Navigating Autism in Indiana’s Education System

When Steve and Jenny Balbaugh’s daughter turned 5, they were hesitant to enroll her in the Fort Wayne, Indiana, schools. Ali was born with a rare brain defect that affects her learning and had been diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder.

“I didn’t want her to get lost,” Jenny said.

But private options fell short. A Montessori school she attended for kindergarten let her sleep all day. When she reached sixth grade, the Christian school she went to stopped providing extra help with schoolwork. The principal, Jenny said, explained that extra services weren’t important because “99% of our kids go [on to] higher education.”

That’s when the Balbaughs tried Streams of Hope Christian School, a smaller, unconventional program based in an Anglican church that lets students move at their own pace. Now in eighth grade, Ali can use a calculator for math problems and gets help with writing assignments.

“Every single child’s plan is individualized,” Jenny said, “and they don’t move on until they have mastered whatever they’re working on.”

Families like the Balbaughs, who have children with autism, ADHD, and dyslexia, are seeking out small programs like Streams of Hope — part of a growing education sector known as microschools. Almost two-thirds of operators say their programs draw students considered neurodivergent, and 53% of school operators report that they also enroll students with disabilities. These programs are becoming a vital option for parents of students with disabilities looking for more personalized educational environments.

Like all private schools, however, microschools don’t have to accept students with disabilities or provide the same services as public schools, putting some parents who might otherwise take advantage of school choice in a tough spot.

The National Microschooling Center’s latest report, released Monday, shows that half of the operators opened their programs to serve students who are “systemically underserved.” Public funds for tuition, such as education savings accounts (ESAs), are helping more families access these options, with a third of microschools now accepting ESA funds, up from 18% the previous year.

To Don Soifer, the center’s executive director, the results show that the tight-knit settings microschools offer provide a better fit for some students. Educators launching microschools, he said, demonstrate a “deeper knowledge” of such needs and are responding to them in “deliberate, well-informed ways.”

‘Didn’t have the resources’ Jill Haskins, the executive director of Streams of Hope and a former teacher in the Fort Wayne public schools, said her program is flexible enough to provide some of the accommodations students couldn’t get in public schools. She recently accepted a student whose individualized education program required him to get one-on-one instruction in math, written lecture notes, and help transitioning between classes — services his public school didn’t provide.

“It wasn’t through any fault of the teachers. They didn’t have the resources,” she said. With tighter student-teacher ratios, she added, meeting students’ needs becomes easier. “A lot of what we do is just kind of natural.”

Other school leaders echo this sentiment. Kenisha Skaggs, who launched Soar Academy in Augusta, Georgia, in 2011, has accepted students who were suspended multiple times for incidents such as throwing a chair in class.

“When you change that environment, that stuff goes away,” said Skaggs. “Nine times out of 10, we do not have those behavior issues.”

The national center’s data highlights the diversity of students microschools serve, with many of them coming from public schools. Around 40% of students attending microschools were previously in public schools, while a third were homeschooled. These schools are becoming a lifeline for parents of students with disabilities, offering an alternative to public education where traditional services may not always be adequate.

Public funds for tuition While microschools are private, some parents of children who attend them are able to tap public funds for tuition through state scholarship programs and ESAs. Some of these programs, like Georgia’s Special Needs Scholarship, are available specifically to students with disabilities, providing financial relief to families in need.

“She was just so lost in her previous school. She’s not a problem and doesn’t make any noise, but they ignored her,” Mary Gorlich said about her daughter Cora, who has learning disabilities and severe hearing loss. Thanks to Georgia’s scholarship, Cora is now attending Soar Academy, where her experience has transformed. “Now I pick her up smiling and she tells me about the math she understood.”

In Indiana, the ESA program also supports students with disabilities, including Ali at Streams of Hope. However, even though some microschools specialize in serving these students, they have no legal obligation to do so. Critics of voucher programs argue that once students with disabilities leave public schools, they lose certain protections under the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA).

Denise Marshall, CEO of the Council of Parent Attorneys and Advocates, stressed that even if microschools provide some services, families may not have any legal recourse if a conflict arises. “This still leaves families unable to push back if they disagree with the IEP or it is not followed,” she said.

Despite these concerns, microschools are attracting attention from parents and lawmakers alike. Southeast Florida has a growing microschool community, including Flex Learning Academy, which uses field trips and hands-on learning experiences. However, not all microschools are equipped to serve students with disabilities or behavioral challenges. Flex Learning’s director, Susan Safra, said that while they’d like to welcome all students, they simply “are not trained” to handle major learning disabilities or impulsivity issues.

Leaders like Skaggs, whose Soar Academy serves 100 students, face challenges accommodating every need. But with high demand, including a 200-student waiting list, it’s clear that microschools are becoming a popular choice for parents, especially those seeking options for students with disabilities.

As more states pass ESA legislation, the future of microschools looks bright. Indiana, for example, is considering a universal ESA program. If passed, Haskins says she’ll push families to apply, enabling schools like Streams of Hope to become sustainable and continue serving students like Ali.

In Georgia, the new ESA law will help bridge the gap for students who can’t afford private school but don’t qualify for special needs scholarships. Families like Gorlich’s have seen their children thrive in environments where their unique needs are met, giving students with disabilities a new chance to succeed.