Learning is a Joy: The Joy of Faith

Author and education policy expert Lindsey Burke recently told the story of a girl named Faith in her article,  How Education Savings Accounts Changed the Life of This Child with Down Syndrome. Faith’s wonderful progress has been made possible by the financial leeway and customization that accompanies her Education Savings Account (ESA).

Watching stories like Faith’s make a compelling case for ESAs as a logical, complimentary next step to help expand the ready of South Carolina’s ExceptionalSC program, which collects private, tax deductible donations and grants scholarships to students with exceptional needs.

For Faith’s mom Julie, the dollars that flow into their account from Florida’s ESA program known as the Gardiner Scholarship have opened up new doors for her to help Faith succeed. Homeschooling is often an expensive out-of-pocket cost for parents, but the Gardiner Program has made room in Julie’s budget for private tutoring and the use of a specialized computer system to help Faith learn. Lindsey Burke tells the story this way:

“Faith has just as great of a future as her peers, but is in need of another type of learning atmosphere to excel and grow in her own personal way. For Julie, the Gardiner Scholarship provides her the support to pay for the one-on-one educational experiences and resources Faith needs to succeed and to reach her full potential.

The Gardiner Scholarship enables Faith to receive “physical therapies necessary to treat Faith’s ankle problems and the occupational therapies that will help her learn to brush her hair and teeth, tie her shoes—all skills that will allow Faith to be more independent,”

That is one of the goals of Palmetto Promise Institute: to work toward public policy solutions that help children like Faith in South Carolina reach their full potential. That’s why, during this Down Syndrome Awareness Month, we hope you’ll consider making a tax deductible gift to ExceptionalSC.

Then learn more about Education Savings Accounts and join us in our push to make them a reality in South Carolina. They are the next frontier in the fight to empower every child with access to high-quality education opportunity.

(SOURCE: Burke, Lindsey. “How School Choice Changed the Life of This Child.” The Daily Signal. 19 Oct. 2016. Web. 20 Oct. 2016.)