School Choice Ohio Blog

With websites being created, redesigned, and expanded all the time, it can be hard to keep track of all the changes. At lunch today, I was fortunate enough to attend the unveiling of a redesigned website that has the potential to be a powerful tool for policymakers and the general public in Ohio.

The Buckeye Institute for Public Policy Solutions has placed an incredible amount of information at the fingertips of anyone who cares to seek it out. The data available includes information on government operations, public employee salaries, lobbyists, and education. The education related data, of special interest to me, includes information on school performance and teacher salaries.

Information prepared by the Buckeye Institute indicated that there are over 25 million pieces of data included on the website. I’m not going to count the pieces of data, but I am going to access it when I need facts and data related to governmental operations. I encourage you to do the same. The website can be found at www.buckeyeinstitute.org.

- Chad Aldis

Well, we’ve reached the end of April – Autism Awareness Month. This month’s blog series has been a new way for us to connect with tremendous stories of the growth, transformation, and impact that the Autism Scholarship makes possible for kids in Ohio.

Parents talked about their hopes to “mainstream” their kids back into typical classrooms and the joy of hearing previously nonverbal kids speak their first words. Teens shared how they’re learning to express themselves. Legislators shared about the importance of autism awareness and pending laws and programs that could help people with autism and other special needs.

Thank you for following along and learning with us this month! Supporters can stay in the loop at www.scohio.org/getinvolved.

- Sarah Pechan

The Autism Scholarship is experiencing tremendous growth and, as we have read this month, it is making a real difference in kids’ lives.

Part of what we can do to help more kids with autism is making sure everyone has access to quality providers in their area. There are still many kids who can’t benefit from the scholarship because they don’t live near a service provider, school, or therapist who offers the help they need.

There are 222 private providers spread across 37 of Ohio’s 88 counties. This reaches many students, but not all. Important frontiers in developing the Autism Scholarship include:

• Expanding the types of services available,
• Making sure providers are quality,
• Copying successful schools and service models so they can serve more kids, and
• Broadening the geography of families able to access services (especially in rural areas because service providers tend to be clustered in urban areas).

The flexibility and choice in the Autism Scholarship Program has allowed several model autism programs to develop that have become national stars. These programs, based on different beliefs about how to approach autism, use approaches that families can match to their individual child.

An increase in the funding amount of the Autism Scholarship ($20,000) closer to par with public school funding ($30,000+) would be an important investment in sustained and expanded innovation. Successful programs often cost $50,000-$100,000 per student annually. Progress on the frontiers will also require significant philanthropic investment, but promise impressive outcomes. Philanthropists who are interested in autism would do well to invest in replicating proven school models.

What are some of the needs you see to expand autism services? Some of the opportunities?

- Sarah Pechan

Ounce of prevention and all that, it’s clear that early intervention for kids with special needs works and we should be doing as much of it as possible in Ohio.

Characteristics of autism can be detected as early as 6 months old. And the earlier the child can start with therapy and intervention, the more likely they are to see results, even as toddlers. Early intervention is a key component in gaining maximum benefit from therapies and has a huge impact on a student’s educational trajectory.

There are many approaches to educating a child on the autism spectrum. Early implementation of these different methods gives children the best opportunities for growth and development. Early intervention is critical in the child’s developmental progress and it also saves taxpayer money, but—most importantly—early intervention adds to the child’s overall quality of life. 

Because the Autism Scholarship starts at age 3, students are able to benefit from therapies and intervention before they even start school. But we’ve also been hearing lately that the minimum age should be lowered so that intervention can start earlier and be even more effective.

What do you think? Should the Autism Scholarship start at age 2? Earlier? As soon as a diagnosis is made? Stay at age 3?

- Marisa Simon

As Doug Krinsky mentioned in his post, there’s no reason that the type of scholarship that students with autism enjoy in Ohio couldn’t be extended to students with other disabilities.

Below, a legislator who has been a stalwart of support for school choice shares his vision for a comprehensive Special Education Scholarship.

State Senator Jon Husted

First off, thank you for allowing me to participate in such a wonderful occasion as Autism Awareness Month; I salute all of you that work tirelessly on this important cause.

