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For families with kids who have special needs, education can feel out of reach—but not anymore.
“It’s just a difference; it’s a difference in the way that the brain thinks and the way that the brain operates. It’s not less, it’s not wrong, it’s just different,” said Tinika Dismuke, the CEO of Step N’ Stones Academy.
I’m showing how the Georgia Promise Scholarship is making specialized education affordable.
The Georgia Promise Scholarship has been a game changer for parents of kids with special needs in Thomasville.
Covering 80% of tuition at Step N’ Stones Academy, it makes specialized education accessible to families who might not otherwise afford it.
“The school systems right now because the increased number of students with autism, they’re having a very difficult time being able to effectively teach the students and meet them at their levels and their needs,” said Dismuke.
Every child enrolled at Step N’ Stones relies on the scholarship.
Unlike other programs, parents don’t need an IEP to apply for funding—if they feel their child would benefit from the program, they can simply apply.
Dismuke, the academy’s founder, says they also work with families to find additional scholarships, so no parent is left struggling to pay.
“We’ve had over $100,000 in outstanding tuition fees, we’ve never turned a child down, we’ve never said no. If parents come to our door and we have the room, then we accept them,” said Dismuke.
The demand for programs like this is growing, with 1 in 36 kids in the U.S. diagnosed with autism.
“Our only challenge right now is the space, the facility that we’re in now, we’re at our max capacity, we have 20 kids now, but we have over 130 kids on our waiting list,” said Dismuke.
Assistant Clinic Director Shauna Bell says their personalized approach supports families in ways other programs can’t.
“Being able to individualize the service they need, being able to collaboratively be there for each other and be able to support them right away when something comes up definitely sets us apart,” said Bell.
Now the plan is to expand the facility to serve kids all the way through 12th grade.
“Parents come to us and say, ‘You changed my life.’ Parents come to us and say, ‘There’s no way my child would’ve made it had they not been with you guys,'” said Dismuke.
Dismuke says they’re hosting a scholarship gala on January 25th to raise money for outstanding tuition fees.
