Private School Vouchers Exclude Students With Disabilities

Parents of students with disabilities are encountering significant challenges and unexpected costs when utilizing private school vouchers, as these programs often do not extend federal protections afforded to students in public education. Mike Grimmer and Linda Kelly experienced this firsthand when their granddaughter, Annabelle Kelly, 15, who has Rett syndrome, was informed she could no longer attend Cincinnati Christian Schools (CCS) just three months after enrolling. Annabelle had been placed in a specialized program at CCS, with her grandparents believing the faith-based environment would be more suitable than public schooling. The state had provided a voucher for Annabelle's education, authorizing up to $29,750 for her tuition at CCS. However, in November, the school's director of academic support services informed Grimmer and Kelly that Annabelle's physical and educational needs were too extensive for the school to accommodate. The school proposed that if Annabelle were to remain, her grandparents would be required to pay approximately $25,000 annually for a dedicated one-on-one aide. Disability advocates are raising concerns that as private school voucher programs become more prevalent, similar situations will arise for other families. A critical issue is that federal protections for students with disabilities, such as those mandated by the Individuals with Disabilities in Education Act (IDEA), do not apply to private schools. Consequently, neither the private schools nor the voucher programs themselves are obligated to inform parents that by opting out of the public school system, they relinquish certain rights and protections. Last year, when federal legislation was passed to establish the nation's first federal voucher program, disability rights groups advocated for the inclusion of language that would require private schools receiving federal funding to adhere to IDEA. This proposed requirement was ultimately not included in the final legislation. This omission means that private institutions receiving public funds through vouchers are not legally bound to provide the same level of support and accommodations for students with disabilities as public schools are. The lack of federal oversight and the voluntary nature of private school admissions can leave parents of students with disabilities in a vulnerable position, facing potentially prohibitive costs or the denial of educational services they believed were secured through the voucher system. The financial burden of providing necessary support services, such as specialized aides, can quickly negate the intended benefit of tuition-free attendance offered by vouchers, forcing difficult choices upon families.