School Choice Ohio Blog

Family experiences are at the heart of school choice. Our blog will periodically spotlight stories from Ohio families who experience school choice programs firsthand.

Shari Perkins’ son Randell faced some challenges in reading and comprehension early in elementary school, but his needs were not reliably or consistently met. Shari relates, “Randell was not encouraged to perform at the level I knew he was capable of. Our family always encourages our kids to be the best they can be, but that message was not conveyed in the classroom.”

Shari first heard about the EdChoice scholarship program from another parent whose children went to the same elementary school the previous year. She immediately applied. “During the interview process, Randell met with the principal, and it was like a breath of fresh air!! He explained that while the curriculum would be a little tougher, he knew that Randell could perform at that level and that he had every confidence that Randell would be a successful student.”

Randell was admitted to the private school and received the EdChoice Scholarship. “What a difference that made in Randell’s life. Randell could see that other people believed in him. His confidence and grades shot through the roof! Since he has been at his current school, he has been on Honor Roll every grading period.”

Shari continues: “We have another son, Nehemiah, who will be attending the same school through the EdChoice program. We are thankful that we have a choice in where our children are educated, where they can reach their full potential, and where they are encouraged to do their best. Thank you EdChoice for making such an important and powerful impact on our family. We love EdChoice!”

Shari is indebted to that parent who first told her about the opportunities and possibilities for Randell through EdChoice. And now she gives back in the same way. “I became a school choice ambassador so I could ‘get the word out’ about this wonderful program. Many parents (as I did) think funding for the program is ‘just there.’ Many don’t realize that … there needs to be a voice from the participants in the program to keep EdChoice in the forefront of our political leaders’ minds.”

Shari is right. The scholarship program is at maximum capacity this year. Unless people speak out and legislators respond by lifting the EdChoice cap, it’s likely that thousands of student applicants will be turned away next year. Visit our website to see how you can begin to make a difference for students across Ohio.

Family experiences are at the heart of school choice. Our blog will periodically spotlight stories from Ohio families who experience school choice programs firsthand.

Leslee Jones is a mom in Toledo. Her son has special needs, and the EdChoice scholarship has been able to provide him the education which helps him to succeed.

Leslee’s son “struggled in public school, even in special education classes, because the teacher could not give him the attention he needed.” She knew that this was not acceptable, but felt that she had no other option. “I had received calls from representatives from School Choice Ohio several times about the EdChoice scholarship program, but I didn’t think I could use the program because private schools did not offer special education programs.”

Leslee noticed a newspaper report on local schools and discovered that a local private school offered special education classes. “Later that week I received paperwork in the mail regarding the EdChoice scholarship program, which I had forgotten I had even requested. I read through the paperwork, and this same school was listed as a private option which accepts the EdChoice scholarship program.”

After meeting with the principal and special education teacher, Leslee and her husband knew that this was truly the best fit for their son. Since enrolling, her son’s special education teacher “has been able to work with our son on an individual basis and in small group settings, which has helped him tremendously. His education has blossomed.”

“I was so excited about the decision I made in applying for the EdChoice scholarship that I told my sister-in-law and three of my friends about the program. They all signed up for the EdChoice scholarship program, and their children now attend private schools thanks to this program!”

Family experiences are at the heart of school choice. Our blog periodically spotlights stories from Ohio families who experience school choice programs firsthand.

When her mother passed away in 2003, Tanisha Frazier became concerned about her little sister’s education. Tanisha knew that Natasha would face a rough up-hill climb. “It was hard losing our mother. I knew that school would become a struggle for Natasha because our mother wasn’t there to give her that support that was needed.”

Tanisha resolved to be that extra support at home that Natasha needed. She stayed in constant communication with her sister’s teachers and principals, and attended all parent teacher conferences. But something was not quite right with Natasha’s performance.

“The teachers would assure me that Natasha had great potential and was doing a great job. She tested into advanced courses at school. Then grade cards would reflect that she was failing. The grades were showing one thing, but the teachers were saying another.”

Tanisha will never forget an incident from Natasha’s 7^th grade year. “I called her math teacher to arrange after school tutoring for Natasha. I never heard back from her. I sent a note in with Natasha for her math teacher to contact me. The teacher wrote back promising to call me in order to address all my concerns regarding Natasha’s grades. But I never heard back. Natasha received a ‘D’ that grading period. If the teacher would have provided tutoring, that could have been prevented.”

