Faces of Freedom

Students shouldn’t be punished and left behind because their families don’t have financial resources.These are the voices of Arkansas families who have benefited from having alternative education options!

Everyday students across Arkansas struggle in the wrong educational environment.

We know that far better is possible.

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“My daughter is a recipient of the Succeed Scholarship in Conway. … The changes I’ve seen in my daughter and classmates are too great to ignore. Miracles happen when these kiddos get what they need in an environment like [the school we have chosen]. Every child should have that right and opportunity.”

Allison, Conway

“[Our chosen private school] works on social skills. Teaching children to learn to their fullest ability. [This private school] is such a blessing to our family. Since our son has been at [this school] he is really thriving. He’s progressing. And he feels accepted. All children learn in different ways.
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Laura, Little Rock

“My husband and I are very grateful for the Succeed Scholarship. It has allowed the opportunity for our daughter to attend a school that meets her needs. This gives us an added assurance that our daughter will be able to attend a school that not only meets her needs but it also us a sense of ease that our Show more

 -Angela, Conway

“Both of my sons (16 & 11) are dyslexic and the public school system in Little Rock did not teach them how to read. You see dyslexics can only learn to read using a structured literacy program. The Little Rock School District was using a balanced literacy approach when my boys were in their schools. My oldest son was able to get the Succeed

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Stephanie

“Thank you, Thank you, Thank you … to the state of Arkansas for providing such a wonderful program – the Succeed Scholarship! We have a son who got lost in the system in his public school experience. Being new to the northwest Arkansas area, we searched for a new school that would meet his needs for education.

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– Diane

“Words can’t even describe what the Succeed Scholarship has done for my son and my family!!! First of all, if it was not for the Succeed Scholarship being available for my son and other students, I as a mom don’t know where we would be. I was able to take my son out of the public school where he was constantly being bullied and had suicidal

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– Erica

The Succeed Scholarship program has become a necessity for families throughout the state. My experience is simple. My 12 year-old son in on the autism spectrum. My husband and I bounced around schools to find a place where he could not only THRIVE academically, but socially and emotionally.

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Shanta, North Little Rock

“In July of 2013, we adopted two brothers and their little sister through the foster care system.” … “Because of constant appointments for physical therapy, occupational therapy, speech therapy, counseling, pediatrician visits, dental care, vision care, medical tests for everything, and the regular childhood colds, I had to resign my position as a

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– Rae, Conway

“My daughter was struggling in public school. She had meltdowns and even self harmed hitting her head with her hands. She hated going to school. Now 2 years later at [this private school], there are no more meltdowns or self harming. She had made friends and is learning much more than just a basic education, she is learning to live and

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– Lesley, Mayflower

Without the scholarship, my child would be unable to go to school at all, especially a public school where they would not be equipped to handle her many medical issues. My 12-year-old daughter has chronic autoimmune encephalitis and has very specialized needs.

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– Marcelyn, Conway

“… I knew that my child needed more support. … Most importantly, I knew that when he started visiting the regular classrooms, he became more and more withdrawn and less assured of his abilities.  That was not an acceptable outcome for my child with autism, and it shouldn’t be the fate of innocent

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– Staci

“I am writing to let you know about the profound impact the AR Succeed Scholarship has had on my family. My daughter is approximately 4 years behind her same-age peers in physical growth and all areas of development. She attends a private school with special education classes with the help

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– Alison, Little Rock

Our 10-year-old daughter Scarlett loves attending Chenal Valley Montessori. Scarlett suffers ADHD, Global Developmental Delay and Developmental Coordination Disorder and expressive language disorder.

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– Chad and Nicole

I am a stay at home mom, not by choice, but because our older daughter was diagnosed with brain cancer at the age of 7 in 2008 and have been fighting recurrences since then, which forced me to quit my job and stay home to care for

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– Melissa, Greenbrier

“Without the Succeed Scholarship we would not be able to enroll her in [this private school]. This scholarship and this school have made such a difference in her life and ours. We are thankful for the opportunity this scholarship provides for our family.

