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The students can use state-paid McKay Scholarships to attend private school.
By JON WILSON, Times Staff Writer
© St. Petersburg Times, published September 15, 2002
Parents of children with physical, emotional or learning disabilities have an alternative to public schools: the state-paid voucher program to enroll their youngsters in private schools.
To be eligible, the prospective student must have been enrolled and have been present in a Florida public school in grades 1 through 12 during the October 2001 and February 2002 FTE surveys.
The student must have an Individual Education Plan (called an IEP), and parents must notify the Pinellas County school system that they intend to participate in the voucher program. IEPs are given to all public school, special-education pupils.
Called formally the John M. McKay Scholarships Program for Students with Disabilities, the vouchers remain a hot political topic because they require using public money to send pupils to private schools.
But about 4,000 Florida parents appreciate the program because it has given them more control over their child's education. Hundreds of parents participate in Pinellas.
But parents must do plenty of homework to be sure they are choosing the best school situation. They must make sure the school meets the child's needs. The Pinellas County school system isn't involved. Each child's educational plan is between the parents and the individual private school.
Parents also are responsible for providing their child's transportation to the private school.
In Pinellas, 31 private schools participate, although two still await final approval. A list is available at www.opportunityschools.org.
The Web site includes other information about the program.