This FAQ provides information about disability documentation for the Family Empowerment Scholarship for Students with Unique Abilities (FES-UA).
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- Is a psychoeducational evaluation from a district certified psychologist that precedes an IEP acceptable as evidence of a qualifying disability for the FES-UA program?
- Is a Psychoeducational Evaluation or educational Evaluation completed by a certified psychologist acceptable as proof of a diagnosis?
- Are private Evaluations from a certified psychologist an acceptable form of documentation?
- Would a diagnosis letter written by an APRN or Autonomous APRN be acceptable?
- What qualifies as a disability under the ‘Other Health Impairment’ category?
- What qualifies as a disability under the ‘Intellectual Disability’ category?
- Can a Physician’s Assistant (PA) sign a diagnosis letter for the FES-UA scholarship?
Is a psychoeducational evaluation from a district certified psychologist that precedes an IEP acceptable as evidence of a qualifying disability for the FES-UA program?
The psychoeducational evaluation is not an IEP — it is the assessment that leads to an IEP. The evaluation alone does not satisfy this requirement. The family needs the completed IEP.
However the evaluation might qualify if (a) the psychologist who conducted the evaluation holds a Ch. 490 license (not merely a district certification), and (b) the evaluation contains a clear diagnostic statement identifying a qualifying disability.
Is a Psychoeducational Evaluation or educational Evaluation completed by a certified psychologist acceptable as proof of a diagnosis?
Yes, so long as two conditions are met:
1. The psychologist holds a Ch. 490 license. A "certified school psychologist" working for a district often operates under a Department of Education certification, which is not the same as Ch. 490 clinical licensure. Only Ch. 490 satisfies the statute.
2. The evaluation contains an explicit diagnosis. A report with only test scores and recommendations — but no clear diagnostic statement — is likely insufficient. SSK and Odyssey require a signed form stating the actual diagnosis.
Are private Evaluations from a certified psychologist an acceptable form of documentation?
Yes. Florida statute does not require the evaluation to come from a school district or any public entity. It simply requires a diagnosis from "a psychologist who is licensed under chapter 490."
Would a diagnosis letter written by an APRN or Autonomous APRN be acceptable?
No, FL statute limits acceptable diagnosticians to:
- Physicians licensed under Ch. 458 or Ch. 459
- Psychologists licensed under Ch. 490
- Physicians holding active licenses from another U.S. state or territory
One of the categories for a qualifying disability is ‘Other Health Impairment’. What qualifies as a disability under this category?
Florida administrative code defines Other Health Impairment as: “… having limited strength, vitality or alertness, including a heightened alertness to environmental stimuli, that results in limited alertness with respect to the educational environment, that is due to chronic or acute health problems. This includes, but is not limited to, asthma, attention deficit disorder or attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, Tourette syndrome, diabetes, epilepsy, a heart condition, hemophilia, lead poisoning, leukemia, nephritis, rheumatic fever, sickle cell anemia, and acquired brain injury.”
In addition to listing the specific condition, in order to meet the criteria of this category the diagnosis letter/documentation should clearly state:
- A chronic or acute health problem
- The health problem results in limited strength, vitality, or alertness; and
- Has an adverse effect on educational functioning.
One of the categories for a qualifying disability is ‘Intellectual Disability’. What qualifies as a disability under this category?
According to Florida Statute, an ‘Intellectual disability’ means “significantly subaverage general intellectual functioning existing concurrently with deficits in adaptive behavior which manifests before the age of 18 and can reasonably be expected to continue indefinitely.”
In addition to listing the specific condition, in order to meet the criteria of this category the diagnosis letter/documentation should clearly state the intellectual disability results in:
- Significantly subaverage general intellectual functioning: meaning performance that is two or more standard deviations from the mean score on a standardized intelligence test specified in the rules of the agency.
- Adaptive behavior: meaning the effectiveness or degree with which an individual meets the standards of personal independence and social responsibility expected of his or her age, cultural group, and community.
Can a Physician’s Assistant (PA) sign a diagnosis letter for the FES-UA scholarship?
No. A Physician’s Assistant (PA) alone cannot sign a diagnosis letter. However, a PA may sign a diagnosis letter on behalf of a Physician. Both the PA and the Physician for which the letter is being signed must be clearly documented, and the letter itself must meet all other criteria.