The most important would eliminate the requirement that students enroll in a traditional school before becoming eligible for a McKay scholarship. McKay scholarships allow students with disabilities to use the money for tuition at a private school of their choice.

One, SB 226, creates a two-week “disability history and awareness” instruction program starting in the 2014-2015 school year. The bill creates a committee to help the Department of Education design program curriculum.

SB 150 creates a “Deaf and Hard-of-Hearing Children’s Educational Bill of Rights,” and requires state and local school officials to recognize the needs of hard-of-hearing students. Another bill, SB 128, requires physicians refer children to a specialist if his or her parents suspects they are autistic.

Read the Full Article by John O’Conner at  NPR State Impact Florida Here