• Who is eligible to apply for the Jon Peterson Special Needs (JPSN) Scholarship Program?
• How old must a child be to participate in the JPSN Scholarship Program?
• Can a community school student apply to participate in the JPSN Scholarship Program?

• How does a parent apply for the JPSN Scholarship Program?
• What is the deadline for applying for the JPSN Scholarship Program?
• How should the district of residence address the scholarship on the child’s IEP if the child will be applying for the scholarship?
• Does the provider have to accept my child for services?
• How do I complete the scholarship application process?
• Can my child receive the Jon Peterson Special Needs Scholarship and another state funded scholarship through the department?

• What services are covered by the scholarship?
• What is the maximum amount of money available for the scholarship?
• What can cause my child’s scholarship award to be prorated?
• If the services rendered exceed the maximum amount for the JPSN scholarship, who is responsible for the costs of these services?
• How do I know how much my provider has billed?
• How will I find out about my child's progress?
• Can my child use the scholarship for summer services?
• If my child is on scholarship, are they eligible for transportation?
• What service(s) is/are my public school district responsible for providing?
• How do I change or add a provider?
• What role will my public school district have in servicing my child?
• Who is responsible for making sure my child gets the services on their IEP?
• What happens if my child is reevaluated mid-year and no longer identified as a student with a disability or is identified in a different disability category than at the time of award?

• Is there a set amount that providers can charge for services?

A child that has been identified by their public district as a child with a disability is eligible. This means the child's evaluation team report (ETR) from the district states that the child requires special education and related services upon submission of the scholarship application.

The child must also have a current Individual Education Program (IEP) from the district of residence that is finalized and all parties, including the parent, must be in agreement with the IEP in order to be awarded the scholarship.

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A child is eligible to participate in the program when the child is eligible to enter school in any grade from kindergarten through twelve, ages 5-22. If the child has not met high school graduation requirements, the child may continue to participate in the program up to age 22.

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The first step is to select a participating JPSN Scholarship provider to obtain their child's special and related services. A list of registered providers is available through our online search tool that can be accessed  here. The paper application form is available from providers, who will then submit the application electronically on behalf of the child.

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Scholarship applications can be submitted year–round. 

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No, a provider participating in the JPSN scholarship program is not required to accept a child who is eligible for the scholarship. A parent/guardian must comply with all the provider’s policies.

If a provider participating in the JPSN scholarship program accepts a child, a parent/guardian must read and understand any contracts/agreements entered with the provider. The 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. Next, indicate the service start and end date with the provider.
2. Then, you will need to allocate your scholarship dollars.
3. Once you have indicated your dates of service and allocated your scholarship dollars, sign the form.
4. Lastly, review the “Check Deposit Consent” section of the form. This section allows your provider(s) permission to deposit checks from the Jon Peterson Scholarship without your signature. The scholarship checks are written to the provider and the parent. The parent must endorse each scholarship check before the provider can cash or deposit the scholarship payment.

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. In the event your child withdraws from the scholarship program early, the amount of the scholarship will be prorated based on the termination date.

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No. Parents can apply for multiple scholarships for their child, but they can only accept one state funded scholarship.
Please contact the scholarship office for more information on these scholarship programs.
 

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The scholarship allows funding for special education and related services through a JPSN provider.  The cost of education services (tuition) may also be funded through the scholarship if the provider is a non-public school and if funding remains after any special education services have been paid for.

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The maximum scholarship amount varies from $7,598 to $27,000 per school year based upon the primary disability category listed in section four of the child’s current Evaluation Team Report (ETR). The child must be participating for a full program year to receive the maximum amount. Please refer to the Category Amounts document to see maximum amounts.

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Proration of the scholarship may occur based on the following:

• Submission date of the application.
• Withdrawal from scholarship prior to the end of the program year, June 30.
• Enrollment in a vocational program
• Enrollment in another scholarship program.
• Enrollment in a public or community school.

For more information, please contact the scholarship office.

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Yes, the scholarship is an annual amount and our program year runs from July to June. Services are eligible to be used through a participating provider. The scholarship cannot be used for summer services only.

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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 is not required to provide any services to your child.

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1. Complete the Request for New Provider form
2. Submit the completed form to the provider.

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 Free Appropriate Public Education (FAPE). Your district must renew your child's IEP annually and conduct required evaluations.

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

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Children who have been re-evaluated and are no longer identified as a child with a disability will be able to continue in the program for the remainder of the scholarship award period. The scholarship will not be eligible for renewal the following year.

Children who have been 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 funding until the scholarship has been renewed. The new category funding will be reflected in the renewal of the scholarship.

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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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