disenroll the student before AAA will review the SLP. Attribute that line to AAA. Switching paths lives on Switching between Florida home education and PEP.

Applying for a scholarship lives on How to apply for FL K-12 scholarships. This page does not walk through a portal.

Timing

The statute says the plan is developed and revised at least annually (s. 1002.395(2)(n) and (7)(b)2.c., F.S.), and the SFO must let parents revise the plan continuously (s. 1002.395(6)(e)5., F.S.). The statute states no calendar due date for the plan itself.

SFO handbooks may state dates for a given school year. Those dates belong to that SFO and that year. This page does not print them. Confirm current submission dates and steps with your SFO, FLDOE, or the statute.

The annual test is a separate duty

The statute lists the plan and a nationally norm-referenced test identified by the Department of Education, or a statewide assessment under s. 1008.22, as two separate duties under the same sworn compliance statement (s. 1002.395(7)(b)2.c.–d., F.S.). The statute does not say the plan must contain assessment information. This page does not name tests.

Curriculum, applying, receipts, and path-comparison details stay on those pages. This page links to them instead of repeating them:

District Home Education vs. PEP — PEP is a scholarship account administered by an SFO and is different from district home education. T09 is the plan, not that comparison.
Switching between Florida home education and PEP — leaving one path for the other. T09 does not restate those notices.
How to choose curriculum for Florida PEP students — choosing materials. T09 is the plan, not the choosing.
How to apply for FL K-12 scholarships — application steps. T09 starts after the parent is in PEP.
Scholarship receipts and record keeping — invoices and proof of payment. T09 is not a receipts guide.

FAQ

What is a Student Learning Plan?

A customized learning plan a parent develops, at least annually, to guide instruction and to identify the goods and services needed for the student’s academic needs (s. 1002.395(2)(n), F.S.).

Who writes it?

A parent (s. 1002.395(2)(n), F.S.). Tools for Education does not write or check anyone’s plan.

Does the plan have a required subject list or template?

No statute or handbook checked for this topic names a required list of subjects, a required template, or a set number of parts. Confirm what your SFO’s form asks for with that SFO.

Where do I submit it?

To the scholarship-funding organization that administers the account (s. 1002.395(7)(b)2.c., F.S.). The SFO must let parents submit, view, and revise the plan online (s. 1002.395(6)(e)5., F.S.). Confirm current steps with your SFO.

When is it due?

The statute requires the plan at least annually and lets parents revise it continuously. It states no calendar due date for the plan itself. Confirm current dates with your SFO, FLDOE, or the statute.

Is the annual test part of the plan?

No. The plan and the annual test or statewide assessment are two separate duties (s. 1002.395(7)(b)2.c.–d., F.S.).

Does the plan decide what we can buy?

Step Up For Students’ PEP Family Handbook says the plan is a guide for educational planning and does not determine or limit what a parent can purchase with scholarship funds. Confirm purchase rules with your SFO. Receipts live on the scholarship receipts guide.

Is this the same as a home-education portfolio?

No. The district home-education portfolio is a different record under s. 1002.41, F.S. PEP is a scholarship account administered by an SFO. See District Home Education vs. PEP.

Where to verify

Confirm current details with these sources, and with your SFO, before you rely on them: