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Parents, providers urge state to increase John Peterson and autism scholarships, citing wait lists and family costs
Summary
Multiple special‑education schools, parents and a student testified to the Senate Education Committee that scholarships for students with significant learning and developmental needs must rise to cover actual program costs and reduce barriers to services.
Parents, special‑needs school leaders and students told the Senate Education Committee that Ohio’s John Peterson Special Needs Scholarship and autism scholarship amounts are not keeping pace with the real cost of specialized schooling.
Holly Denson and her son, Elijah, described how Marburn Academy’s specialized programming helped Elijah overcome years of struggling in general‑education settings. Elijah testified directly about academic gains and reduced homework burden after joining Marburn, saying the school ‘‘helped me understand what I need to know and help me learn because they have the time to do that.’’
Why it matters: Multiple nonpublic special‑needs providers — Marburn Academy, Bridgeway Academy, New Story Schools, Lawrence School and others — said tuition and per‑pupil costs for students with significant behavioral, autism and learning disabilities commonly exceed the current scholarship levels. Providers requested increases in scholarship caps to better align state support with program costs and to reduce the out‑of‑pocket burden on families.
What committee heard: Eldridge Carr of Marburn, Jill Blanchard of New Story Schools, Sherry Brandler of Bridgeway Academy and Lynn Esmail of Optimal Services each outlined typical tuition ranges and the services those funds pay for — 1:2 or 1:1 staffing ratios, therapy, specialized curriculum and extensive behavioral support. Bridgeway said per‑student costs average about $50,451 with 84% going to staff salaries and benefits; families can still face tens of thousands of dollars in out‑of‑pocket expenses after existing scholarships and tuition assistance.
Discussion vs. decisions: Advocates asked the Senate to increase the John Peterson scholarship to $36,000 in fiscal year 2026 and $37,000 in fiscal year 2027 (and to index amounts to cost increases). The committee recorded testimony and questions but no vote or formal action occurred that day.
Ending: Parents and providers urged the committee to visit programs and consider scholarship increases to reduce wait lists, retain specialized staff, and keep services available statewide.
