Two Area Schools Among Those In Special Needs Scholarship Program

(Randolph) A couple local schools are among 84 schools that have registered to participate in the Special Needs Scholarship Program (SNSP) for the 2018-19 school year. The program allows a child with a disability, who meets eligibility requirements, to receive a scholarship to attend a participating private school chosen by the child’s parents or guardians. To be eligible for a scholarship, the child must have an individualized education program (IEP) or services plan that meets program requirements.

Among the schools participating, Central Wisconsin Christian School in Waupun and Randolph Christian School in Randolph. Administrator Jeff Hoogeveen with Randolph Christian says the district has already been providing services for students with special needs and the new program will help the school continue to offer the same service even better as part of their efforts to support students and their families.

Parents and guardians of students new to the program may apply for scholarships beginning July 1 and throughout the course of the school year. Eligible students who are already participating in the program will not have to reapply to be eligible for a scholarship. Each school that registered to participate in the program for next year provided the Department of Public Instruction with a “Special Education Profile” that describes the methods of instruction and qualifications of those who will provide special education and related services to participating students.

For the 2018-19 school year, participating private schools will receive $12,424 per full-time equivalent student for full-scholarship students. Returning students who no longer have a disability may receive a partial scholarship, which is equal to the aid paid for the Wisconsin Parental Choice Program. For the 2018-19 school year, the partial scholarship amount is $7,747 for kindergarten through eighth grade

students and $8,393 for ninth- through 12th-grade students. The DPI pays the scholarship to the private school in four installments from general aid withheld from each scholarship student’s resident school district or from other state aid the resident school district receives if general aid is insufficient to pay the program amount.