SCHOOL NEWS & EVENTS

Special education events, news, and more from Mission Ready Academy

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Articles

What Ages Does the Autism Private School: Mission Ready Academy Serve?

Mission Ready Academy serves students ages 3 through 22. It's a wider range than a typical school, and it's not an arbitrary one! The age range is deliberate in how special education and disability services actually work in Utah. A Quick Look at Our Autism School's Age Range: Ages served: 3 through 22 Age 3 lines up with the standard start of special-education eligibility and the minimum age for the Carson Smith Opportunity Scholarship Age 22 lines up with the outer edge of t

Aug 73 min read

Individualized vs. Small-Group Instruction: Which Is Better for Learners with Autism?

It's one of the first questions parents ask when looking into academic programs for an autistic child: should instruction be one-on-one, or in a small group? Both formats show up constantly in autism education, and both get recommended with a lot of confidence. The honest answer is less tidy than either side of that debate usually admits — the right format depends on the child, the skill being taught, and what stage of learning they're in. What Individualized Instruction Offe

Jul 303 min read

Building Toward Supported Employment: Academic Skills That Matter for Young Adults

For a lot of families, the shift from "student" to "adult" sneaks up faster than expected. Years get spent focused on treatment goals, behavior goals, and getting through each school year — and then, somewhere around age 18, a new question arrives: what skills does my young adult actually need for a job? Traditional academics don't always answer that question. Reading a novel and reading a shift schedule are very different skills, and only one of them shows up on most report

Jul 273 min read

How to Get Homeschool Money in Utah for a Child with Autism

If you're searching for homeschool money in Utah, you've probably already decided that traditional school isn't working for your child right now — and for a lot of autism families, that decision comes after months or years of trying to make it work. The good news: Utah has two state-funded scholarship programs that can help cover the cost of educating your child outside a public school classroom. Here's how each one works, what you need to qualify, and one option worth knowin

Jul 185 min read

What Counts as a Scholarship Expense Under Utah Fits All? A Parent's Guide

You made it through the Utah Fits All application, and your child was awarded a scholarship. That's a big step. But almost every family hits the same wall right afterward: okay, so what am I actually allowed to spend this on? The law behind the Utah Fits All Scholarship (UFA) spells out a long, specific list of approved "scholarship expenses" — and a few of the exclusions catch families by surprise. Here's a plain-language breakdown of what's covered, what isn't, and how to a

Jul 165 min read

Should My Child Do ABA or School?

When parenting your autistic child, you might have to make a difficult decision. The question “Should my child do ABA or school?” is one that many parents face, and can feel overwhelming. ABA therapy may be helping your child build communication, behavior, independence, and daily living skills, while school provides academic instruction and opportunities to learn alongside others. The good news is that the decision does not always have to be either ABA or school. For some chi

Jul 105 min read

UPCOMING EVENTS

Autism-Friendly Back 2 School Carnival

Friday, August 14. Open house style from 3:30 - 8 PM. For full details, visit Nova Supports.

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Mission Ready Academy's Blog

Welcome to the Mission Ready Academy blog — a resource for Utah families raising a child with autism, navigating ABA therapy, and figuring out what school looks like when a traditional classroom isn't the right fit. Here you'll find practical guides on topics like the Utah Fits All Scholarship, the Carson Smith Opportunity Scholarship, homeschooling in Utah, IEPs and special education rights, functional academics, and what it actually looks like to combine ABA treatment with individualized academic instruction.

Utah's education and scholarship laws change often, sometimes every legislative session, so we also use this space to keep families up-to-date on such changes. We'll be breaking down what's new with scholarship eligibility, homeschool requirements, and special education rules, and what it actually means for your family, in plain language.

And whenever Mission Ready Academy or Nova Supports is hosting something for the community (such as a scholarship info session, a parent workshop, an open house), you'll find it here first!

Check back often, or fill out the subscription form above if you'd like to be notified via email as new posts and events go up.