I believe it is crucial that all Hoosier families have the ability to choose the best educational environment for their children. On Thursday in the House Education Committee, we heard Senate Bill (SB) 282 which allows special education students to receive state funding if they choose to attend a non-public school. This bill updates language from House Enrolled Act 1003 that passed last year which expanded the Choice Scholarship program.
This is a piece of legislation that I have been pursuing for quite some time. During the committee hearing I asked specifically if children with dyslexia or autism would be covered under this bill. Chairman Behning reassured me that the bill covers any disorder recognized by the school.
I have had numerous meetings with local parents to discuss this issue – several of those parents belong to an organization called Decoding Dyslexia. Decoding Dyslexia is a grassroots movement driven by Indiana families to raise awareness about dyslexia among parents, educators, community leaders, legislators and the general public. I have also met with representatives from Autism Speaks, the world’s leading autism science and advocacy organization, dedicated to funding research into the causes, prevention, treatments and a cure for autism.
According to the International Dyslexia Association, dyslexia is a language-based learning disability that may affect an individual’s ability to read, write, spell and pronounce words. I was shocked when I learned that one in five people in the U.S. are dyslexic to some degree. When considering the scope of this learning disability, I think it is extremely important that we take action.
Under current federal law, public schools are required to provide special education services to students enrolled in nonpublic schools located in their school district. With SB 282, students who receive special education services would receive the same state funding regardless of whether they attended a public or nonpublic school.
In the fall, the Indiana State Board of Education made rules regarding how special education vouchers should be handled. SB 282 is a result of their efforts. I have personally reached out to Superintendent Ritz on several occasions, but unfortunately we were never able to meet one-on-one to discuss this issue. I hope to meet with her before session is over to further discuss this issue.
I think it is important that we provided high-quality educational opportunities for all Hoosier children, regardless of how they learn. I am proud of what we have been able to accomplish, and I look forward to further achievements on behalf of families with children who have special needs.
To view a previous column I wrote on this same topic, visit my website.
