Autism Diagnosis? Ohio Autism Scholarship is Great
You don’t even need a diagnosis to qualify for the Ohio Autism Scholarship. If your child is in public school and has been classified as falling under the Autistic Spectrum (Asperger syndrome, and pervasive developmental disorder not otherwise specified) you will qualify. If you live near one of the bigger towns you will be even better off, such as Columbus, Cincinnati, Cleveland, etc. The Ohio Autism Scholarship program has a list of providers you can choose from who provide various services for kids with Autism. What’s the catch? You must be willing to take your kid out of public school and the scholarship will give the parents of children with autism who qualify for a scholarship the choice to send the child to a special education program other than the one operated by the school district of residence
Ohio’s Autism Scholarship Program
Ohio’s Autism Scholarship Program is a program of the Ohio Department of Education (ODE). The program allows ODE to pay a scholarship to the parents of a qualified child with autism. Through the scholarship, parents have a choice of sending their child to a special education program, other than the one operated by their child’s school district, to receive the services outlined in the child’s individualized education program (IEP).
Who is eligible for Autism Scholarship? Generally, any student who has been identified by their public district of residence as autistic (including pervasive developmental disorder – not otherwise specified PDD-NOS) and for whom the district has created an Individual Education Plan (IEP) qualifies for the Autism Scholarship Program (ASP). Age three and older.
Once the district of residence has identified the child as autistic and created a current and agreed to IEP, a parent can apply for the scholarship by submitting an application to the Ohio Department of Education, Office for Exceptional Children. Applications can be obtained by visiting the department’s website or by calling (614) 466-2650.
