Overview for Catholic School Administrators Feb. 21 , 2012

1. Jon Peterson Special Needs Scholarship Program Overview for Catholic School Administrators Feb. 21, 2012

2. JPSNSP • Ico • Why Participate? • The program provides financial resources up to $20,000 to serve special needs children; • This translates to scholarship students receiving many of the services they need, instead of limited resources offered from an Individual Service Plan; • The program provides flexibility for Catholic schools to participate as a registered provider and offer a special education program for the student. Or, the school can serve as a site to provide general education for the student and third-party contractors provide special education services on or off campus; • If your school does not participate, others will; • Lessons learned tell us that a school not prepared to participate, should not do so.

3. JPSNSP • Registered Provider or a Site? • The school as a registered provider does the following: • Applies for the scholarship on behalf of the student; • Receives the scholarship payment and disperses to any third-party providers; • Provides a special education program for the student; • Is accountable to both the parents/legal guardians of the scholarship student and to the ODE.

4. JPSNSP • The School as the site provides a general education for the scholarship student and is not required to comply with provisions in the JPSNSP; • Schools that are sites do not receive any funding from the scholarship. Parents are to pay for the general education for their students; • Schools that are sites must wait for registered providers to complete the application process before the scholarship is awarded to the student; • Special education services may be provided on or off the school campus for the scholarship student.

5. JPSNSP • Amounts of Scholarship: • Speech $7,196; • Learning disability $7,608; • Hearing/vision impairment $14,832; • Major health impairments $17,981; • Multi-handicapped $20,000 • Autism, traumatic brain injury $20,000

6. JPSNSP • The amount of the scholarship is to be the maximum per disability category, or the registered provider’s tuition and fees, whichever is less; • Tuition is defined as the cost for general education and special education services; • The school/provider is to charge tuition, minus all other financial aid, discounts and adjustments that the students would otherwise receive if he or she were a non-scholarship student.

7. JPSNSP • The Scholarship amount shall only be applied to the general tuition, special education services and fees that the participating school/provider charges. • If the cost exceeds the maximum amount allowed per year based on the child’s special education category, the parent is responsible for covering additional costs. • Parents/legal guardians are responsible for ensuring that their scholarship child receives the special education services necessary for him or her to be educated.

8. JPSNSP • Parents can pay for tuition so most of the scholarship is utilized for special education services; • Once the special education services from the scholarship have been utilized to educate the scholarship student, Auxiliary Services can be used to supplement by extending hours of special education services, or providing additional services that the school/provider and parents agree would be beneficial for he scholarship student. • A Jon Peterson scholarship student is eligible for federal special education services under IDEA, Part B. These services, much like Auxiliary Services, can be used to supplement, not supplant, the Jon Peterson scholarship.

9. JPSNSP • At least one special education service within the IEP, must be provided to the scholarship student for the scholarship to remain in effect. • If a school were to be a site, providers approved by the ODE deliver a special education program for the scholarship student. • Schools that are sites are encouraged to discuss how the scholarship

10. JPSNSP • student is to be administered applicable state assessments for the scholarship to remain in effect. • Essential is for principals and parents of scholarship students to proactively agree on the role of the school/provider and obligations of the parents. • That is why an agreement of understanding will be provided for schools to utilize when meeting with parents. There is a separate AOU is for schools that are provider and one for schools that are sites.

11. JPSNSP • An Individual Education Plan must be completed before a student is awarded a scholarship. • The school district of residence is required to complete the IEP and possibly conduct an evaluation on behalf of the scholarship student. • If the school district of residence is not responsive in completing the IEP, then the district where the private school is located can perform this requirement.

12. JPSNSP • Deadlines – The application deadline is April 15 for a student to receive a scholarship for the July 1, Dec. 31 academic term. • The application deadline is Nov. 15 to receive a scholarship for the Jan. 1 to June 30 academic term. If applicants are awarded scholarships, they do not need to reapply during the second application period in order for their scholarship to continue for the second term of the academic term. • IEPs do not have to be completed prior to the dates for the application deadlines.

13. JPSNSP • Schools that are sites and schools that are registered providers must comply with anti-discrimination provisions under 2000d of the Code of Federal Regulations, which states: • There is a prohibition to discriminate on the basis of race, color or national origin. • School are encouraged to adhere to their admissions policies consistently and across the board.

14. JPSNSP • As questions arise, please rely on the expertise of your diocesan school offices and and the conference as resources. • Larry Keough • lkeough@ohiocathconf.org; • Phone number (614) 578-5777

15. JPSNSP • ###