Imagine paying thousands out of pocket for your child’s education services and therapies, only to wait months for promised reimbursement from the very programs designed to relieve this burden, with no end in sight. This is the frustrating reality Florida families are facing under the current management of the Step Up For Students scholarship program, particularly those utilizing the Family Empowerment Scholarship for Unique Abilities (FES-UA) and Personalized Education Programs (PEP).

My family, along with countless others, has been deeply affected by these delays. We've found ourselves caught in an exhausting cycle of incurring substantial debt, scrambling to cover essential educational expenses through credit cards. Despite submitting all required documentation for reimbursements, claims are frequently denied or delayed due to minor clerical errors, such as incorrect date formatting or overly precise invoice details. Such practices unfairly punish conscientious families simply trying to secure the best education for their children.

This crisis is not only financially devastating but also emotionally draining, setting an unacceptable precedent that jeopardizes educational opportunities for students with unique abilities and needs. The promise of these programs is being undermined by inefficiencies and inconsistent review processes, leaving families in limbo and children at risk of not receiving timely educational and therapeutic interventions.

To address this urgent issue, we are calling on state education officials and the Step Up For Students organization to implement clear timelines and transparent, fair review standards for all reimbursement claims. Specific measures we propose include:

1. **Establishing a more reasonable fixed timeframe** for the review and processing of reimbursement claims. Families need the assurance that their claims will be addressed in no more than 14 days.

2. **Improving communication** between Step Up For Students and families. Regular updates on the status of claims and immediate notification of any issues.  Requests for additional documentation need to be specific and include examples of acceptable documentation.  The additional documentation should be reviewed within 7 days of submission.  

3. **Standardizing the review process** with explicit criteria for what constitutes sufficient documentation and permissible expenditures, reducing the arbitrariness that currently characterizes the claims process.  

4. **Reimbursement requests shall not be denied because the amount requested is perceived as incorrect**, instead, the reimbursement will be approved and adjusted, assuming it meets other guidelines for reimbursement.  

5. **Offering a speedy and fair appeal process** where families can present additional documentation or rectify minor errors without having their claims dismissed outright.

All of us who have dealt with this process know that emails go unanswered, phone calls are met with 60+ minute hold times only to be disconnected or we are told our only recourse is to keep waiting.  Step Up For Students is the administrator of these funds, but that money belongs to the families and we are tired of being ignored and dismissed by this organization.  With more than 160,000 Florida students relying on these scholarships, the impact of these changes cannot be overstated. By ensuring timely and fair processing of reimbursements, families can focus on what truly matters: providing necessary and timely educational support for their children.

Please sign this petition to demand immediate action towards restoring efficiency and reliability to the Step Up For Students reimbursement process. Together, we can make a significant difference in the lives of Florida families.