10/01/2025
As many of you know, earlier this year I began fighting with SCPS to have Liam’s IEP and Matrix score corrected. When it was done last September, it was completely wrong. At the level they had him, I would never have been able to afford the school he attends, Celandine Life Prep Academy—it would have cost us over $300 a month. With how hard it is to cover expenses now, and with Liam beginning more treatment , that simply wasn’t possible.
After I posted about the struggle of affording his school, some incredible women—advocates right here in our county—reached out. The moment Lisa and Barbara reviewed Liam’s IEP and Matrix, they knew it wasn’t right. From there, they guided me every step of the way. I ran around like a madwoman scheduling doctor’s appointments and collecting letters: from his pediatrician, psychiatrist, neurologist, speech and AAC evaluations, OT, ABA, St. Jude’s school advocate, and even Liam’s neuro-oncology teams. His teachers also provided reports on how he learns at school. Every piece was gathered to reflect his true needs.
We waited anxiously for the revised score. By 3:00 p.m. TODAY, I still hadn’t heard anything. I emailed them for an update, talked to Lisa, she was as stressed as me. Just before the business day ended, the email finally arrived. My stomach dropped—I was too afraid to even open the attachment. I hadn’t eaten all day from nerves. But when I finally opened it… there it was: 255, baby!! 😱
If it hadn’t been 255, we would have had to keep fighting. But God is good, and every single bit of hard work, every evaluation, every prayer, and every ounce of effort paid off. With the 255 Matrix score, Liam’s scholarship will now cover his full tuition—and even allow for additional services he needs.
Steve and I are beyond grateful to Lisa and Barbara. Their knowledge, generosity, and guidance gave me hope and kept me focused (and even helped me keep my mouth shut when it wasn’t easy, 😂). We cannot thank them enough.
This victory means Liam will get the education and support he deserves, without us having to worry about how to keep up financially. God truly answered our prayers
