Scholarships are invaluable aids, assisting parents in financing their child’s education. Unlike student loans, scholarships do not require repayment. Fortunately, various scholarships are available to support students in accessing personalized educational opportunities tailored to their specific needs, interests, skills, and strengths.
Research has demonstrated that children diagnosed with autism benefit significantly from personalized learning, which caters to their unique thinking and learning styles. This approach aims to enhance student outcomes in terms of engagement, achievement, and overall well-being.
Among the benefits of personalized education are:
- Development of social and communication skills
- Promotion of learning and independence
- Improvement in the quality of life
- Promotion of social inclusion
- Preparation and assistance for children to cope effectively in mainstream schools
- Recognition and expression of emotions
- Establishment of learning habits and routines to promote autonomy
- Enhancement of retention rates and improvement in assessment performance.
This approach increases engagement and motivation, ensuring that the content aligns with the individual needs and abilities of each learner.
Here are 3 scholarship programs for customized education:
1. Florida Tax Credit Scholarship / Family Empowerment Scholarship for Educational Options (FTC/FES-EO)
K-12 students regardless of household income, who are residents of Florida and eligible to enroll in a K-12 public school, can receive a scholarship worth an average of $7,800 to attend a private school that best meets their academic needs.
The scholarship can be used for tuition along with other related expenses such as registration, books, testing, and other fees.
2. Family Empowerment Scholarship for Students with Unique Abilities (FES-UA)
This scholarship enables families to personalize the education of their students by directing funds to where they’re needed most.
The funds can be used for a combination of programs and approved expenses including therapists, specialists, curriculum, private school, a college savings account and more.
Students from age 3 through grade 12 or age 22 are elegible, whichever comes first, who have one of these specific diagnosis:
- Anaphylaxis
- Autism spectrum disorder
- Being a high-risk child
- Cerebral Palsy
- Down syndrome
- Emotional or a behavioral disability
- Hearing impairment (including deafness)
- Hospital or homebound
- Identification as dual sensory impaired
- Intellectual disability
- Language impairment
- Muscular dystrophy
- Orthopedic impairment
- Other health impairment
- Phelan-McDermid syndrome
- Prader-Willi syndrome
- Rare diseases
- Specific learning disability
- Speech impairment
- Spina bifida
- Traumatic brain injury
- Visual impairment (including blindness)
- Williams syndrome.
3. Personalized Education Program (PEP)
This scholarship provides an education savings account (ESA) to fund the educational needs of eligible students.
Scholarships are open to any K-12 Florida residents not enrolled in full-time private or public school regardless of household income. Students must be at least age 5 by September 1st of the school year they wish to enroll.
Exploring these scholarship opportunities further and avoiding placement on a waiting list is crucial. Visit Step Up For Students as soon as possible.
Step Up For Students is a non-profit organization offering scholarship options for Florida schoolchildren, providing access to private or public schools that may have otherwise been inaccessible. Their scholarships offer new beginnings for harassed students, additional support for readers with difficulties, and access to a wider range of academic programs for students with unique skills.
Customized education for children with autism can have a transformative impact, promoting social and communication skills, independence, and overall quality of life. Complementing personalized education with Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA) therapy can further enhance abilities and autonomy.
Explore our website for more information on ABA Services and the School Readiness Program.
Share this valuable information with parents who can benefit from these resources and give your child the gift of personalized education and support.
Together, we make it better!
