Southern Indiana mom looks for help as funds run out from Indiana scholarship for her special needs children

LOUISVILLE, Ky. (WDRB) — Thanks to a new educational scholarship program, Indiana parents with special needs children may have more of a say when it comes to their education, but parents need to pay attention to deadlines.

For Rachel Cross, she homeschools her two kids who have special needs.

"So, they have not been in school in seven years," Cross said.

Through the new Indiana Education Scholarship Account Program, Cross' daughter was awarded more than $9,000 and her son close to $8,000.

The awards are income based and designed to give parents options for their children's education. Indiana awards the money for special needs children to take classes not offered in public schools or to supplement current classes.

"So the money never touches my hands," Cross said.

Cross uses the money to pay for life skills lessons like cooking for her kids and both of her kids are enrolled in math and reading classes.

"You have to have approved programs through the educational scholarship, they have approved vendors," Cross said.

She pays for the classes through an app, but she said the money is almost gone. The reason — Cross missed an important deadline.

Superintendent of New Albany Floyd County Schools Dr. Travis Madison said the scholarship money is managed by the Indiana treasurers office and Cross didn't file necessary paperwork in time.

"To be filed out by the parent, and it wasn't, so we alerted the parent of that deadline date for next year, in the mean time we have been trying to find ways to accommodate for different things she would need," Madison said.

The specialized math and reading classes that Cross' children are enrolled in are $750 dollars a month. Without the funding the classes stop for Cross' children.

"But just this year to return the funding so they can complete the rest of their school year, and it has fallen on deaf ears," Cross said. "I would just like the funding put back in my children's account."

Dr. Madison said the school is looking into programs that might help Cross' children.