Plans to increase educational options for disabled students are once again moving after falling victim last session to Republican in-fighting.
Senate President Andy Gardiner saw his agenda to expand education and work opportunities for Floridians with cognitive disabilities die last session amid Republican in-fighting. But now those proposals have started moving again.
Plans range from greater access to colleges and universities, to an expansion of the state’s newest funding system for disabled kids.
Tuesday lawmakers in the house approved a measure that, among other things, expands the definition of autism to include more kids in the state’s Personal Learning Scholarship program. Parent Lydia Burton says the program’s funding for therapy services has worked for her four- year-old autistic son Kellen.
“He now speaks meaningfully for the first time. I’m able to have conversations with my child. He’s able to tell me about his day, the things he’s learning and his interests. I feel like I know my child in a whole new way," she said.
Meanwhile the Senate’s Governmental Oversight committee also approved a bill to prioritize state hiring of people with disabilities and recognize private businesses that participate.