Tanisha began to look into private school options for her sister. “I saw the potential in Natasha, but she was going to a school that didn’t care.” Unfortunately, tuition costs were too expensive. Tanisha felt trapped, but her older sister told her about the EdChoice scholarship. “I kept asking her what the catch was. When do we pay the money back?”

Tanisha took her sister to meet with the principal of a local private school, who told her, “I can see that you’re better than that, Natasha. I want you in this school because I know you can change this school for the better.” He was right. “Natasha has done a complete 180-degree turn. She has been on the honor roll every single grading period.”

Through EdChoice, Tanisha is now grateful for Natasha’s quality schooling and pleased with the teachers’ support. “I have the teachers’ contact information, and when I have questions regarding Natasha, they get back with me the same day. I hear from them at least once a week to advise me on her progress.”

“EdChoice has changed our lives, and opened doors for my sister. She wants to become the first female president! I don’t think she would have believed in herself without people at home and school supporting her dreams. I want to thank you, EdChoice, from the bottom of my heart.”

Family experiences are at the heart of school choice. Our blog will periodically spotlight stories from Ohio families who experience school choice programs firsthand.

Joshua Hayes is an 8^th grader in Columbus, Ohio, and he is a recipient of the Ed Choice Scholarship. Joshua attends a private school, and this choice is very important to him.

“The school curriculum challenges me more,” Joshua writes. “I used to just be able to get easy A’s without really trying or thinking about it.” Since enrolling in the new chosen school, “I’ve thought more about my school work and committed it to memory because my expectations are higher.”

Joshua also finds that the learning environment at his new school is more conducive to learning and personal growth. “The staff is kinder. They believe in me and test my skills more. The staff treats me like I’m their own child. The students are also nicer.”

Joshua says, “I would like to thank EdChoice for helping me get into my chosen school.” He has two brothers, and he hopes that they, and others, will have the same opportunity to “reap the benefits of a kind staff, students, and friends.”

With EdChoice reaching maximum capacity this year, there is a chance that Joshua’s brothers won’t have the same opportunity. Unless people speak out and legislators respond by lifting the EdChoice cap, it’s likely that thousands of students will be turned away. Visit our website to see how you can begin to make a difference for students across Ohio.

Family experiences are at the heart of school choice. Our blog will periodically spotlight stories from Ohio families who experience school choice programs firsthand.

Kathryn Shaw is a mom in Akron who uses the Autism Scholarship to send her son Nathaniel to the school of her choice.

Kathryn’s story:

Kathryn Shaw is mom to Nathaniel, a child with Aspergers Syndrome. Like many similar parents, she has had the “privilege and the pain of experiencing the many challenges and victories that accompany his diagnosis.”

Nathaniel started out in his local public school, but he “struggled academically as well as socially. Not all of his teachers were tolerant or accepting of him. He was often left out and excluded because he was ‘different.’”

Nathaniel struggled through his 5^th grade year, and Kathryn began to be “at a loss for what to do when faced with the idea of having him attend a large, public, junior high school. Having him at a place where he would not have the support of those around him and with those who were not familiar with his needs terrified me. I wondered, ‘How would he survive?’”

Kathryn called a local private school and asked the principal about accommodations for Aspergers Syndrome. The principal immediately told her about the Autism Scholarship Program and explained that all of his speech and development therapy would be covered by the scholarship. Kathryn was very excited. “Instantly, my hope for his future was reignited!”

Nathaniel began attending this school in the fall of 2004. Although he was the only Aspergers student in the classroom, Nathaniel’s teacher “was so understanding and cooperative in helping to meet his needs…The support and understanding of all faculty and staff was clearly apparent.”

“By the time Nathaniel started high school, he began to blossom academically as well as socially. His grades that once were D’s and C’s began to climb. With a current grade point average of 3.9, it is obvious that Nathaniel is right where he is supposed to be. Nathaniel is the only high school student in the chess club, has been in three school plays,  is in the orchestra where he plays violin, is in the art club, and is on the track team.”

Kathryn believes the Autism Scholarship Program provided Nathaniel this important “educational choice in order to be placed in an outstanding school environment where he can thrive and exceed the expectations of others.” She feels that “if it was not for the Autism scholarship, he would certainly not have had the opportunity to become the outstanding man that he is today.”

