A Florida House panel this morning unanimously approved legislation expanding Florida's newest educational choice program.
The measure would codify changes approved last year that allowed 3- and 4-year-olds with special needs to access Personal Learning Scholarship Accounts. It also expands uses for the accounts. Because the changes were part of a spending plan approved earlier this year during a special budget session, they will expire in the summer if they aren't made permanent.
Step Up For Students, which hosts this blog and employs the author of this post, helps administer the scholarship program.
The House education appropriations panel approved the measure without debate, after two parents told the House education appropriations panel the scholarship accounts have helped their children.
Susan Baldino told the panel the program helped her afford speech and language therapy for her 21-year-old son, who has autism and also faced developmental delays. She said she has taught at home for five and a half years, and therapy has helped him improve his communication skills.
"His newly learned skills give us confidence that one day ... he will institute a meaningful career and be a fully integrated individual in this society," she said. "I can only imagine the impact this program would have had on my son had we had it when he was young."
Baldino said her hopes could be bolstered by other provisions in the bill, which would expand higher education programs for special needs students. Those changes are backed by Senate President Andy Gardiner, who is the father of a child with Down syndrome and has made helping children with "unique abilities" a priority for the final year of his legislative career. Earlier this year, they were vetoed by Gov. Rick Scott.
A Senate panel is set to hear an identical bill, SB 672 by Senate Education Appropriations Chairman Don Gaetz, on Wednesday. Both bills would increase the budget for PLSA from $53.4 million to $71.2 million.
