Frustrated with lack of Special Needs schools in this area

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:We actually need more schools for children with behavioral issues and more intensive special needs, but who will receive a diploma. There is an abundance of options if your child is gifted or on grade level. And for behavior, I’m talking issues like being disruptive not aggressive. There is only one private option I am aware of and it’s not great. No options really for kids with low average iqs, learning issues, and behaviors and many, many, many kids in that boat.

the option for those kinds of behaviors is an FBA and ensuring they implement it. You need a consultant.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The intersection between people who need a SN high school and people who can afford 50k a year may not be enough to justify additional schools.

I think OP's other issue is that the kid isn't behind academically, which can make some of the local schools a bad fit. Objectively, though, we've got a ton of special education schools in the area compared to most places. I grew up somewhere where the nearest private school with any kind of autism program was hours away, meanwhile we've got Kennedy Krieger, Ivymount, Katherine Thomas, Foundations, and Phillips all of which serve students with autism. It's not perfect, but it's hard to call that a lack.

+1. We have an abundance of choices locally. They may not be a perfect fit and every school always has room for improvement but we certainly do not lack options in this area.

There are not enough seats for all of the kids.

[Anonymous]

There are no good options for kids with severe language disorders. Very few get these kids. Supplement heavily with private therapies.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:We moved to be inbounds for a public school that had a great reputation with children with special needs. We calculated that since he needed therapies and down the road would need all sorts of coaching and tutoring, we would need to pay for lots of services outside of school anyway, regardless of whether it was private SN or public, so we preferred investing in a house that might appreciate and put him in a good public, and spend the rest of our money on whatever he needed outside of school.

MCPS has autism and Asperger's programs in some of their schools. It also has GT/LD programs for gifted, talented and learning disabled students (most of which have some blend of ADHD and HFA). You don't need to be in-bounds for each particular school for these special programs, but you do need to live in Montgomery County. We chose to live as close as possible, so he wouldn't have a long bus ride.

12 years later, and it's worked out well.

I think a lot of families in this area feel similarly. Rather than pay for privates, use resources for outside services. Kids have such different needs with ASD that it is very difficult to have a school (private or public) for every kid. OP, I feel your frustration. It is hard to have $ and still feel like you can't give your kids what they need. My kid has been in MCPS too (we've explored privates at different points through the year). I long ago switched to part time so I could manage outside therapies, etc. Staying in public school has also given us the ability to save $ so that our kid will hopefully not need to worry about saving for retirement.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:We actually need more schools for children with behavioral issues and more intensive special needs, but who will receive a diploma. There is an abundance of options if your child is gifted or on grade level. And for behavior, I’m talking issues like being disruptive not aggressive. There is only one private option I am aware of and it’s not great. No options really for kids with low average iqs, learning issues, and behaviors and many, many, many kids in that boat.

there is not an abundance of options if your child is gifted. Please share their names if I am wrong.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:We moved to be inbounds for a public school that had a great reputation with children with special needs. We calculated that since he needed therapies and down the road would need all sorts of coaching and tutoring, we would need to pay for lots of services outside of school anyway, regardless of whether it was private SN or public, so we preferred investing in a house that might appreciate and put him in a good public, and spend the rest of our money on whatever he needed outside of school.

MCPS has autism and Asperger's programs in some of their schools. It also has GT/LD programs for gifted, talented and learning disabled students (most of which have some blend of ADHD and HFA). You don't need to be in-bounds for each particular school for these special programs, but you do need to live in Montgomery County. We chose to live as close as possible, so he wouldn't have a long bus ride.

12 years later, and it's worked out well.

I think a lot of families in this area feel similarly. Rather than pay for privates, use resources for outside services. Kids have such different needs with ASD that it is very difficult to have a school (private or public) for every kid. OP, I feel your frustration. It is hard to have $ and still feel like you can't give your kids what they need. My kid has been in MCPS too (we've explored privates at different points through the year). I long ago switched to part time so I could manage outside therapies, etc. Staying in public school has also given us the ability to save $ so that our kid will hopefully not need to worry about saving for retirement.

one thing I'll mention is that by and large, the qualities of the services we get in public is really really good. I have no reason to think it would be better in private. It's not perfect and I have to fight for it, but no complaints about the dedication and skill of our providers in school. If I had my dream school, it would be to reduce class sizes and to give more support to the providers so they wouldn't have to rush and would have more time to devote to planning and talking to each other. but honestly, I would not switch to a private.

and we haven't even mentioned mainstreaming. mainstreaming is really important for my child. even if I could afford it, I don't think I'd pick a SN private school. other parents may feel differently but I'm not alone. I know plenty of parents who could afford SN privates and chose publics instead.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:We actually need more schools for children with behavioral issues and more intensive special needs, but who will receive a diploma. There is an abundance of options if your child is gifted or on grade level. And for behavior, I’m talking issues like being disruptive not aggressive. There is only one private option I am aware of and it’s not great. No options really for kids with low average iqs, learning issues, and behaviors and many, many, many kids in that boat.

there is not an abundance of options if your child is gifted. Please share their names if I am wrong.

For a grade-level or advanced kid with autism and no behavioral issues? Maybe not an "abundance" of options, but MANY more options than kids with behavioral issues. Almost all of the SN privates discussed on here (Siena, Diener, Auburn, McClean, Lab, Commonwealth) will not take a kid with behavioral issues. And summer camps? Forget about it. For understandable reasons, they treat behavioral issues as the third rail.

