Gwen is getting ready to start kindergarten, which has brought a whole new set of decisions for our family. We wanted to share how her IEP has worked so far, why we chose a private school, and two Ohio scholarship programs that may be useful for families to know about.
How Gwen Got Her IEP
We first started thinking about school services when Gwen was around two. Help Me Grow and Easterseals helped connect us with our local school district before she turned three. The district evaluated her and created an IEP, which allowed her to move directly from early intervention into the district's preschool program.
Her preschool used a peer-model classroom, with children who had IEPs learning alongside children who did not. Gwen's IEP was focused on physical goals. She did not need academic, speech, or occupational therapy support, but she did receive physical therapy at school about once a week. These services did not cost us anything.
The physical therapy she received at school was a little different from the outpatient PT she receives through the hospital. At school, the focus was on helping her move safely through the building, use the playground, and take part in the school day. Her outpatient therapy can focus more broadly on things like strength, balance, gait, and endurance.
We talk more about Help Me Grow, Easterseals, and her transition into preschool on our First Steps page.
Planning for Kindergarten
As kindergarten got closer, we had to think about where Gwen would go to school and what support she might need there. If she stayed in the public school system, her IEP team would continue working with us to decide on physical therapy, accommodations, and any other school-related needs.
We ultimately chose a private school, which meant her IEP services would not simply follow her in the same way. The private school does not have a physical therapist on staff, so we knew we would need to think differently about how she would continue PT. The school was very open to meeting with us, learning about Gwen, and talking through what she might need. That made us feel much more comfortable with the decision.
Why We Chose a Private School
We considered a lot of the same things any family might consider when choosing a school. We looked at academics, religion, class sizes, the overall environment, and what felt right for our family. We wanted a place where Gwen would be challenged, where her teachers could really know her, and where she could feel like part of a close community. Our reasons are personal, and choosing a private school will not be the right answer for every family, but the whole environment felt like a good fit for Gwen.
The smaller size was especially appealing to us. Gwen has a very visible disability, and children naturally have questions about her legs and prosthetics. We do not think those questions are usually meant to be unkind, but answering them again and again can still be tiring. In a smaller school, with many of the same children staying together over the years, we hope everyone will get to know Gwen quickly and her prosthetics will simply become one part of who she is.
The school is also all on one level. Gwen uses stairs well and they are part of her normal life, so a one-story building was not a requirement. We still thought about emergencies, injuries, or a time when she might not be wearing her prosthetics. Knowing that her classroom and the rest of the school are on the same floor gives us some extra peace of mind.
Before our first meeting, we were a little nervous that the staff might see bilateral prosthetic legs and assume accommodating Gwen would be difficult. Our experience was the opposite. They were excited about her attending and asked thoughtful questions about what they could do to support her. The conversation was about understanding Gwen, not looking for reasons she could not attend.
Gwen has not started kindergarten yet, so we cannot say how everything will work in practice. Based on the application process, our meetings, and the communication we have had so far, we feel good about the decision.
Ohio Scholarships Worth Knowing About
If you are considering private school in Ohio, the Jon Peterson Special Needs Scholarship and EdChoice Expansion are two programs worth knowing about. They cover different costs, and a student cannot use both programs during the same school year.
Jon Peterson Special Needs Scholarship
Ohio's Jon Peterson Special Needs Scholarship is available to eligible students ages 3 through 21 who have a current IEP from their public school district. The award amount is based on the primary disability category listed in the student's Evaluation Team Report.
The scholarship can pay all or part of the tuition and fees at an approved private school when the school operates a special education program that provides services under the student's IEP. It is not general tuition assistance for any private school. The school must participate in the Jon Peterson program and provide a program tied to the IEP.
Families can also use an approved outside provider for services included in the IEP, such as physical, occupational, or speech therapy. That can be useful when a private school does not provide those services, does not participate in the program, or when a child is being home educated. More than one approved provider can be used when needed. What the scholarship covers depends on the student's IEP, disability category, and provider. For students whose qualifying category is speech or language impairment, the scholarship can pay for related services in the IEP but cannot be used for private-school tuition.
Ohio has information about how to apply and find an approved provider, along with current award amounts and program resources.
EdChoice Expansion Scholarship
The EdChoice Expansion Scholarship helps Ohio students in kindergarten through grade 12 pay tuition at participating private schools. It is used for tuition, not separately for services included in an IEP.
EdChoice Expansion does not have a hard household-income cutoff. Families at or below 450 percent of the federal poverty level receive the maximum award. Above that level, the award is reduced on a sliding scale. This means the program may be worth checking even if a family assumes its income is too high to qualify.
Scholarship amounts, income levels, and application details can change. Ohio's current EdChoice Expansion resources include the latest income chart, award amounts, and application information.