Virginia Private Placement Advice

[Anonymous]

I have a twice exceptional 6 year old, high IQ and academically advanced, daignosed with generalized anxiety disorder and ADHD and having a bit has some pretty intense behavior and impulse control issues. We are in Falls Church City public schools and considering a public private placement. Has anyone been through this process, have any advice on what we might want to consider? I am feeling pretty lost and would love feedback on any of the private placement schools that are VDOE approved and/or would love to hear anyones experiences, postiive and negative, with public private placements.

[Anonymous]

There are absolutely zero public placement schools that are appropriate for a high IQ 6 year old with anxiety and ADHD. Homeschool or find a way to make public work.

[Anonymous]

There are hardly any private placements that take kids that young at all, unfortunately. Where have they sent your child's packet to?

[Anonymous]

Private placement is meant for the most challenging of the most challenging students. A 6 year old with anxiety and ADHD, as highly impulsive as they may be, doesn't fit that bill. Not unless they're stabbing classmates with scissors every single day
And even then, the school system will try everything in their power before even considering a private placement.

[Anonymous]

What do you consider academically advanced?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Private placement is meant for the most challenging of the most challenging students. A 6 year old with anxiety and ADHD, as highly impulsive as they may be, doesn't fit that bill. Not unless they're stabbing classmates with scissors every single day
And even then, the school system will try everything in their power before even considering a private placement.

We are in the process here but they let us know at our last IEP meeting that because of the amount of support she needs they believe a private placement may be a less restrictive environement. I think probably a dedicated 1:1 aide would be the first step.

[Anonymous]

This was my kid. In hindsight I wish I had pushed harder for the Lourie Center. The thing about being an academically advanced 6 yr old is that it really doesn’t matter. What matters now is learning the coping skills that will enable him to be successful in a comprehensive school later on.

You can always supplement academics at home. For K/1st, that really just means reading to him, encouraging him to read on his own, talking about the stories. If he enjoys math, there are lots of fun math game programs.

My kid is in 9th now and still in non public placement. He got a 1560 on his SAT last fall. He taught himself calculus and when I read his essays sometimes I have to look up words. The thing about school is that it’s not that hard for these kids. Don’t worry about academics now, focus on getting him ready to handle the higher level courses when he gets to HS. Non public placements usually don’t offer AP classes which is where you’ll want him to be. If he hasn’t internalized the necessary coping skills by HS, that’s when he’ll be impacted by missing out on advanced academics.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Private placement is meant for the most challenging of the most challenging students. A 6 year old with anxiety and ADHD, as highly impulsive as they may be, doesn't fit that bill. Not unless they're stabbing classmates with scissors every single day
And even then, the school system will try everything in their power before even considering a private placement.

We have a private placement in MD and, at least there, this is not correct. Private placements occur when the needs of the student do not align with the offerings of the school system. Severity of needs has nothing to do with it. If you saw my kid out and about you would notice nothing out of the ordinary. He passes for typical in many respects and so do many of his fellow students.

[Anonymous]

I don’t know about your child, but I’ve had kids come to my class who were GT and parents were so worried about academics when the focus really needed to be on behavior and mental health.

I hope you find something that works.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Private placement is meant for the most challenging of the most challenging students. A 6 year old with anxiety and ADHD, as highly impulsive as they may be, doesn't fit that bill. Not unless they're stabbing classmates with scissors every single day
And even then, the school system will try everything in their power before even considering a private placement.

We are in the process here but they let us know at our last IEP meeting that because of the amount of support she needs they believe a private placement may be a less restrictive environement. I think probably a dedicated 1:1 aide would be the first step.

Private placement is the MOST restrictive generally. It's not LESS restrictive, per the way the law is written.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Private placement is meant for the most challenging of the most challenging students. A 6 year old with anxiety and ADHD, as highly impulsive as they may be, doesn't fit that bill. Not unless they're stabbing classmates with scissors every single day
And even then, the school system will try everything in their power before even considering a private placement.

We have a private placement in MD and, at least there, this is not correct. Private placements occur when the needs of the student do not align with the offerings of the school system. Severity of needs has nothing to do with it. If you saw my kid out and about you would notice nothing out of the ordinary. He passes for typical in many respects and so do many of his fellow students.

Then you got lucky. 97% of the time severity absolutely has to do with it.