Family experiences are at the heart of school choice. Our blog will periodically spotlight stories from Ohio families who experience school choice programs firsthand.

Paul Proctor is a 5^th-grade recipient of the EdChoice Scholarship in Youngstown.

Paul’s story:

Paul Proctor attended a Youngstown charter school for some time, but his mother, Monica Proctor, knew that he was unhappy.  “Paul has always been an extremely well behaved, high honor roll student…I always felt that he was the one being ‘left behind,’ because he was so ahead of the other students in his class.”

Monica has always felt that “the decision on where to send children should be left to the parents, as all children are different as well as their learning needs,” but financial obstacles often block these choices. “Before I learned of the EdChoice program, there was no way, financially, that I could afford to send my very, very bright son to a private school. Even though I knew it would be the best choice for him, there just wasn’t a way.”

After Monica applied for a scholarship, she took Paul to test at the chosen school. “As soon as we walked in the doors, Paul said he just felt he belonged there and nowhere else.” When Monica told her son that he had been accepted for the EdChoice scholarship, Paul was extremely excited.  “He immediately called everyone he knew to tell them that he would be going to the school of ‘his’ choice. I think it was the happiest day of his life.”

Paul is now thriving. He is still on the honor roll, but he doesn’t feel “left behind” now. Monica is overwhelmingly grateful for this opportunity for her son. “It makes my heart feel at peace when I see him coming out of school happy and full of new things to talk about….He tries harder, expects more from himself and his teachers, and feels that he gets back the respect that he gives.”

“Thank you EdChoice for allowing my son a better education, for being my voice and backing up ‘my choice’ for my child.”

We know Ohio is the heart of it all, and in many ways Ohio is the heart of school choice. With three voucher programs that represent the widest variety of programs in any state, Ohio is truly a launching pad for school choice nationally.

So it’s no surprise to see Ohio featured on the cover page of a national school choice publication, The School Choice Advocate, released by the Foundation for Educational Choice. The cover story spotlights the EdChoice Scholarship cap and features parents who know firsthand why it needs to be raised. Latisha, Colitha, Lisa, Monica, and Tanisha all shared their insights, along with St. Mary’s principal Dave Csank, Senator Jon Husted, and Senator Gary Cates.

Not only that, but we just released a beautiful publication highlighting the stories of families using the Autism Scholarship. Many thanks to the Lutz, Pendley, Wells, and Carr families who were excited to share the successes of the scholarship for them. Your voices are important!

And last but not least, our latest newsletter was just released – and it’s a good one. Click to read about:

• Families maxing out the 14,000 available EdChoice scholarships
• School choice drama hitting the big screen
• How you can talk to local leaders about school choice

- Sarah Pechan

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.”

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.”

Unique children require unique instruction in order to reach their potential. Parents who find themselves feeling stuck in a school setting that is not ideal for their child sometimes find that schools that focus on special education provide the right fit. Schools that cater to students with special needs give hope to parents looking for a different approach to their child’s education. 

Stacy Cianciolo, an early childhood autism consultant, expresses why special needs schools are essential:

“Many of the young children I work with require intensive services to achieve the developmental milestones…While many public schools continue to shine providing excellent services to students with disabilities, it is systematically impossible to provide the intensity needed for many students diagnosed with an autism spectrum disorder in the school setting.  That parents have a choice to select private providers for their child is of immeasurable importance.”

The Glaze family’s story shows the importance of choices in education providers. Through the Autism Scholarship, the Glaze family finally found a school that fit their son’s individual needs:

“Griffin’s previous school, where my daughter currently attends, was not able to effectively reach Griffin. He had many behaviors and unique learning styles that the mainstream school could not adapt to. Helping Hands Center embraced the challenges and sought solutions to the barriers that faced us. We worked as a team with a ‘can do’ attitude. Consequently, Griffin is at an age appropriate level in many areas, intellectually gifted in a few areas, and he enjoys going to school.”

Here at School Choice Ohio, our mailbox is full of stories like Griffin’s that demonstrate that having special needs does not mean children cannot achieve their goals, it simply means they sometimes must find a different route to reach them! Schools that focus specifically on students with learning differences are instrumental in providing these alternative routes, so that each child has the opportunity to thrive. 

- Marisa Simon