Lexie’s Law encourages corporations to donate to nonprofit organizations that provide scholarships to private schools for children with special needs and foster care students. Corporations can receive tax credit for their donations to these School Tuition Organizations (STOs), so long as the total credits claimed throughout the state do not exceed $5 million a year.

Lexie’s Law was enacted and launched in 2009 after an effort led by the Institute of Justice and Andrea Weck-Robertson. Weck-Robertson became involved with the passing of such a law after she saw the progress her daughter, Lexie, made after being removed from the public school system and put into a private school that catered to her individual special needs. Weck-Robertson teamed up with the Institute of Justice and became a spokesperson for the law.

Andrea Weck-Robertson

A student is qualified for a scholarship if they are identified as having a disability according to the Rehabilitation Act, has been identified by a school district as a child with a disability, is eligible to receive school district services, or has been placed in foster care in Arizona at any time before graduating high school or obtaining a GED. Qualified students must also meet one of the following requirements: previous enrollment in an Arizona public school or preschool program for students with disabilities for 90 days of the previous school year, or an entire semester of the current; current enrollment or intent to enroll in a qualified private kindergarten or preschool program for students with disabilities; or be a depended of a US Armed Forces member currently stationed in Arizona.

For more information on Lexie’s Law, please visit here.

To read Weck-Robertson’s inspiring story, read this article from phxpeople.com.

Meet the Artist

Today we are proud to introduce you to Lexie, one of the students at St. Dominic Savio Academy.  For the next two weeks, Paper Clouds Apparel has been given the opportunity to showcase her beautiful artwork on our t-shirts. Here at PCA, we think it is important to provide you with the names and stories of the individuals whom you empower with every purchase.

Lexie and her mom.

11-year-old Lexie, the namesake for Arizona's "Lexie's Law," has been diagnosed with autism, cerebral palsy, and mild mental retardation. Despite her label and the fact that she is non-verbal, Lexie is a happy and awesome sister to her two sisters and two step-brothers. Lexie speaks to the world through sign language and with the help of her iPad. She loves horses, rainbows, Veggie Tales, pink, dinosaurs, owls, and Batman. 

When you buy a t-shirt from PCA in the next two weeks, Lexie will see 50 percent of the profit return back to St. Dominic Savio Academy - the school that has provided her with both the support and challenges she needs as a special needs student.

PCA Launches New Campaign with St. Dominic Savio Academy!

To our PCA family:

Yesterday marked the day of a new campaign for PCA with St. Dominic Savio Academy.

 

St. Dominic Savio Academy is a school for children with autism and related disorders in Tempe, Ariz. They use research-based methodology of applied behavior analysis to insure these students the best education possible.

According to their mission statement, they responded to the “overwhelming community need” for education and care for children with special needs.

St. Dominic Savio Academy’s highly qualified staff is full of certified special education teachers and therapists that bring their thoughtfulness and kindness to the education they provide to their students. Every teacher has three or more years of experience teaching children with autism.

The school offers a year-round program in a traditional school environment with structured classrooms that utilize an applied behavior analysis-based program.

Recently, funding for special needs schools like St. Dominic Savio Academy was cut by $644 million. Help support this fantastic school by heading over to the Paper Clouds website today and checking out the limited-edition shirts that their students designed. Half of your purchase will go directly towards St. Dominic Savio Academy, so they can continue to support, educate, and love their students.