Generally, any student who has been identified as a child with a disability and for whom the district has created an individualized education plan (IEP) qualifies for the JPSN scholarship program.

The student has been identified by their public district as a child with a disability. [This means the child's evaluation team report (ETR) from the district states that the child requires special education and related services under the Individuals with Disabilities Education Improvement Act of 2004 (IDEA)].

The student must also have a current IEP from the district of residence that is finalized and all parties, including the parent, must be in agreement with the IEP.

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A child is eligible to apply to participate in the program when the child is eligible to enter school in any grade from kindergarten through twelve, and if the child meets all other program eligibility requirements.

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No. The scholarship is an educational choice program. If a student is approved for the scholarship, the public district is no longer responsible for providing a free and appropriate education (FAPE). The student must use the scholarship to obtain their education AND supportive services.

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If a student is eligible for the JPSN Scholarship Program, the first step is to select a participating JPSN Scholarship provider to implement their child's IEP. A list of registered providers is available through our online search tool that can be accessed through the JPSN Scholarship web page or by going directly to https://scholarship.ode.state.oh.us . The application form is available from providers, and the provider will submit the application electronically on behalf of the student.

If multiple providers are selected, only one is able to submit the initial application. Additional selected providers will be able to access the application after it has been submitted and register themselves as a secondary provider for your child.

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The passage of H.B. 49 eliminated student application deadlines for the JPSN Scholarship Program. Beginning September 29, 2017, scholarship applications can be submitted year–round.
 

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A provider participating in the JPSN scholarship program is not required to accept a student who is eligible for the scholarship, nor is it required to alter any of its business practices or policies under the program. A parent/guardian must comply with all the provider’s policies.

If a provider participating in the JPSN scholarship program accepts a student, a parent/guardian must read and understand any contracts/agreements entered into with the provider. Parent/guardian must obtain written copies of any contracts/agreements entered with the school (e.g. tuition and fee schedules).

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1. Indicate whether you intend to accept or decline the scholarship by checking the appropriate box.
2. If you are declining the scholarship, sign the form and submit it to your primary provider.
3. If you are accepting the scholarship, you will first need to enter the dates of service.
   • If your child is attending a nonpublic chartered school, indicate the service start date as the first day of school.
   • For all other providers, indicate the service start date as the date your child will begin services.
   • If you plan to only use a provider for part of the year, enter the last date of service as the service end date. If you intend to continue with the provider, leave the service end date blank.
4. Next, you will need to allocate your scholarship dollars.
   • If you are using only one provider, allocate the entire amount to that provider.
   • If you are using multiple providers, work with them to estimate your costs for the year and allocate the funds to each provider accordingly.
   • If there are providers you are using who are not listed, write them in and enter the amount you want to allocate to them.
     Read How Do I Change or Add a Provider.
   • If you are unsure of the exact cost you will incur for a provider, make a best estimate.
5. Once you have indicated your dates of service and allocated your scholarship dollars, sign the form and submit it to your primary provider.

Note: You can change your allocations through your primary provider at any point during the year. You do not have to allocate the full amount, but you cannot allocate more than the total amount of your scholarship.

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No. Parents can apply for multiple scholarships for their child, but they can only accept one state funded scholarship.

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The scholarship pays for the child's education including goals and services on the child's IEP. Cost of education is only covered if the JPSN provider is a chartered non-public school or their educational program has been approved by ODE.

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The maximum scholarship amount varies from $7,588 to $27,000 per school year based upon the child’s special education category. The child must be in the program for a full academic year to claim the maximum amount.

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A child between six and eighteen years of age is “of compulsory school age”. Parents of children who are of compulsory age are obligated to ensure that their child receives instruction. Every child of compulsory school age shall attend a school or participate in a special education program that conforms to the minimum standards prescribed by the state board of education.

Many of the service providers who participate in the JPSN scholarship program provide specific services on the IEP do not provide minimum instruction. If your child is not attending a chartered non-public school, a non-chartered nonpublic school or an alternative public provider that offers a full educational program, then the parent is obligated to register their child as home schooled with their district of residence.

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The scholarship is an annual amount and our program year runs from July to June. If your child is approved for the scholarship during the summer months, then the scholarship can be used to continue paying for the services listed on the IEP throughout the summer. The scholarship cannot be used for summer services only.

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If your child attends a Chartered Non-Public school, the school will be able to award a diploma once your child has met state graduation requirements. If you child is attending a special education program that is not a chartered school, they will not be eligible to receive a diploma.

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1. Select your new provider and complete all required enrollment or registration forms.
2. Complete the Request for New Provider form
3. Submit the completed form to the provider that you want to add.
4. The provider will access your child’s application online to complete the process 

Note: Any time you add a new provider, you will need to reallocate your funds. Only your primary provider can change your allocations in the system.

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By accepting the scholarship, you have relinquished your right to FAPE. Your district must renew your child's IEP annually and conduct required evaluations, but the district is not required to provide any services to your child.

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The parent must work with the providers that they choose to insure that their child's educational needs are met and they receive the necessary supportive services.

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Students who have been awarded a Jon Peterson Special Needs Scholarship and then re-evaluated and are no longer identified as a student with a disability will be able to continue in the program for the remainder of the scholarship award period. Such a student will not be able to renew the scholarship for the following year.

Students who have been awarded a Jon Peterson Special Needs Scholarship and then re-evaluated and found to be identified in a different disability category than at time of the award of the scholarship will not receive additional or reduced scholarship funding until the scholarship has been renewed. The renewal award will show either the additional or reduced funding amount for the following school year.

These determinations are aligned with the process for funding districts for students who attend their school buildings. Public school districts are funded based on the student population during a one-time annual count. For special needs students in the public school districts, no funding changes occur for that school year because of a change to a student's disability category; the change is reflected during the following school year. Scholarship awards are issued for a specific time period, either for a full year or half year. Scholarship award amounts will not change during a funding period because of a change to the disability category.

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Registered private providers and registered alternative public providers can provide services under the scholarship.

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Providers register via our online scholarship system. They are required to document that they meet the minimum guidelines established for providers in law. The requirement for providers are detailed in ORC 3310.58 and amplified in OAC 3301-101-09.

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Yes, a public school district or other public special education provider can register to provide services to children whose parents would owe fees for the services provided. For example, a school district could register to provide services to children in neighboring school districts.

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Providers can establish their rates, but they cannot charge a higher rate to a student on the scholarship program than they would charge to the general public.

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Parents can file a written complaint with the department of education if they feel that a provider serving their child under the Jon Peterson Special Needs Scholarship program violated a requirement of the rules that apply to providers registered for the program. The requirement for providers are detailed in ORC 3310.58 and amplified in OAC 3301-101-09.

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