While the awareness and detection of Autism has come a long way, there is no denying that we still have a long way to go, especially in the area of educating children who have Autism. Not every child learns in the traditional way and that is why I have continued to fight to ensure that parents have a choice on where their child is educated. I believe parents are best suited to determine the educational needs of their child, not teachers unions or bureaucrats in Columbus.   

During my time in the legislature, I am most proud of the tremendous gains we have made in the area of school choice. During my time as Speaker of the House, I was proud to work along side then-Representative Jon Peterson, to implement the Autism Scholarship Program. Today, there are nearly 1,500 students taking advantage of this scholarship program which enables them to attend schools that best fit their educational needs.

For the last several years, I have been trying to win approval of the Special Education Scholarship Program. My goal in creating this program is to allow students that have been identified as having a special education needs, to apply for a scholarship to pay the expenses of an alternative public or private special education program. Even though this has yet to become law, I can assure you I will continue to fight for this important educational choice for Ohio’s children and parents.

We still have a long way to go in Ohio, and I look forward to working with each and every one of you to ensure that all of Ohio’s children receive the education they deserve.

We stand alongside Senator Husted in support of this important legislation. To voice your support for the Special Education Scholarship proposal and learn more, visit www.scohio.org/specialeducation.

Each of the 1,300+ Autism Scholarship recipients has a story to tell. Here’s a look at what a few of the teenagers at The Bryan Center had to say about their experiences with the Autism Scholarship.

Kevin Carr, grade 11

“The Autism Scholarship improved my life by helping me to communicate more, express my emotions, have better confidence in myself, and be a more active person in my job and community.”

Anthony Gendron, grade 6

“The Autism Scholarship changed my life by allowing me to go to a special school…My behaviors have changed progressively…Having so many students in the classroom was very distracting to me. Now I have smaller classes with one on one student and teacher ratios. Now it is a lot easier for me to focus and get my work done on time…Since I have attended The Bryan Center for a while now, I have changed for the better and I don’t feel so out of control all the time.”

Clayton Grim, grade 12

“Until I had the scholarship, I had failing grades, I didn’t have very good communication skills, my attitude wasn’t the best. The teachers at The Bryan Center seem to understand me and the stuff I’ve gone through. They actually help me out when I’m having trouble with something.  If I have a problem with something or someone, the teachers talk it out with me so I don’t get even more upset. With the Autism Scholarship I have had a lot more opportunities to go to school, have fun, and improve myself.”

Zachary C. Heckman, grade 11

“The Autism Scholarship has changed my life in many ways by teaching me communication skills, helping me with my attitude and behavior, and teaching me how to control my language…I’m glad I came to The Bryan Center, because I have become a mature, well-mannered, respectful young man.  I would never want to go back to the way I used to be.”

Because autism is a complex disorder with a wide range of symptoms that affects people differently, treatments or therapies that are helpful for some individuals may not work for others.

One example is that families have discovered that the presence of a specially-trained autism assistance dog can offer autistic individuals numerous benefits, such as helping reduce certain repetitive or aggressive behaviors and providing increased social interactions during their daily activities. Unfortunately, Ohio does not currently include autism in the laws governing the use of assistance dogs, meaning these individuals could face unequal treatment under the law. To help clarify this situation and ensure that people with autism are able to use their assistance dog in all environments, I introduced Senate Bill 220. This bill seeks to include people diagnosed with autism in the definition of “mobility impaired person” as it relates to the laws governing assistance dogs. 

With the understanding that not all individuals with autism benefit from the same type of treatment or assistance, the Ohio Department of Education offers the Autism Scholarship Program (ASP).  This scholarship allows parents to access special education programs outside their school of residence that better meet their child’s needs. In the same way that I have seen the difference an assistance dog can make in the life of a person with autism, I believe ASP allows parents to make an important choice in meeting the needs of their children with autism.

 - Shannon Jones

  State Senator

Laura Eizember of Strongsville expresses her appreciation for the Ohio Autism Scholarship this way: “Every day I leave my child with a group of teachers and students who value what he can contribute to their class…I am thankful for the Ohio Autism Scholarship each day.”

You may be surprised to learn that Laura’s son, Daniel, is not an Autism Scholarship recipient and likely never will be. But she still credits the Autism Scholarship with creating incentives for schools to offer an environment where Daniel can thrive.

