What is an ESA or Scholarship Program?
Educational Savings Accounts (ESAs) and scholarship programs are state-funded accounts that allow families to use public education dollars to pay for approved educational services outside of traditional public school. Think of it like a dedicated education bank account — the state deposits funds, and families direct those funds toward approved providers like Ember and Ivy Literacy.
Each state runs its own program with its own rules, approved vendors, and payment processes. Ember and Ivy Literacy is an approved vendor in multiple state programs, making it easy for eligible families to use their funds for specialized literacy intervention.
Programs We’re Approved In
- Florida — Step Up For Students (FES-UA, FES-EO, FTC, PEP)
- Utah — Utah Fits All (UFA)
- Texas — Texas Education Freedom Act (TEFA)
- Arizona — Empowerment Scholarship Account
- Arkansas — Education Freedom Account
- Alabama — CHOOSE Act
- Louisiana — GATOR Scholarship Program
Active program participation and approved services vary by state. Please contact us at info@emberandivyliteracy.com to confirm current approval status for your specific program before enrolling.
How to Use Your Funds with Ember and Ivy
The process varies slightly depending on your state program. Here’s how it works for our two most active programs:
Florida — Step Up For Students
Step Up processes payments through their EMA (Education Marketplace and Accounts) portal. Here’s how it works:
- You find Ember and Ivy Literacy in the EMA Marketplace
- After each session or billing period is completed, you request payment directly through your EMA account
- Payment flows directly to Ember and Ivy — no out of pocket cost to you
- Alternatively, you may pay out of pocket and submit a reimbursement request through EMA
Important: Per Step Up guidelines, payment cannot be requested until after services have been rendered. Ember and Ivy Literacy invoices Florida Step Up families monthly after sessions are completed.
Utah — Utah Fits All
Utah Fits All uses the Odyssey marketplace portal. Here’s how it works:
- You find and purchase Ember and Ivy services directly through your UFA marketplace account
- Service orders are sent directly to us for acceptance
- You will receive a confirmation number after your first session is completed, which initiates your payment cycle
- Bundles are designed around state requirements and may differ from our standard packages.
Utah families: please confirm your available balance and approved service categories in your UFA account before enrolling.
Other ESA States
For families in Texas, Arizona, Arkansas, Alabama, and Louisiana — payment processes vary by state portal. Contact us at info@emberandivyliteracy.com before enrolling and we’ll walk you through exactly how your specific program works with our services.
Important Things to Know
- ESA funds are public education dollars and come with program-specific rules. Ember and Ivy Literacy follows all applicable guidelines for each approved program.
- Refunds of ESA funds are prohibited under the terms of all programs we participate in. This is a program requirement, not just our policy.
- Ember and Ivy Literacy will never ask for access to your scholarship account login or password. If anyone claiming to represent us does, do not comply and contact us immediately.
- Approved vendor status is subject to change. Current approval can always be verified at emberandivyliteracy.com or by contacting info@emberandivyliteracy.com.