What ASO supports about the Autism Scholarship:

    * The feedback received about the ASP from families has largely been positive including the manner with which the Department of Education Office for Exceptional Children has managed it.
   * ASP allows families to access effective models to educate children beyond the traditional classroom, such as ABA or EIBI.  The ASP enables families to have a choice of tailored programs outside of the public school setting for specialized services.   
    * The ASP provides funding for families to seek private services that otherwise would not be able to afford it.
    * The ASP provides funding for preschoolers, who especially have difficulty in securing funding despite the proven fact that timing is critical for these children to get early intervention.
    * For some public school districts, the ASP provides an incentive to improve the special education services for children with autism.  For example, in the first year of the ASP, one public district lost a relatively high number of 15 students, indicating that the parents were not happy with the services that they offered.  The district convened a task force to reevaluate their work, improving their educational services for all students with disabilities.
    * The ASP is easy to access for children who meet the eligibility requirements.
    * Private providers may not have as many problems with bullying.