As another Autism Awareness Month comes to an end, we leave you with this video from the Autism Rally that took place in April at the Statehouse.

April is Autism Awareness Month! To help celebrate we will be featuring essays from those who chose to use the Ohio Autism Scholarship to obtain the services their child needs.

“We have a terrific 9 year old son.  He is funny, an excellent artist, very good a sports, a great big brother, and he has Aspserger’s Syndrome.  We noticed he didn’t seem as mature as some of the other children his age, but all kids develop at their own rate so it was no big deal. We did not get the Asperger’s Syndrome diagnosis until he was in the 1st grade.  We started the journey into the world of Special Education.  There were I.E.P meetings, I. A. T. meetings, O.T. meetings, Speech meetings, P.T. meetings, and the list goes on.  We tried to navigate through the system with as much help as we could find.  Our son had been picked on, teased and made fun of.  Our younger son, who is 7, wondered why none of the teachers or students liked his brother.  Even with all of the accommodations we had established he seemed to still struggle.  He just did not seem to fit in with the traditional school setting.   We wanted to send him to a private school but could not afford it.

We were so very happy to learn of the Autism Scholarship.  We could now send him to a school that would work hard to meet his needs.  At Nightingale Montessori they work with a lot of children on the Autism Spectrum.  The program is wonderful.  Our son has just blossomed.  He has lots of friends.  He gets phone calls and hugs from his friends.  He is excited to go to school everyday.  It has been a tremendous change since the previous 4 years of school.  He is excelling and we are so very excited to have him in a place that the teachers and students see him the way that we do;  A smart, funny, loyal and creative young man.

Thank you for the Scholarship.”

-Annisa Younts

April is Autism Awareness Month! To help celebrate we will be featuring essays from those who chose to use the Ohio Autism Scholarship to obtain the services their child needs.

“Our family moved to Ohio the summer our son William turned three.  During our time in Maryland, he had been diagnosed with multiple disabilities.  He had received county services as a toddler and had an IEP.  When we arrived here, my husband and I were informed that our local school district simply was not able to provide the services outlined in that IEP.  We were also informed that in their opinion those special accommodations (like small class size) were actually unnecessary for him.

That was the beginning of our fight for an appropriate education for our son.  In the process, we found that other parents and advocates had gone before us and created a system of redress.  But we also learned that, while we could make the school district provide specific services, no legal action would envision them to see our son’s potential and pursue it whole-heartedly.

We began supplementing his services, and the next summer we withdrew William from the district and transitioned to a completely private education.  We knew we were not giving William everything he needed, but we were doing as much as we could afford.  William was only four at the time, and his future loomed in front of us.  We were sure how we were going to maintain even the amount we were doing.  We could not afford to move to a better district, and we were already depending on the generosity of extended family.

One day the answer came.  At a parent-teacher conference, William’s private school teacher expressed her belief that William would greatly benefit from additional services.  I told her I agreed and explained our financial situation.  Then she told me about the Ohio Autism Scholarship Program.  She said the school was already an Approved Provider, so William could continue to attend there.  The Scholarship would also cover any other services listed in the IEP.  And she kindly offered recommendations on how to get the school district to agree to those services.

At first I was hesitant to reopen negotiations with the school district.  But I found the people at the Dept of Ed, Special Services very helpful.  The Scholarship Application itself was fairly simple.  And the Scholarship Program took a lot of the pressure out of the IEP process because the Approved Providers saw the IEP goals as a bare minimum rather than the sum total of the child’s individual programming.

When we returned to the school district to be evaluated for the new IEP, the speech therapist noticed William’s improved behavior.  She was amazed and said, “I thought that was a part of who he was.”  I was so grateful at that moment to know we would soon have many options of service providers.

The Scholarship has turned out to be as good as it sounded.  William continues to attend his private school and has begun receiving occupational therapy, in-school speech, and in-home tutoring.  His teachers and therapists understand him and know how to bring out his best.  Most of them have decades of experience.  Some of them even specialize in his more rare disabilities.

I have become a much more active member of the treatment team.  For example, I have daily communication with whatever service providers he sees that day.  So when William had some adverse behavioral reactions to the OT treatments, his occupational therapist and I were able to discuss how he was doing before and after each session.  She adjusted the treatments accordingly, found a balance, and added a goal within three sessions.  That saved us valuable treatment time as well as needless grief.  That kind of regular communication also enables me to coordinate communication between services, including the private speech therapist we continue to pay ourselves.