[Anonymous]

Diener? There are plenty of bright kids there with emotional and behavioral issues.

OP, can you talk to an educational consultant? They may be able to help you find options, both public and private.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:We actually need more schools for children with behavioral issues and more intensive special needs, but who will receive a diploma. There is an abundance of options if your child is gifted or on grade level. And for behavior, I’m talking issues like being disruptive not aggressive. There is only one private option I am aware of and it’s not great. No options really for kids with low average iqs, learning issues, and behaviors and many, many, many kids in that boat.

there is not an abundance of options if your child is gifted. Please share their names if I am wrong.

For a grade-level or advanced kid with autism and no behavioral issues? Maybe not an "abundance" of options, but MANY more options than kids with behavioral issues. Almost all of the SN privates discussed on here (Siena, Diener, Auburn, McClean, Lab, Commonwealth) will not take a kid with behavioral issues. And summer camps? Forget about it. For understandable reasons, they treat behavioral issues as the third rail.

Ha ha! My kid is in non public placement for his ASD. I put the money that I would have to spend on private to his summer camp.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Just a vent but I am so frustrated by the lack of schools in the DMV that specialize or even are able to handle students with ASD. My dd has a severe expressive language delay and (mainly as a result of the language issues) a huge delay in social/interaction skills. She’s ahead academically and has no behavioral issues but we are struggling to find school options for elementary. Our public school district is not a good option. I wish we could move but we can’t due to jobs and also don’t want to uproot older siblings. It just seems surprising to me that in a large metro area with so much money and families who value education, the special needs schools are abysmal and few and far between. There are so few choices and many just seem downright awful or for profit. I wish I was ten years younger and had not exhausted myself dealing with my sweet DD - I joke that I would open a school.

I think there are actually more schools in this area than in other areas. The problem I see is those schools are so prohibitively expensive that one of the only ways to make it affordable is for parents to get their school system to pay for their child to attend. I think the private schools know this so have no problem keeping the tuition rates very high and they continue to go up. They probably need a tiered structure - one tuition structure for private pay and one for government institutions.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:We actually need more schools for children with behavioral issues and more intensive special needs, but who will receive a diploma. There is an abundance of options if your child is gifted or on grade level. And for behavior, I’m talking issues like being disruptive not aggressive. There is only one private option I am aware of and it’s not great. No options really for kids with low average iqs, learning issues, and behaviors and many, many, many kids in that boat.

there is not an abundance of options if your child is gifted. Please share their names if I am wrong.

For a grade-level or advanced kid with autism and no behavioral issues? Maybe not an "abundance" of options, but MANY more options than kids with behavioral issues. Almost all of the SN privates discussed on here (Siena, Diener, Auburn, McClean, Lab, Commonwealth) will not take a kid with behavioral issues. And summer camps? Forget about it. For understandable reasons, they treat behavioral issues as the third rail.

Ha ha! My kid is in non public placement for his ASD. I put the money that I would have to spend on private to his summer camp.

Please share the name

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Why not public school? Does she need a therapeutic setting all day? What’s your school district? Have you explored what they have to offer?

np Most public schools are not capable for helping kids with special needs.

That seems like quite the generalization.

I've had personal experiences and know of lots of others who have too. Sure it isn't everyone but, my experience counts too. Public school teachers aren't taught the up to date technology on teaching dyslexic or dyscalculia never mind Autism.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Diener? There are plenty of bright kids there with emotional and behavioral issues.

OP, can you talk to an educational consultant? They may be able to help you find options, both public and private.

I seriously doubt Diener accepts children with FBAs that involve any serious amount of behavioral disruption.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:We actually need more schools for children with behavioral issues and more intensive special needs, but who will receive a diploma. There is an abundance of options if your child is gifted or on grade level. And for behavior, I’m talking issues like being disruptive not aggressive. There is only one private option I am aware of and it’s not great. No options really for kids with low average iqs, learning issues, and behaviors and many, many, many kids in that boat.

there is not an abundance of options if your child is gifted. Please share their names if I am wrong.

For a grade-level or advanced kid with autism and no behavioral issues? Maybe not an "abundance" of options, but MANY more options than kids with behavioral issues. Almost all of the SN privates discussed on here (Siena, Diener, Auburn, McClean, Lab, Commonwealth) will not take a kid with behavioral issues. And summer camps? Forget about it. For understandable reasons, they treat behavioral issues as the third rail.

Ha ha! My kid is in non public placement for his ASD. I put the money that I would have to spend on private to his summer camp.

Does your child have behavioral issues? My point is that there are many camp options for SN kids with no "behaviors."

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:We actually need more schools for children with behavioral issues and more intensive special needs, but who will receive a diploma. There is an abundance of options if your child is gifted or on grade level. And for behavior, I’m talking issues like being disruptive not aggressive. There is only one private option I am aware of and it’s not great. No options really for kids with low average iqs, learning issues, and behaviors and many, many, many kids in that boat.

there is not an abundance of options if your child is gifted. Please share their names if I am wrong.

For a grade-level or advanced kid with autism and no behavioral issues? Maybe not an "abundance" of options, but MANY more options than kids with behavioral issues. Almost all of the SN privates discussed on here (Siena, Diener, Auburn, McClean, Lab, Commonwealth) will not take a kid with behavioral issues. And summer camps? Forget about it. For understandable reasons, they treat behavioral issues as the third rail.

Ha ha! My kid is in non public placement for his ASD. I put the money that I would have to spend on private to his summer camp.

Please share the name

Wediko