🧩 Special Needs & Special Education Homeschooling in Ohio
What Ohio offers homeschool families of children with disabilities or learning differences — special-needs scholarships, evaluations and services — from our Ohio guide and articles.
The Jon Peterson and Autism Scholarships for children learning at home
Both scholarships pay for special education services from a provider the family chooses, in place of the services the district would give. DEW's pages for both programs say the parent must first enroll with a participating provider, and "if they are enrolling with a business provider the parent will be responsible for home educating their child." DEW's Home Education Fact Sheet says home-educated children may potentially be eligible for either scholarship and need to find an approved provider to apply.
Jon Peterson Special Needs Scholarship (ORC 3310.51 to 3310.64): for children ages 3 through 21 whose public school district has identified them as a child with a disability and written an IEP. The IEP must be current and finalized, with all parties, including the parent, in agreement. Since September 30, 2025, children ages 3 and 4 qualify with a compliant evaluation team report (ETR) and IEP. The award depends on the primary disability on the ETR. FY2027 (July 1, 2026 to June 30, 2027) maximums:
0,045 for speech or language impairment (related services in the IEP only, no tuition);
3,069 for a specific learning disability, intellectual disability or minor other health impairment;
0,069 for hearing impairment or emotional disturbance;
4,080 for vision impairment or major other health impairment;
9,750 for orthopedic impairment or multiple disabilities; and $34,000 for autism, traumatic brain injury, or hearing and vision impairment. A child can't have JPSN in the same year as EdChoice or the Autism Scholarship, and the family must be in compliance with the compulsory attendance law, so file your home education notice first.
Autism Scholarship (ORC 3310.41): for children from age 3 whom the district has identified as autistic and who have an IEP with autism services, or who have a private autism diagnosis reflected in an IEP or an Autism Education Plan (AEP) the district writes. A private diagnosis should be dated and signed by the physician or psychologist, with their address and phone number, and should identify the child and parent and state the diagnosis. The FY2027 maximum is $34,000. Families may use more than one provider, and services may be delivered virtually by permitted aides, credentialed providers or licensed teachers.
Your district still writes the plan. The district must develop the IEP for a JPSN student (ORC 3310.53), or an education plan for a child who qualifies for the Autism Scholarship by private diagnosis. While the child uses a scholarship, the district isn't obligated to provide a free appropriate public education. That obligation comes back if you stop taking the scholarship and enroll the child in the district's program.
Applying: use DEW's Scholarship Provider Directory to find a JPSN or Autism Scholarship provider, then complete the application with that provider, which submits it. You can track the application, progress reports and monthly invoices in DEW's parent portal. Ohio law bars DEW from setting fixed application deadlines for JPSN (ORC 3310.52), and JPSN renewal opens February 1 each year. The Autism Scholarship rule (OAC 3301-103-03) sets May 31 as the application deadline for children older than 3 and processes later applications for the next fiscal year, starting July 1. Check with your provider or DEW for current timing.
Renewing JPSN: the child must take the state achievement tests for the child's grade unless excused by the IEP or federal law (ORC 3310.522), stay identified as having a disability by the resident district, and have a current IEP. Parents submit the renewal form to the provider. Questions: peterson.scholarship@education.ohio.gov or autismscholarship@education.ohio.gov, 614-728-3480.
Intervention services tied to the child's IEP goals. The Autism Scholarship law lists intervention, educational, academic, tutoring and aide services among the services that may be delivered, including virtually.
Aide services
Related services listed in the IEP
The scholarship pays the lesser of the provider's fees or the maximum for the child's category. Parents pay anything above that, plus services not in the IEP. Under the Autism Scholarship, other services agreed to by the provider and parent that are associated with educating the child can also be included.
No scholarship money can be spent on services before DEW's written approval. Awards are prorated if the child isn't enrolled for the whole school year.
DEW pays the parent unless the parent authorizes payment directly to the provider. Under the JPSN rule, payments are mailed or sent electronically using the provider's information. Parents can revoke a direct-payment authorization in writing.
Providers must send progress reports on IEP goals to the resident district, which uses them to update the IEP.
Other Ohio programs: sports, driver's licenses, special education and college aid
Special education: you can homeschool a child with an IEP, but DEW says home-educated children are not eligible to receive IEP services from their district of residence. The paths to services are the JPSN or Autism Scholarship through an approved business provider, or enrolling in the district's program. The district still develops the IEP (or autism education plan) that a scholarship requires.