The Ohio Autism Scholarship Program has opened the door to a truly excellent education for our son.  We are so grateful to not be limited to the services and providers in our district but to have the very best in the county at our disposal.  We are grateful for the teachers and therapists who have a vision for our son and his potential.  We are grateful to be allowed to actively participate in the process.  And most of all we are grateful for the amazing progress that William is making.

Back in Maryland, my husband and I heard horror stories of families who moved to Ohio and had to move back because of the lack of services for special needs kids.  But because of the Ohio Autism Scholarship Program, we are convinced that our son is actually receiving a better education now than he would have received if we had not moved to Ohio.”

–Bethany Grover

April is Autism Awareness Month! To help celebrate we will be featuring essays from those who chose to use the Ohio Autism Scholarship to obtain the services their child needs.

Dear School Choice Ohio:

My name is Tracey D. Colvin, I’m a single parent and mother of Quennedy Tore’ Braxton Colvin. Quennedy is four years old and has been diagnosed with autism. He receives the Autism Scholarship and attends school at Cincinnati Children Hospital’s, Kelly O’Leary Center for children with autism in the EIBE program.

Why I initially got Q’s results from his evaluations and autism diagnosis, I have to admit I had never heard of anything like autism spectrum disorder. I was confused and overwhelmed. I didn’t know if he would be capable of ever speaking, learning or living a normal life. Before he was born I could sense in my heart that he would be a gifted and special child but never did I realize the task that was before us.

His primary doctor at Children’s informed me about the funding available through the state of Ohio’s Autism Scholarship to assist with paying for special education programs for kids on the spectrum. At the time, I had not decided if Q would attend a public school. It only took one visit to the school in question to know it was not for him. I knew he needed more one on one attention, in a small setting with less children and distractions than a regular public school program provided.

Those are the small but very important things that Q has been blessed with by the Autism Scholarship. Because of the scholarship, he is in a classroom and is being educated. He has become more verbal and is communicating his wants and needs to his family and peers. This causes less frustration for him. He is potty trained, can count to ten and comprehends extremely well. Q is in a comfortable place where the staff understands how to assist him rather his having a good or bad day. As he continues to progress, I can’t thank you all enough for being understanding to what the children of Ohio with autism need in order to grow, learn and hopefully someday become successful, independent adults.

Sincerely,

Ms. Tracey D. Colvin

April is Autism Awareness Month! To help celebrate we will be featuring essays from those who chose to use the Ohio Autism Scholarship to obtain the services their child needs.

“My son and daughter are the fortunate recipients of both the Autism Scholarship and the EdChoice Scholarship. As a mother of a child with a disability, and an educator by profession I struggled early on knowing the challenges my child would have to face in a traditional setting. This is where I began my search for a setting that would meet my child’s needs, not a place that my unique child would have to fit into. I had heard of a place that offered just that, Nightingale Montessori in Springfield, Ohio.

After doing some research I quickly realized the tuition to attend this school would create a financial burden on our family. I had heard of the EdChoice Scholarship and the Autism Scholarship and decided to investigate. After a couple of phone calls I realized that my son would qualify for both of these scholarships based on our home-schools performance on the Ohio Achievement Assessment and my son’s disability. We applied for the Autism Scholarship on behalf of our son and contacted Nightingale Montessori to schedule a tour. The tour was scheduled during the day so that I was able to experience the true taste of the Montessori style.

Upon entering the parking lot I was a bit surprised at the appearance of the outdated building, considering the brand-new public schools that had recently been constructed just down the road. But upon entering the building I noticed a few things that outweighed the physical appearance of the building; children of all ages were engaged and independently working on their tasks while teachers were working in small ability-based groups, the children were being offered choices and flexible options to suit their individual needs and desires, and a wide range of traditional academic curriculum along with a variety of art, music and life skills were being offered.

As a traditional educator I was astonished at the amount of independent work these young children were able to do, and the deep understanding, appreciation, and the mastery levels that these children had acquired. I was impressed with the knowledge the teachers had about every individual within their classrooms and within the small groups they were leading, and I was in awe of the very structured curriculum, which encompassed a wide variety of not only traditional standards, but also an appreciation for culture, the Earth and individuality. After seeing all of these very valuable pieces that were being implemented, I knew Nightingale Montessori was the place for my son.

