Last verified: October 2026
What does the Jon Peterson Special Needs Scholarship pay in 2026-27?
The FY2027 maximum is set by the primary disability on the child's Evaluation Team Report: $10,045 for speech or language impairment, $13,069 for a specific learning disability, intellectual disability or minor other health impairment, $20,069 for hearing impairment or emotional disturbance, $24,080 for vision impairment or major other health impairment, $29,750 for orthopedic impairment or multiple disabilities, and $34,000 for autism, traumatic brain injury or combined hearing and vision impairment.
Speech and language students can use the scholarship only for the related services in their IEP, not for private school tuition.
Can a preschooler in Franklin County use the Jon Peterson Scholarship?
Yes. Since September 30, 2025, children ages 3 and 4 qualify if they have a compliant ETR and IEP in one of the 13 federal disability categories. Developmental delay can be identified through age 9, and each area of delay maps to one of the funding categories.
How does a Columbus family apply for the Jon Peterson Scholarship?
Start with the school or provider, not the state. The family enrolls with a participating JPSN provider, which keeps the application forms and submits them. If the provider is a business rather than a school, the parent is responsible for home-educating the child and the scholarship pays for the IEP services.
The renewal period for the following year begins February 1. Ask a provider for its invoices: families can follow application status, progress reports and monthly invoices in DEW's parent portal.
Which kinds of providers can a Jon Peterson student use?
DEW recognizes three private provider types: chartered nonpublic schools, which deliver the general curriculum and the IEP services; non-chartered nonpublic schools, which choose their own curriculum; and approved business providers, which deliver only intervention and related services while the parent home-educates. Business providers do not issue report cards, transcripts or diplomas; chartered schools do.
| Jon Peterson (JPSN) | Autism Scholarship | |
|---|---|---|
| Who | Any IEP category, ages 3-21 | Students identified with autism, from age 3 |
| 2026-27 maximum | $10,045-$34,000 by category | $34,000 |
| Pays for | Tuition and IEP services at a registered provider | Special education services through a private or alternative provider |
| Excludes | Tuition for speech-language-only students | Costs above the maximum and services outside the IEP or AEP |