The Eizembers’ have come a long way towards a quality education for their son—literally. They lived in Southeastern Virginia when Daniel started in the local preschool.

“We started hearing from the teachers that ‘it’ was ‘too hard’.  The principal denied the teachers’ requests for special education support. We were told that Daniel’s presence was ‘harming the other children.’ We left.”

Despite living in one of the largest metropolitan areas in the country (and the largest in the state of Virginia), the Eizembers were unable to find a school equipped for Daniel’s needs.  After deciding homeschooling was their best option, they planned a move to Ohio to be closer to extended family. 

In preparation for the move, Laura came across special education options that were not available in Virginia. Thrilled with these new found opportunities, Laura wondered what made Ohio so different:

“Was it the size of the metropolitan area? A difference in educational philosophies?  A higher proportion of children who needed support in Ohio?  A lack of sophistication in educational systems south of the Mason-Dixon line?”

Finally, Laura reached a verdict:

“We have come to believe that the answer is really the Ohio Autism Scholarship. The demand created by school choice and the Autism Scholarship creates options for those of us who do not meet criteria for this scholarship, and immeasurably improve our choices for all our children.”

Although the Eizembers had to leave their home state to find the best education for Daniel, they found a welcome environment. And thanks to the Ohio Autism Scholarship, Ohioans don’t have to leave home to provide their children with a quality education match. 

- Marisa Simon

The Autism Society of Ohio promotes the active and informed involvement of family members and individuals with autism in the planning of individualized, appropriate services and supports. It is our job to provide families and individuals with autism information about the variety of supports and services available, empowering them to select the options that they feel are most appropriate for the individual with autism.

We firmly believe that no single type of program or service will fill the needs of every individual with autism and that each person should have access to support services. Selection of a program, service or method of treatment should be on the basis of a full assessment of each person’s abilities, needs and interests. We believe that services should be outcome based to insure that they meet the individualized needs of a person with autism.

A few “facts and stats” on the program: There are currently over 200 registered private providers. Of those, over half are concentrated in Cuyahoga, Franklin and Hamilton Counties. There are private providers in 38 of Ohio’s 88 counties.  Of those, 21 counties have just one or two registered private providers.

The Ohio Autism Scholarship program provides families and individuals with autism an option when they are unhappy with services provided by their local public school. The Autism Society of Ohio provides an informational webpage on the Autism Scholarship and it is the most popular link on our website. 

- Barb Yavorcik

  Executive Director, Autism Society of Ohio

  www.autismohio.org

After the huge national struggle for students with special needs to be included in “mainstream” classrooms alongside typically-developing peers, some special education advocates struggle with programs like the Autism Scholarship. Some express frustration at programs that seem like moving backward to schools specifically for students with autism.

Students absolutely should have a “mainstream” school option. No question about that. But mainstreaming isn’t always the most appropriate option at a given point in a child’s education. As we read yesterday, some families find that schools for students with special needs fill an important void in the education landscape.

More than that, sometimes the scholarship is the key to help students successfully transition back into mainstream classrooms. Without the right skills and adaptive training, “mainstreaming” can be unsuccessful or counterproductive. With specialized training, students are often able to mainstream seamlessly, in ways that wouldn’t have been possible without early intervention the scholarship offers.

Nancy Naylor-Sarangan

“At this point in my daughter’s development, I know that she is not ready for a classroom, but I believe that by using the Autism scholarship we can get her to a place were she is ready to go into a classroom and succeed.”

Richard George Vah Jr.

“Our son still has some language delays, and social skills delays, but he can go to a regular kindergarten class where his sister goes if we so choose.  This is due to all the hours of hard work by him, my wife, our ABA team and all his therapists and teachers, almost all of which we were able to pay since we had the funds provided by the Autism Scholarship Program.”

Tim and Cathy Anderson

“These last few years have been a learning experience, and we have changed the types of intervention they have received; but the autism scholarship has given us that flexibility. They are now 7 years old and in a typical kindergarten at a private school with an aide and are doing very well. If it were not for the autism scholarship, we believe that our boys would not have gotten the appropriate services they needed and would not be where they are today.”

Christine Muczyk

“No two kids are the same, but with small classroom settings and enough teachers, the kids can start to come out of their shell and adapt to society so they can get into the mainstream school system.”