I have had the joy of watching my son grow both academically and socially in this nurturing environment that would have otherwise been missed in a traditional setting. When the time came for me to choose which school my daughter should attend as a kindergartener, it was an easy choice. Nightingale Montessori was the right choice for her as well. Since our home school did not reach the requirements of the O.A.A. my daughter was the recipient of the EdChoice Scholarship.

I am so grateful for the opportunity to be able to send my children to a place that best fits their needs both academically and socially. The Autism Scholarship as well as the EdChoice Scholarship has made a tremendous difference in my children’s lives. As a parent, I cannot imagine not having a choice as to where my child is educated due to financial restrictions. As American’s we have had to think outside of the box for hundreds of years, this is what has made America great! As Americans today we need to reevaluate our traditional school systems and think outside the box. Just because Montessori style of teaching is different, it doesn’t mean it’s wrong. I applaud every individual who makes Montessori what it is and all of the parents who place their most valuable asset in the care of these people everyday.”

-Tamara Fox

Tara Santilli, an Autism Scholarship parent, talks about the services she found for her son through a private provider with the help of the Ohio Autism Scholarship.

Arizona Governor Jan Brewer recently signed a bill creating the nation’s first system of public contributions to education savings accounts as a choice mechanism. This news is especially relevant to Ohio as recently proposed legislation, House Bill 136 (Huffman) and Senate Bill 128 (Faber), would expand school choice in the state and incorporate the use of an education savings account (ESA).

As stated in the proposed language in Ohio, if the school’s annual tuition is less than the student’s maximum scholarship amount, the savings would be rolled into an education savings account for the individual child. This would create an incentive for parents to find the best value for their child’s education.

Parents would be able to use the education savings account to pay for private school tuition and fees, school or college textbooks, or tuition and fees at an Ohio college, university, or post high school institution.

To see what the Goldwater Institute had to say about ESAs, read their policy report at http://www.goldwaterinstitute.org/article/1557.

April is Autism Awareness Month! To help celebrate we will be featuring essays from those who chose to use the Ohio Autism Scholarship to obtain the services their child needs.

What the Autism Scholarship Means to Me and My Family

“The scholarship for Noah offers him an opportunity that we are unable to provide for him. As his mother, I would love to give him these opportunities, but on account of my disabilities, I am unable to offer him all the things that will help him. I am blind, and suffer from effects of strokes, including loss of memory.

Noah was diagnosed with Asperger’s Syndrome when he was in public schools. He was distracted by noises, teased, and felt very alone. He was bullied, prevented from safely and privately using the restroom, and felt poorly about himself. Almost daily, he’d return home in tears.

Since receiving the Autism Scholarship and schooling with one of your providers, all work is matched to his abilities and he receives more one-on-one attention. He feels more confident and says this school feels more like a family because he feels welcome and is not singled out for being different.

Noah has since visited his former school, where teachers now comment that he has matured in the way he interacts with others. His new confidence enables him to initiate conversations and no longer avoid situations that used to be perceived as threatening.

Thank you for providing this scholarship for my son, and for others like him. It has been such a blessing, and has already made such a difference in my son and in our home. We can never thank you enough for this fantastic opportunity.”

-Robinlee Tinnes

April is Autism Awareness Month! To help celebrate we will be featuring essays from those who chose to use the Ohio Autism Scholarship to obtain the services their child needs.

“Brent was born July 9, 1991. In 1992 the American Psychiatric Association released the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual (DSM-IV) redefining diagnostic criteria for autism making autism a spectrum disorder. This update was a catalyst that impacted my son’s life and his destiny. A diagnosis of autism torpedoed the course of our family’s activities, finances, overall happiness and future, forever.

If Brent had been born in 1891 he probably would have worked as a farmer or been a peasant laborer and lived his life as an average, normal person. If Brent had been born in 1951 he probably would have been a student with poor grades that managed to graduate high school, ending up with a repetitive factory job that paid a decent wage and offered benefits and lived his life as an average, normal person. But, in the year, 2010 it is difficult to live as an average, normal person.

The world moves at one speed nowadays. Fast. If you do not fit socially into a crazy, fast-paced world, a cookie-cutter educational system, or a job that requires you to work quickly and multi-task, you are disabled. You are autistic.

It became apparent public school was someplace for Brent to regress, not progress. Over the past two decades, we’ve found that talking to school district administrators is like talking to a brick wall. Levies, standardized testing, legalities, teacher’s unions, politics and money are the deciding factors for the type of sub par public school education our son was receiving while attending the local elementary school.

