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Boca Raton special needs school closes, parents scramble to find new school

Posted at 8:04 PM, Aug 26, 2016
and last updated 2016-08-26 20:04:01-04

An email sent to Patty Schwenke out of the blue.

"Read it and I couldn't believe it. I thought it was some kind of joke at first," says Schwenke.

Her son Ryan is on the autism spectrum and has attended New Horizon Academy, a school for kids with special needs, since the 9th grade.

"He absolutely loved the school."

Patty already paid her tuition for the school year.

In the email, the President of the school told parents they are closing because " We do no have sufficient revenue to support our operations."

Dr. Jack Scott at FAU believes a sudden closure could affect children with autism and related disabilities.

"Heightened anxiety level for him and a fair amount of upset for the kids that often spills over to the parents," says Scott.

Patty now must find another school.

"I just hope and pray we find something for him soon," says Schwenke.

The school's president plans to make paying back this years tuition his top priority.