When Free and Appropriate Isn't Enough

Every person in this country is entitled to a “Free and Appropriate” education. The understanding is that no one should be financially burdened by getting a basic education and therefore it must be free.  That education must also be appropriate for every child.  That sounds good until we consider that free and appropriate doesn’t have to be “effective” “practical’ or “efficient”.   In short, it doesn’t have to actually work for that child to make it in life; it just has to be free and appropriate.  When a special needs parent isn’t happy with the support or education his/her child is getting they often find they have few choices.  The cost of private school for special needs children can be prohibitively expensive and homeschooling can be especially hard when learning disabilities and behavior problems are an issue – (Kudos to those that do this.) The final option is to convince either the school or the legal system that the education the child is getting is not appropriate.  If a parent can do that, the system must pay for an alternative program that makes sure the child gets an appropriate education.  Break open the champagne!  As you may have already guessed, this doesn’t happen very often. 

We live in Ohio.  I believe it is neither the best nor the worst state for autism services.  We are surrounded by states that have an insurance mandate for autism, while our mandate hasn’t been implemented yet.  We have one thing however, that is unique to Ohio and for which I am extremely grateful: the Autism Scholarship. The autism scholarship allows parents to opt out of the public school system and direct $20,00.00 of their child’s education funds to a registered, alternative provider.  This could result with a home program or a school that caters to children with autism.  The most wonderful part of this is that the parent doesn’t have to fight for it.  Parents don’t have to convince anyone that the school is failing or that this is the best option for their kid.  You just get the paperwork, get it signed by the school administration, (it’s a little awkward but they can’t refuse you) make arrangements with the agency or school you choose to work with and it’s a done deal!

I read a lot from other autism parents on the blogosphere and there are some serious horror stories out there.  The worst are stories of abuse in which there is physical evidence of but still considered ‘unproven’, since the parents can’t prove who the perpetrator was.  (Yes, I know this is like saying a murder didn’t take place since all they could find was the dead body and not the gun with the finger prints, but it actually has happened.)  There are cases of bullying that the school refuses to take seriously since the kid can’t communicate well enough to describe exactly what is happening.   There are cases of verbal abuse, which the parents only find out after sending the kid to school with a wire.  Then there are the minor things - refusal to involve parents in decisions, communication reluctance, or using punishment, when the kid really needs accommodation.  Schools will usually not agree that they are not providing an appropriate educational environment; Proving it in court is expensive and has a very high burden of proof.   

We were unhappy with Naomi’s school for one main reason.  She was miserable and made it clear that going to school was a nightmare for her.  We didn’t know why and trying to find out left us in that communication stalemate.  “Sometimes they’re just like that,” we were told.  Issues, I brought up were dealt with lame excuses and out-and-out lies.  They were not huge lies that I could take to court, just inconsistencies and contradictions that were enough to make me distrust her teachers.   They were defensive and dismissive and our concerns were not being taken seriously.    If we were required to prove that the school was inappropriate for Naomi, we would never have met the burden of proof.  Yet we knew, the school was not meeting her needs.  Parents are good at stuff like that.   I am extremely grateful that we didn’t have to prove anything, we didn’t have to convince anyone and we were not left with choosing between homeschooling and paying a private school out of pocket.  We could go with the autism scholarship.   We found a provider that we are happy with.  Naomi has a shorter school day and there is a lot more driving for me, but when Naomi is well adjusted and I trust my concerns will be dealt with responsibly, it is worth it.   I only feel badly that every parent does not have this choice.  They should.  I encourage anyone outside of the state of Ohio to get their legislators looking into the possibility of an autism scholarship.   With such a diverse population, we need a diverse choice of education sources.  The money is to educate our children.  Parents know where it can be used most effectively!