Families eligible for the Gardiner / Family Empowerment Scholarship (Unique Abilities & PEP)

Our programs here at Cheyne Ranch are eligible for reimbursement for students receiving either of the following:

  1. FES-UA: Family Empowerment Scholarship for Unique Abilities

  2. FES-EO/PEP: Family Empowerment Scholarship Equal Opportunity, with a subtype of Personalized Education Program

Submitting for reimbursement:

TWO documents are needed to submit for a reimbursement:

  • Invoice: Description of services and request for payment

  • Receipt: Proof of payment

Our Cheyne Ranch invoices, coupled with a receipt of payment, meet ALL the FES requirements necessary for reimbursement

Currently, invoices are prepared and emailed out 3 times each year:

  • August (for TWO 8-week sessions in the FALL)

  • January (for TWO 8-week sessions in the SPRING)

  • May (for ONE 8-week session in the SUMMER)

When a payment is made and applied to your account, you will automatically receive a receipt to your email address on file.

**If you do not receive an email receipt, please reach out and we will email you another copy.

Here are some important things to note:

Cheyne Ranch has 9+ years experience with the FES-UA:

  • Sally reads and studies as much as possible regarding the FES, including the:

  • Approximately 30 of our weekly students are successfully receiving reimbursements through the Family Empowerment Scholarship.

    • Our Cheyne Ranch invoices, coupled with a receipt of payment, meet ALL the FES requirements necessary for reimbursement

  • Sally’s own child has been utilizing the scholarship since 2015 (when it was called Gardiner), so Sally is both a parent and a reimbursable provider for this scholarship.

    • All that to say, I know the pain! And I want to make things easy on parents and I am doing the best I can to make this happen.

  • Sally proudly participates in a parent & provider advocacy group which helps to inform and hold accountable the Florida law makers as well as the SUFS executives to the original intent and important purpose of this educational choice which became a law in 2014.

    • It is part of the Cheyne Ranch mission to advocate for accessible services for ALL individuals, and the FES is an important avenue for this accessibility.

REIMBURSEMENT CATEGORY is: OUTDOOR PE

  • Activities at Cheyne Ranch are currently categorized for reimbursement as “Outdoor PE” or “Home Education Program”

  • Cheyne Ranch is NOT (for Family Empowerment purposes) considered Equine Therapy

    • Both the 2022 Florida law and the SUFS handbook state only PATH, Intl Accredited Centers qualify as Equine Therapy.

      • This wording, which defines Equine Therapy to only places designated as PATH, Intl Accredited Centers is an unfortunate and highly restrictive choice of wording in the Florida law

      • Sally is working with an advocacy group to modify this wording to include PATH, Intl certified Individuals, as well as PATH, Intl Accredited Centers

Cheyne Ranch is NOT (yet) a direct pay provider

  • Cheyne Ranch is not a direct pay provider (yet) because currently, only 2 types of providers can be a direct pay provider:

  • Sally is closely listening for the possibility of expanded eligibility for direct pay providers. She plans to be one of the first providers qualified if any new guidelines are ever released allowing more direct pay providers.


For now, our activities are reimbursable, which means the payment must be made upfront to Cheyne Ranch, then the parent will submit an invoice and receipt to the scholarship for reimbursement.

For SUFS families who are utilizing the the LEGACY system

  • Reimbursement Category > Type > Detail:

    • Instructional Material > Other Instructional Material > Other

    • Example wording / explanation of how this activity might benefit your student:

      • Improves muscle coordination, builds strength, body awareness as well as teaches safety, connection and comfort around animals in a nature based outdoor environment. Website: PALS program - chra.us/pals Instructor: Sally Ann Cheyne, owner of Cheyne Ranch, Bachelor's Human Development, PATH, Int'l Certified.

  • Contact us with any questions

What are the facilitator’s credentials? Sally Ann Cheyne is both the owner of Cheyne Ranch and the primary facilitator of PALS. She has 20 years experience as a software instructor and curriculum writer. She also homeschools her own 4 children, currently all teenagers.

Both Animal Assisted Activities (AAA) and Equine Assisted Learning (EAL) are recognized and growing fields. There are a few respected certifying organizations which offer a rigorous certification processes. Sally currently holds affiliations with the following organizations: