In February 2009, State Senator Kevin Coughlin introduced Senate Bill 6 which would create a Special Education Scholarship pilot program for Ohio students with a disability. The proposed scholarship, limited to 3% of Ohio’s special education students, would allow parents the opportunity to use the tax money already designated for their child’s education at a private school that could better meet the student’s learning needs.
The Special Education Scholarship was modeled after the existing Autism Scholarship Program, which has been in effect since 2003 and now serves more than 1,000 students in Ohio.
If this scholarship sounds like it would help your family or someone you know, please Share Your Story. Thank you for taking the time to speak up because if change is going to occur it will be because Ohio’s leaders hear from real families that this scholarship is needed.
Why Is This Scholarship Necessary?
- Students’ Individual Needs at the Center: Special needs students require options tailored to their personal needs, which is reflected in the fact that these students’ instruction is guided by an “Individual Education Program.” This scholarship would serve students with needs as varied as severe hearing impairments and dyslexia. Because no single education approach is appropriate for all students with special needs, this scholarship provides the necessary options.
- Investing in Special Needs students pays in the long-run: Students with disabilities are more vulnerable to bullying than other students and nearly half of Ohio’s juvenile prison inmates are identified as having a learning disability. These students’ potential must be a priority.
- Parents Empowered with Options: Parents of children with disabilities who do not receive appropriate services are faced with significant legal hurdles, which are impossible for many families to meet. Families with limited financial resources should be able to access the best educational options, and parents are best able to identify the right environment for their individual children.
Scholarship Proposal Details
- The Special Education Scholarship would allow parents to use the tax money designated for their child (typically $7,000-30,000, depending on the level of the student’s needs) to send them to a school where they can receive the services they need to succeed. The scholarship maximum is $20,000, which is $10,000+ less than public schools receive for students with the greatest needs.
- Families will be able to choose the type of school that is best for their child, from mainstream private schools with special education programs to private schools that cater specifically to students with learning differences.
- All private education service providers would have to be approved by the Ohio Department of Education based on adherence to professional staff and health and safety standards.
- The pilot program requires a formative evaluation to evaluate the scholarship program’s quality and implementation.
History of the Scholarship Proposal
- In order to help students, the Special Education Scholarship first has to become law. Senate Bill 6 (SB6), introduced in early 2009, represents the 4th time in 4 years that a Special Education Scholarship has been introduced as a bill in the Ohio legislature. It has gained momentum each time but still has not become a reality for Ohio’s students with learning differences.
- The Special Education Scholarship was first proposed in 2006. Although many supporters provided testimony, the bill proposal (House Bill 431) was not passed out of the House committee into which it was introduced.
- In 2007, the Special Education Scholarship was proposed again – this time as part of the state biennium budget. It passed as part of a popular budget bill through both the House and Senate. Then, despite family pleas, Governor Strickland eliminated it from the budget with the line-item veto.
- In late 2007 and 2008, the scholarship was proposed a third time – this time as its own bill. It was passed by the full Senate. The House Education Committee recommended it for passage, but the House failed to pass the bill. Though the scholarship had 49 “yes” votes and only 44 “no” votes, it did not receive the required 50 votes.
Coalition of Supporters
- Throughout the long process this proposal has navigated, parents and students from across the state have called, written letters, and met with their legislators and testified at public hearings about the scholarship. These stories have been very powerful.
“My daughter is deaf. Her private school is teaching her to talk, giving her the skills and confidence she will need to integrate fully with typical children in public school.”
- Julie Bossert, Cincinnati mother
“I found a school that teaches social skills and friendship. I enjoy being with kids who are like me and who treat you like a friend. I love coming to school here.”
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Jenna Winkelman, Cleveland-area student
- School Choice Ohio is part of a coalition of supportive organizations that have actively promoted the scholarship and supported its passage.
Special Needs Scholarship - A Growing Movement Nationally
- Several other states have already created scholarship programs for students with learning differences. Among them are Arizona, Florida, Georgia, and Utah.
- The largest of these scholarships in other states is the John M. McKay Scholarship for Students with Disabilities in Florida. The scholarship, which started in 1999, serves 20,000 students. Students in the McKay Scholarship can choose from 1,013 participating private schools.
- Learn more about these programs in the “Promise of Special Needs Scholarship” publication
Share Your Story
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Thank you for taking this opportunity to tell us why you believe a special needs scholarship is needed for Ohio’s families. Your story could make all the difference.
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