Private placement, DCPS

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Here is the thing. Getting a private placement is hard. It takes money and it is stressful. But it is possible. According to OSSE in 2019 (yes I know that’s 3 years ago), 6% of the children in DC - that includes DCPS and charter- are in funded non-public schools. People are still getting funded, it’s just not easy.

You are making it sound like if you pay a lawyer enough, you will get private placement. That is not the case. If you can prove your case meets the criteria AND you have an expensive lawyer, then you MIGHT get private placement.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Here is the thing. Getting a private placement is hard. It takes money and it is stressful. But it is possible. According to OSSE in 2019 (yes I know that’s 3 years ago), 6% of the children in DC - that includes DCPS and charter- are in funded non-public schools. People are still getting funded, it’s just not easy.

But understand that the overwhelming majority of these placements are for kids with very significant issues.

Or rather, the majority of these placements are for kids that had a significant period of time with their needs not being addressed appropriately, so no progress, which meant violation of FAPE and a private placement. (This is the profile I'm aware of children funded by DCPS at KTS, Lab & Chelsea).

[Anonymous]

The kids we have met from dcps at various schools my dc (private placed via fcps) had attended all had emotional-behavioral challenges as well as autism.

The schools suck. Much worse then a public school in every way-except they are staffed for behaviors. Its not like they are sending your kid to Sidwell.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Here is the thing. Getting a private placement is hard. It takes money and it is stressful. But it is possible. According to OSSE in 2019 (yes I know that’s 3 years ago), 6% of the children in DC - that includes DCPS and charter- are in funded non-public schools. People are still getting funded, it’s just not easy.

You are making it sound like if you pay a lawyer enough, you will get private placement. That is not the case. If you can prove your case meets the criteria AND you have an expensive lawyer, then you MIGHT get private placement.

5,270 students are in funded non-public placements. That’s a lot of kids. More kids are getting it then just people with fancy pants lawyers.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:The kids we have met from dcps at various schools my dc (private placed via fcps) had attended all had emotional-behavioral challenges as well as autism.

The schools suck. Much worse then a public school in every way-except they are staffed for behaviors. Its not like they are sending your kid to Sidwell.

It couldn’t be worse than my kids experience in a self contained class in DCPS. First year, no certified teacher from August-February. It was run by the aide. This past year, no children in the classroom were allowed to attend lunch, recess or specials with their same age peers. Not because of child behavior but because the teacher didn’t want to do it. My child hasn’t met their iep goals for two years straight.

I’m not even bringing up the fact that there was no OT for 4 months and no speech for 2 months.

I understand you are coming from Fairfax, but let’s not pretend that DCPS is some great placement. I firmly believe Ivymount, KTS, Kennedy Krieger etc are better placements.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Here is the thing. Getting a private placement is hard. It takes money and it is stressful. But it is possible. According to OSSE in 2019 (yes I know that’s 3 years ago), 6% of the children in DC - that includes DCPS and charter- are in funded non-public schools. People are still getting funded, it’s just not easy.

You are making it sound like if you pay a lawyer enough, you will get private placement. That is not the case. If you can prove your case meets the criteria AND you have an expensive lawyer, then you MIGHT get private placement.

5,270 students are in funded non-public placements. That’s a lot of kids. More kids are getting it then just people with fancy pants lawyers.

Much easier to get a placement from a DC charter.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Here is the thing. Getting a private placement is hard. It takes money and it is stressful. But it is possible. According to OSSE in 2019 (yes I know that’s 3 years ago), 6% of the children in DC - that includes DCPS and charter- are in funded non-public schools. People are still getting funded, it’s just not easy.

But understand that the overwhelming majority of these placements are for kids with very significant issues.

Exactly. Serious behavioral issues, blind, severe ID. Not normal IQ kids with reading delays or ADHD.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Here is the thing. Getting a private placement is hard. It takes money and it is stressful. But it is possible. According to OSSE in 2019 (yes I know that’s 3 years ago), 6% of the children in DC - that includes DCPS and charter- are in funded non-public schools. People are still getting funded, it’s just not easy.

But understand that the overwhelming majority of these placements are for kids with very significant issues.

Or rather, the majority of these placements are for kids that had a significant period of time with their needs not being addressed appropriately, so no progress, which meant violation of FAPE and a private placement. (This is the profile I'm aware of children funded by DCPS at KTS, Lab & Chelsea).

DCPS can always come back and offer a new IEP though.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Here is the thing. Getting a private placement is hard. It takes money and it is stressful. But it is possible. According to OSSE in 2019 (yes I know that’s 3 years ago), 6% of the children in DC - that includes DCPS and charter- are in funded non-public schools. People are still getting funded, it’s just not easy.

But understand that the overwhelming majority of these placements are for kids with very significant issues.

Or rather, the majority of these placements are for kids that had a significant period of time with their needs not being addressed appropriately, so no progress, which meant violation of FAPE and a private placement. (This is the profile I'm aware of children funded by DCPS at KTS, Lab & Chelsea).

DCPS can always come back and offer a new IEP though.