– Jamie, Conway

“This is the first year for our son to receive the Succeed Scholarship, and we are so grateful for it. He was adopted at the age of 3 and had a very traumatic history filled with neglect and abuse before coming to us. The trauma

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– Natalie

“My son is Case Smith, a 6 yr. old student at ACCESS Academy in Little Rock. Case has a processing and reasoning disorder. Case was struggling in a regular school setting for 2 years until we put him at ACCESS. With the Show more

– Chris

“I wanted to share my story on why the Succeed Scholarship plays a crucial role in my daughter’s education. She was diagnosed with a rare chromosome disorder at 19 weeks gestational. There is currently under 200 cases worldwide Show more

– Amber

“My son was not doing well in his public school setting. Lots of behavior issues. Not learning. He had to have a one on one aide. I moved him to Compass Academy in 8th grade and started receiving the succeed scholarship in 10th grade.

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– Kristalynn

“Last year my oldest son, who has autism and ADHD among other disorders, had such a hard time in school. He was very unhappy and was failing and got sent home near daily because of behaviors, until we switched to Compass Academy and got the

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– Kimberly

“I wanted to write to address my concern about some members of the AR legislature stating that the Succeed Scholarship should be defunded. I want to express that losing that scholarship could be the worst thing that could happen to my son. I am a single mother

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– Alexis

“I am a parent of a special needs child who attends Access School and takes advantage of the generous and necessary Succeed Scholarship that you have made available to my child.

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– Kimberly

My daughter, Kiyah, who has Autism, has made HUGE strides because of ACCESS! Their education is individualized to her strengths and her challenges complicated by her

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– Jeannine

“Succeed Scholarship has been a blessing to our household, but, more importantly, our 9yr old daughter who has Autism. Succeed has allowed her to attend a school (Compass

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– Benitha

The Succeed Scholarship has changed our lives. My daughter struggled in public school because the teachers could not teach her.  Since she was born prematurely, she was behind

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– Lynette

“My child was failing in public school, being told she was ‘stupid’ and ‘could possibly work as an adult in food service one day.’ We were able to get the Succeed Scholarship, and in one school

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– Andrea

“My son was an LRSD student from K-6th grade. Each year we saw little to no progress socially, academically and physically. The Succeed Scholarship has allowed him to attend ACCESS

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– Chandra

“Our family has three Succeed Scholarship stories to share. As you may know, dyslexia runs in families, and three of our five children have been diagnosed with a learning disability in reading due to dyslexia.

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– Tom

“We (the adopted grandparents) are the recipient of the Succeed Scholarship. We consider this funding as a ‘God’ sent for us. Our child has several underlying conditions that require a little more attention.

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– Andrea

“The Succeed Scholarship is a vital piece to the puzzle of education and socialization for my 16 year old son who is on the autism spectrum. We moved here from Nevada in 2011 only to find out that the public school system

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– Will

“My son Thomas was diagnosed with dyslexia in the 3rd grade. It was at that time that I realized why I had struggled the same as he had in school; I just never had a name for it. I went to public schools most of my school years

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– Susan

“I hope you will continue to fund the Succeed Scholarship. There are so many children who need an alternative to public schools. My son Justin is one of them. He struggled in public school. He had some teachers who understood

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– Molly

“When my child first started showing signs that he was not excelling in school, I worried that he would fall through the cracks. He wasn’t failing his classes, but he was getting by. Since he didn’t fall into a specific category,

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– Shannon

“I’m a concerned parent of my child. I have recently been informed that there are some people wanting to defund the Succeed Scholarship, which greatly would impact not only my child, but so many other children.

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– Brandy

“My son is 9 years old and should technically be in the fourth grade. He attended a Head Start program for Pre-K and then public school from kindergarten through the first semester of his 3rd grade year.

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– Kimberley

“This is the second year my daughter, Runa, has had the privilege of attending ACCESS. We only have this opportunity because of help through the Succeed Scholarship, and I’m constantly thinking of how grateful I am for this chance for

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– Natalie

“Jacob is my 15 year old son whom has Down syndrome. He has attended a not-for-profit private school for the last three years. We have received the Succeed Scholarship for the last two years. It has allowed him to continue his education

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– Kimberly

“I am a single mother of one. My son is turning 11 next week. He was diagnosed with autism when he was 3 1/2. When my son started school, we enrolled in the public setting. Staff was great but accommodation not so much, and I

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– Yaribeth

“My son Josh was diagnosed with Autism when he was about four years old. For years he struggled to even speak a full sentence. With the help of many talented therapists, his speech has improved.

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– Brian