Bright Promise expands services through scholarship program

STEUBENVILLE -- The Jefferson County Board of Developmental Disabilities is making more changes to help students thrive by becoming a Jon Peterson Special Needs Scholarship provider, and the School of Bright Promise is changing its name to accommodate the move.

The site will simply be known as the Bright Promise program and aims to address the current need for more intensive related services with a focus on applied behavior analysis (ABA).

JCBDD was approved in early May through the Ohio Department of Education and Workforce and will become a provider during the 2026-27 school year.

Bright Promise will accept scholarships granted to eligible students ages 3-21 who have individualized education programs, or IEPs. Scholarship awards will be based on the primary disability category identified in a student’s Evaluation Team Report, or ETR.

To assist families with the transition, officials will conduct open office hours beginning this month and continuing throughout the summer.

JCBDD has operated the site since 1971 but has consistently made changes to adapt to the needs of school districts, students and families.

Sara Wright, director of the Bright Promise program, worked with JCBDD Superintendent Michael Zinno on the process and said the shift in services will benefit both students and participating school districts.

“We’re so excited. It has been a goal of mine to make this shift upon analyzing the progress ABA services have facilitated at Bright Promise, and seeing it come to fruition is wonderful,” Wright said. “Becoming a scholarship provider makes it more equitable for us to provide this service with our partnering districts.”

As a result, JCBDD will be designated as a business provider through ODEW, with students being classified as homeschooled.

The intention is to target skill acquisition and behavior reduction to help students reintegrate into their home districts. The change also allows the program to increase its enrollment, which currently stands at 36 students.

Wright said conversations with partnering districts have indicated the greatest need for services is among students ages 5-8, which aligns with her goal of targeting service delivery for younger students and encouraging transitions back to their home districts as early as possible.

To accommodate the change, all staff members will have access to the 40-hour registered behavior technician training opportunity for certification before the upcoming school year. She said the training also provides opportunities for employee growth within the JCBDD organization.

“The Board Certified Behavior Analyst (BCBA) and RBTs will conduct the Assessment of Basic Language and Learning Skills (ABLLS-R), which is a criterion-referenced tool that gives us a really good picture of where learners’ skills and deficits lie,” she said. “We then use that to create individualized programming for each student.”

Wright added that learners will continue to receive group instruction in the classroom, but it will include more intensive one-on-one services based on their individualized plans.

Currently, students receive approximately 120 to 180 minutes of direct ABA services each week from the program’s three licensed RBTs, but she anticipates those services will expand.

“They have shown exponential growth just within that amount of time, so if they’re receiving these services nearly all day every day, I can only imagine how much growth they’ll make in the span of a year. I think it’s going to be a great thing for the community. I believe that a lot of people have been seeking clinic-based ABA services that can take place on a traditional, school-based schedule.”

Meanwhile, Zinno said the Jon Peterson Special Needs Scholarship is a parent-choice program established in 2012 that provides funding for students with disabilities to receive services they do not obtain through their school districts.

“Integration in public education is important, but there are students who will continue to benefit from our services,” he said. “Sara has been an advocate for intensive behavior analytic services since beginning her employment with JCBDD. While researching JPSN and consulting with local districts and community members, we all decided this was the best path moving forward for our program. I am excited about what this does for the learners we are supporting and those needing more clinic-based services. I believe this change meets the current and future needs of children with significant challenges.

“I am proud of our districts and the progress that has been made in educating children with disabilities. With this change, I am hopeful we can now help those with the most significant challenges.”

Edison Local Superintendent Bill Beattie is among the district leaders supporting the move.

“I think it’s a creative way to provide services to students with the most intensive needs and it gives Bright Promise an opportunity to expand its services,” Beattie said. “It’s nice that families can have an option if they want to send their child to Bright Promise and eventually return to their home districts. It gives them an avenue to utilize.”

Parents of eligible students must complete a scholarship form and submit it to Bright Promise for their child to attend. More information is available by contacting administrators at (740) 264-7176.