Reserve Your Child's Spot at Plant Street Academy While Step Up Funding Is Pending

Waiting on a Step Up For Students decision shouldn't mean putting your child's education on hold. Plant Street Academy's homeschool enrichment program, based in Winter Garden, FL, offers a $200 seat-hold deposit so middle and high school students can start right away, with the deposit fully refunded once eligible Step Up funding is received and confirmed. That flexibility means a pending scholarship application never has to delay a start date. The program itself, built for middle and high school students, combines hands-on projects, mentorship, and small-cohort learning so students build the communication, leadership, and decision-making skills that carry directly into life, work, and future opportunities.

Step Up For Students Scholarship & the $200 Seat-Hold Deposit

Plant Street Academy is an approved provider for Step Up For Students, allowing eligible families to apply scholarship funds toward enrollment. Some families are ready to enroll but are still waiting on their Step Up funding to be finalized. To help those families secure a spot without missing the start of the program, Plant Street Academy offers a $200 seat-hold deposit per student.

Because enrollment is limited, families should review the following terms carefully before submitting a deposit.

The $200 deposit reserves a space specifically for your child and allows your child to begin the program while Step Up funding is pending. This is a temporary accommodation. Paying the deposit does not mean Plant Street Academy has approved or guaranteed your child's Step Up scholarship, funding amount, or payment timeline.

If Step Up Funding Is Received

If your child's Step Up funding is approved and Plant Street Academy receives sufficient scholarship payment for the enrolled program, the $200 seat-hold deposit is fully refunded. Step Up approval alone does not trigger the refund, it is processed after Plant Street Academy has received and confirmed the applicable scholarship payment.

If Step Up Funding Is Denied or Insufficient

If a child's Step Up scholarship is denied, insufficient, or otherwise does not provide payment for the enrolled program, the $200 seat-hold deposit is non-refundable.

The deposit reserves one of the program's limited spaces specifically for that child. Once a space is reserved, Plant Street Academy plans staffing and program capacity accordingly and may be unable to offer that seat to another family. For this reason, scholarship denial or a failure to receive funding does not create an entitlement to a refund of the seat-hold deposit. Step Up eligibility, approval, funding amounts, and processing timelines are outside the control of Plant Street Academy.

Continuing Without Step Up Funding

If Step Up does not sufficiently fund a child's program and the family would like their child to remain enrolled, the $200 deposit is credited toward the applicable program tuition, with the family responsible for the remaining balance.

The program must be fully funded by September 30, 2026, either through Step Up, direct family payment, or another written payment arrangement approved by Plant Street Academy. Students whose tuition has not been fully funded, or who do not have an approved written payment arrangement in place by that date, will not be permitted to continue participating in the program until the outstanding tuition obligation is resolved.

Parent/Guardian Responsibility

Plant Street Academy does not control Step Up eligibility determinations, approval dates, scholarship amounts, reimbursement decisions, or payment processing. Families are responsible for monitoring their Step Up account, completing all required documentation, and addressing any issues directly with Step Up.

By submitting the $200 deposit, a parent or guardian acknowledges that they understand and agree to these terms.

How to Reserve Your Child's Spot

To reserve a seat while Step Up funding is pending, families must complete both of the following steps:

1. Submit the $200 seat-hold deposit.

2. Email Plant Street Academy with the acknowledgment below.

Please reply to your enrollment email or send the acknowledgment to team@plantstreetacademy.com:

“I have read and understand the Step Up Pending Enrollment and $200 Seat-Hold Deposit terms. I understand that the deposit reserves my child’s space while Step Up funding is pending; that it will be refunded if Plant Street Academy receives sufficient applicable Step Up funding for the program; and that it is non-refundable if Step Up funding is denied, insufficient, or otherwise not received as described above. I understand that I am responsible for the remaining tuition if I choose for my child to continue without sufficient Step Up funding.”

Once Plant Street Academy receives the acknowledgment and deposit, the child's spot is secured. The Step Up funding process can create uncertainty for families, and this option exists so a child doesn't have to miss the start of the program while a family waits on their funding decision.

With only 25 seats per cohort, families interested in enrolling, whether funded through Step Up, direct payment, or a seat-hold deposit, are encouraged to reach out to Plant Street Academy soon to confirm availability for the upcoming term.

What Your Child Will Experience at Plant Street Academy

Securing funding and reserving a seat are important first steps, but families also want to know what their child will gain from the program. Plant Street Academy offers more than a place to complete schoolwork. It provides an intentionally designed learning environment where middle and high school students develop the practical skills, confidence, and real-world awareness they need for what comes next.

Whether a student joins through Step Up funding or direct tuition payment, they become part of a small, mentor-led cohort focused on meaningful learning, personal growth, and preparation for life beyond the classroom.

Real-World Learning, Not Rote Memorization

Most traditional programs prepare students to pass a test. Plant Street Academy prepares them to handle real life. Core learning areas include life skills, entrepreneurship, career preparation, leadership and confidence, community impact, financial literacy, communication, and writing literacy. Weekly sessions combine discussion-driven activities and labs, such as Unmuted (communication), Inventions Lab, Civics & Activism, Philosophy for Teens, and Global Horizons, with shadowing and networking opportunities through community partners. The academy also integrates AI thoughtfully, as a tool for strengthening critical thinking and problem-solving.

Groups are intentionally small, with only 25 seats per cohort, so students get personalized, mentor-led attention rather than getting lost in a crowd. Families from Winter Garden, Clermont, Windermere, and Ocoee choose Plant Street Academy for exactly this reason: real engagement, strong peer connections, and meaningful growth.

Middle School Program (Ages 11–14)

Middle school is where confidence is either built or lost. Plant Street Academy's middle school cohort meets Wednesdays from 9:30 AM to 2:00 PM, starting Wednesday, August 26th, and is designed to help students find their voice, think independently, and engage with the world around them in ways that actually stick.

In Unmuted Level 2, students practice real-life scenarios they will genuinely face: explaining ideas clearly, presenting and demonstrating with confidence, leading conversations, and persuading without pressure, while building foundational communication and leadership skills through hands-on, discussion-driven activities.

High School Program (Ages 14–18)

High school students meet Mondays from 9:30 AM to 2:00 PM for a 5-hour immersive weekly session (20 hours per month of integrated, hands-on learning), starting Monday, August 24th. Whatever path a teen chooses next, whether college, career, entrepreneurship, or something else entirely, this program builds the skills that matter across all of them: confidence, communication, critical thinking, decision-making, and real-world awareness.

Coursework is built around application, not theory, through labs like Unmuted Level 3, Inventions Lab, Civics & Activism, Philosophy for Teens, and Global Horizons, plus opportunities for shadowing and networking with community partners.

With only 25 seats available per group, both the middle school and high school programs fill quickly.

Ready to Enroll?

Seats fill quickly, with only 25 spots available per cohort for both the Middle School and High School programs. The High School program begins Monday, August 24th, and the Middle School program begins Wednesday, August 26th.

Whether you're paying directly, applying Step Up scholarship funds, or securing your child's spot with the $200 seat-hold deposit, don't wait to reserve your place. Submit your deposit here to confirm your child's spot for the upcoming term.

Have questions? Reach out to Plant Street Academy at team@plantstreetacademy.com or call 407-279-0422. You can also visit us at 855 E. Plant St Ste. 900, Winter Garden, FL 34787.