For our family, Idaho’s School Choice Tax Credit is a lifeline | Opinion
AI-generated summary reviewed by our newsroom.
- Idaho Parental Choice Tax Credit enables access to specialized education.
- Wired2Learn programs retrain brains, improve reading, language and confidence.
- Removing the tax credit would impose heavy tuition costs and strain one-income households.
Our eldest daughter was just 6 years old when she was diagnosed with autism, and we realized she would need a specialized education.
At first, our daughter, now 16, seemed naturally reserved and shy, but we learned that her disposition stemmed from a myriad of neurological differences, including auditory and sensory processing disorders, ADHD and an expressive language disorder. She also has dyslexia.
We became profoundly sad. It was difficult to accept that we had a second child with autism and learning disabilities.
Our oldest child, now seventeen, is also on the autism spectrum and has dyslexia. As a young child, he experienced a speech delay and faced challenges engaging with other children appropriately.
Our daughter’s struggles were more profound. She was significantly less capable of engaging with other children appropriately.
We were already mentally and emotionally exhausted from our son’s medical diagnostic process and educational assessments. We had to go through that same grueling process for our daughter.
As parents of seven children (our youngest is a 1-year-old), each with unique strengths, needs and challenges, we have spent the past seventeen years navigating almost every type of education. We have homeschooled, so our children had time for the therapies they needed. We have tried everything from alternative public schools to specialized private academies.
We’ve learned firsthand that there’s no such thing as a “one-size-fits-all” education.
This is why we see the Idaho Parental Choice Tax Credit as a lifeline. It’s why EdChoice Legal Advocates is representing us in the fight to defend the program.
Our 16-year-old daughter and 11-year-old daughter, who struggles with profound dyslexia, are the reasons we are speaking out.
Both girls are enrolled this year at Wired2Learn Academy, a nonprofit treatment and learning center in Post Falls, Idaho. Their program directly and aggressively retrains the brain to make new neurological connections that mitigate dyslexia and other learning disabilities.
Tuition at Wired2Learn is very expensive. As a household of nine on one income, the cost is extremely challenging.
We are resolved to raise children who can achieve the limits of their God-given talents.
We would sell things, manage debt, and generally do without to give them the education they need and deserve.
However, with Idaho’s Parental Choice Tax Credit, that daunting tuition price tag drops significantly for us, making it possible for our girls to continue attending an educational program that has proven life-changing for them.
Previously, our older children had Individual Education Plans (IEPs) through the public school system, but we realized this was no longer working for them.
Our 11-year-old daughter’s IEP tutoring in reading and writing moved to two-on-one, making it less effective for her. Her online lessons also became more burdensome than beneficial as we wrestled with technological difficulties, scheduling conflicts, and the school’s bureaucratic demands for work samples.
Since enrolling her this fall at Wired2Learn, our 11-year-old is already showing signs of academic growth. She has excitedly noticed improvement in her reading abilities.
Meanwhile, our 16-year-old daughter has made significant progress since enrolling in Wired2Learn. Her expressive language abilities have improved significantly, and she has grown in self-confidence.
A heartwarming moment for our family was when she began to express her frustrations by starting sentences with, “I feel.” This seemingly small expression was momentous for her.
Although our eldest son will not benefit from the tax credit, he previously benefited from attending Wired2Learn and today is working toward his goal of being a tech entrepreneur.
The sacrifices, financial and otherwise that we have made are all worth it when we see our children thriving.
A court decision taking away Idaho’s Parental Choice Tax Credit would impose a real financial burden on our family.
We urge Idaho’s leaders and courts to preserve this critical program.
For children like ours, it’s a bridge to a successful and fulfilling life.
Josh and Eleanor LoBue are parents who have filed a motion to intervene against a lawsuit challenging the constitutionality of Idaho’s school voucher system.