Brent was not comfortable at school and learning was not easy. Being no expert, my gut instinct, as his mother, told me sending him was all wrong and the public school was not right for him. Even though we had IDEA, IEP’s, parent mentors, support groups and tutors Brent was our district’s statistical acceptable loss.

Furthermore, his father and I both worried about the unstructured times, the bullies who tend to gravitate to the differences, and the overcrowded classrooms. We watched his anxiety level rise until he became an insomniac. Insomnia is a terrible malady to watch your child suffer through.

Ever day, every year throughout Brent’s elementary years we didn’t want to send him to school, but knew he needed to go. We felt going to school is part of growing up. Only, he required specific individualized educational help and specialized attention.

We were in a terrible dilemma with absolutely no other options than to go through the cost and aggravation of due process with our district to end up having our child sit in the same school, with the same people, in the same situation. Hopelessness abound. Then, thankfully, in 2003 while on my constant search for other options and private schools I found out about The State of Ohio Autism Scholarship Program.

While nothing is perfect, we have been able to find private providers that were able to enhance his academic and social achievements. His neuropsychologist, who said she had never seen such dramatic progress in a spectrum child, verified this through testing. This came with tremendous sacrifice and much effort on our part and the part of very caring, understanding, quality teachers; and, of course, a great deal of time and money.

Newspapers and political organizations have tried to attack the bipartisan Autism Scholarship Program. The action of enacting The Autism Scholarship Program by our state representatives was life-changing legislation for our son. Instead of having to spend time and money fighting a school district that was not going to change, we were able to invest the time and money fighting a school district that was not going to change, we were able to invest the time and money into personalizing our son’s education. In our case this strategy has worked magic. Our 19-year-old senior at his private provider high school holds Honor Roll status and will graduate in June. Brent looks forward to passing his driving test, attending college, and holding a part time job.

American Judge and Associate Jurist of the Supreme Court Oliver Wendell Holmes, Jr. said, “A child’s education should begin at least one hundred years before he is born.” With one in 110 children being diagnosed with autism, The Autism Scholarship Program is laying the foundation for future generations of children on the spectrum to attend an appropriate school, free, in the least restrictive environment. And, equally important, it gives parents a choice. No doubt, one hundred years from now school choice will matter.”

-Laura Mitchell, Middleburg Heights

April is Autism Awareness Month! To help celebrate we will be featuring essays from those who chose to use the Ohio Autism Scholarship to obtain the services their child needs.

Max and Heidi’s Story

“Max has autism. He was a bright, active toddler who loved to play with his young brother and sister, and had mastered the typical words, “mama,” “dad” and an occasional “uh-oh!”. At 18 months, Max fell silent except for the “hollering”. That’s what his 3 year old brother called it. It was not really crying or screaming, just a loud, lost miserable hollering. For hours at a time, he would sit along on his bedroom floor placing large flashcards in a straight line. How could this have happened to our perfect baby?

The official diagnosis came at age three, a devastating life sentence for us all, but not a surprise. Max was already receiving early intervention services. From the beginning, we decided that he would be treated the same as the other children. So, Max was licked by the dogs, scratched by the cats, taken shopping, on vacation and for rides on the 4-wheeler, and yes, even out to eat. He was never left home because it was easier or for fear he might become loud and disruptive. We were always prepared to take our meals to go.

For a year, Max attended a school based on Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA, rewards and consequences). The full days of intense training seemed long and hard for such a young child, and our hearts broke a little every day when we left him. The following two years he attended a public preschool where staff members were trained in aiding children with disabilities. He did well and made friends.

When it came time for kindergarten, we arrived at Welsh Hills School, a small, Montessori school just down the road from our home in Granville, Ohio. We were delighted to find the school on the list of private providers that would accept the autism scholarship.

We soon realized that our philosophy of raising children and the Montessori Method of teaching were one and the same. We had been teaching our children the joys and rewards of learning by involving them in raising a garden, caring for animals, and taking part in the chores and responsibilities of family.

The first week of school, Max climbed into my lap and announced “I’m learning to read!” In the mornings, with his eyes shining, he eagerly asks “is it time to go to school?” And at last, there are no tears, just a wave and a smile as he enters the large, welcoming double-doors to Welsh Hills School.”

-Deborah DePietro, aunt and advocate

This essay is based on the life of Max Monroe, his devoted mother and family, and the life and school choices made on his behalf.