Florida families using the Step Up for Students scholarships are moving into a new portal or dashboard. The state is calling it EMA for Education Market Assistant. The idea is great but the process is quite honestly a nightmare. So, now with EMA all my students will be in one dashboard with each of their scholarships. It does work and it will be better once we all get there!
The set up was easy and difficult and frustrating for myself. I read and watched the videos on how to do it. I was finally able to get my student on Family Empowerment Scholarship via the Find my Student link. However, my son on the Unique Abilities scholarship could not be found. I had to email; and I do recommend emailing them with all your information and how you are struggling. In order to have your account linked or get help finding your student, it does seem that you will have to call. It took a lot of patience to wait in the phone cue or keep calling when the line was always busy. Once I finally got a person on the phone, I was so happy. The assistant was amazing and so helpful. I had gotten locked out of the old account and she needed to unlock it and then get me to find my account to bring it into the new EMA site.
Now that I have the kids in the dashboard, I have to apply or renew the scholarship for next year. That wasn’t terrible because I have the needed documents saved on my computer. I found it pretty frustrating the the Step Up for Students website does not just link you to the EMA site. The EMA site if often not working from the links on the old website. I was only finding the link from emails to work so that I could actually sign in. EMA sign in page.
So, the change is frustrating and difficult but it will be so much better once we all are using it. I need the site to become more accessible from the main site.
If you are still not in the new site or have not renewed, email and after you get a response, start to call and work to get a person on the phone. When you call, have your computer so that the assistant can walk you through the set up.
You got this!
Ruthfulness 