The IEP and compliance with are part it (or lack of compliance) are part of the case for not providing FAPE. DCPS can offer a revised IEP, but in our experience (and other families who have gone through the due process route) it wasn’t enough to address the learning needs of our child. Who, by the way, has learning issues/a working memory secicit, but does not fit the profile earlier PPs had raised (no intellectual disability, doesn’t have behavioral issues, no vision/hearing issue, is not autistic).

[Anonymous]

There are very few schools that take private placements where most dcum parents would agree to send their kids. Ivymount is nearly impossible to get into BTW.

There used to be a document put out by OSSE which listed every private placement a dcps student was attending. A lot of out of state locked-down residential schools and "behavior" schools.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:There are very few schools that take private placements where most dcum parents would agree to send their kids. Ivymount is nearly impossible to get into BTW.

There used to be a document put out by OSSE which listed every private placement a dcps student was attending. A lot of out of state locked-down residential schools and "behavior" schools.

My child has a funded private placement at Kennedy Krieger and we are happy there. But you are right - lots of schools I wouldn’t want to send my kid to.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Here is the thing. Getting a private placement is hard. It takes money and it is stressful. But it is possible. According to OSSE in 2019 (yes I know that’s 3 years ago), 6% of the children in DC - that includes DCPS and charter- are in funded non-public schools. People are still getting funded, it’s just not easy.

But understand that the overwhelming majority of these placements are for kids with very significant issues.

Or rather, the majority of these placements are for kids that had a significant period of time with their needs not being addressed appropriately, so no progress, which meant violation of FAPE and a private placement. (This is the profile I'm aware of children funded by DCPS at KTS, Lab & Chelsea).

DCPS can always come back and offer a new IEP though.

The IEP and compliance with are part it (or lack of compliance) are part of the case for not providing FAPE. DCPS can offer a revised IEP, but in our experience (and other families who have gone through the due process route) it wasn’t enough to address the learning needs of our child. Who, by the way, has learning issues/a working memory secicit, but does not fit the profile earlier PPs had raised (no intellectual disability, doesn’t have behavioral issues, no vision/hearing issue, is not autistic).

But DCPS can write an IEP that gives all the hours and services. The fact that you prefer the private setting doesn’t figure in.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:There are very few schools that take private placements where most dcum parents would agree to send their kids. Ivymount is nearly impossible to get into BTW.

There used to be a document put out by OSSE which listed every private placement a dcps student was attending. A lot of out of state locked-down residential schools and "behavior" schools.

My child has a funded private placement at Kennedy Krieger and we are happy there. But you are right - lots of schools I wouldn’t want to send my kid to.

If you feel like you can share - I’m curious about how you got the private placement, and when? Was it from a charter or DCPS?

[Anonymous]

Here is the link to the list of non-public day schools approved by OSSE: https://osse.dc.gov/sites/default/files/dc/sites/osse/publication/attachments/NP%20Approved%20List%20%28Day%29-%207.22.22.pdf. (There are similar lists for residential options as well: https://osse.dc.gov/publication/osse-approved-nonpublic-schools-and-programs-list)

As far as data for DCPS vs. charter, if you to see where the LEAs are sending children, you go to the 2021-22 School Year Enrollment Audit Report and Data link (https://osse.dc.gov/node/1579401), click on the 2021-22 School Year Enrollment Audit Report data link, which brings up the SY21-22 Annual Enrollment Audit Supplemental Tables_02082022. Click on the School Summary Tab. There is data for how many students DCPS sent to each non-public placement though this is for DCPS overall with no detail about the special school. For charters, you can find the specific placement locations and number of students send by a specific school. If you want this information broke down by grade, you can find it in the School Audited Enr by Grade Tab.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Here is the thing. Getting a private placement is hard. It takes money and it is stressful. But it is possible. According to OSSE in 2019 (yes I know that’s 3 years ago), 6% of the children in DC - that includes DCPS and charter- are in funded non-public schools. People are still getting funded, it’s just not easy.

But understand that the overwhelming majority of these placements are for kids with very significant issues.

Or rather, the majority of these placements are for kids that had a significant period of time with their needs not being addressed appropriately, so no progress, which meant violation of FAPE and a private placement. (This is the profile I'm aware of children funded by DCPS at KTS, Lab & Chelsea).

DCPS can always come back and offer a new IEP though.

The IEP and compliance with are part it (or lack of compliance) are part of the case for not providing FAPE. DCPS can offer a revised IEP, but in our experience (and other families who have gone through the due process route) it wasn’t enough to address the learning needs of our child. Who, by the way, has learning issues/a working memory secicit, but does not fit the profile earlier PPs had raised (no intellectual disability, doesn’t have behavioral issues, no vision/hearing issue, is not autistic).

But DCPS can write an IEP that gives all the hours and services. The fact that you prefer the private setting doesn’t figure in.

Actually, we didn't prefer a private setting. As far as writing an IEP, there is the document (which is a legal document) and there is it's implementation. When a child receives a private placement it is due to either the IEP not being implemented or a disagreement with the level of service needs in preparing the IEP; it is not the result of the parents preference.
Signed a parent whose DS made no progress on his IEP goals as written by DCPS for kindergarten, first and second grade, made progress after private placement for fourth-eighth grade, and has now transitioned back to public high school