Son with LDs and ADD--need advice on DC public schools!

[Anonymous]

Hi,

We are considering a move from Silver Spring to DC next Spring. We have an 8 year old with ADD inattentive and other undiagnosed LDs. Can anyone provide advice on the public school system in DC? Are there any that you could recommend? And what are Special Ed services like?
We cannot afford private school!
thanks!

[Anonymous]

Does your son currently have an IEP in a Silver Spring School? It will be a lot easier to continue services than to initiate them in DC. Also, if you already have an IEP, make sure it has in it all of the services your son currently receives. Sometimes schools will provide accomodations/services without putting them in the IEP, but if you switch schools it is as if those services were never provided and don't need continuation.
Schools have different programs. Some are inclusion vs. pull-out. It is a school by school thing so check with the schools in the neighborhoods you look at. Inclusion may be better for some while pull-out better for others. Some may offer different reading programs, etc.
Like anywhere else, parents of Sp ed children need to be involved with the school and need to advocate for their children to make sure that they get what they need. If you can do this in a noncombative way, it will help your child even more.
Good Luck!

[Anonymous]

Compared to Montgomery County, DCPS has nothing to offer. Seriously, you'd have to hire a lawyer and try to get the city to pay for private education, because the DC special programs are awful.

[Anonymous]

A high percentage of the kids at Lab and Kingsbury have their tuition paid for by DC (and to a lesser extent MoCo and PG Co). Those schools are well worth exploring for your son.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:A high percentage of the kids at Lab and Kingsbury have their tuition paid for by DC (and to a lesser extent MoCo and PG Co). Those schools are well worth exploring for your son.

How high is the percentage?

[Anonymous]

I think it used to be close to 75% when we looked about 8-10 years ago. I believe Lab was trying to bring that down. It often includes transportation which is why there are school busses from all 3 jurisdictions dropping off there in the morning. Also as I understand it you are on the hook for tuition until any funding comes through. But to get current info you'd have to ask the schools as I am not current at all.

[Anonymous]

My DD has ADHD and some fairly minor LD's and sensory issues, the services she is receiving through our public school are quite good and she makes the IE goals every year. Though we did do private testing through Dr Stixrud's office in SS prior to the start of K where they had to accept the results which got us into the system for at least 2 years until she is eligible for retesting. I do not think that the public school system was capably of doing as good as and as through of a job as the private office, but they were willing to offer the OT, PT, and modifications reccomended.

DC is fine if you are at one of the better schools and stay on the ball. This is our second year in the system and find them responsive and professional.

[Anonymous]

It sounds to me as if OP wants to move to DC and have DCPS fund a private school for her dc. This is why DCPS Special ED costs are so high. Personally, I doubt you would get tuition for the kinds of issues you mention.

[Anonymous]

dcps is now fighting these private school funding cases to reduce the high cost of these reimbursements. its approach has changed as of this year -- do NOT move to dc with the assumption you will get funding. talk to one of the attorneys who specializes in this area to get a sense. if you think your services at the public school in dc are going to be anywhere near what you're getting in moco, you're crazy. good luck.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:It sounds to me as if OP wants to move to DC and have DCPS fund a private school for her dc. This is why DCPS Special ED costs are so high. Personally, I doubt you would get tuition for the kinds of issues you mention.

I don't think she said that at all - she asked specifically about public schools. Others have mentioned privates.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I think it used to be close to 75% when we looked about 8-10 years ago. I believe Lab was trying to bring that down. It often includes transportation which is why there are school busses from all 3 jurisdictions dropping off there in the morning. Also as I understand it you are on the hook for tuition until any funding comes through. But to get current info you'd have to ask the schools as I am not current at all.

Wow, that's depressing. All that and there were bathroom doors missing and broken faucets in the public school down the street. DCPS needs to get its act together so it can stop sending our tax money to support private schools!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:dcps is now fighting these private school funding cases to reduce the high cost of these reimbursements. its approach has changed as of this year -- do NOT move to dc with the assumption you will get funding. talk to one of the attorneys who specializes in this area to get a sense. if you think your services at the public school in dc are going to be anywhere near what you're getting in moco, you're crazy. good luck.[/quote

Along with fighting most of these private school funding cases (spending a lot of our tax money to do so), it seems that it is also very hard right now to have a child found eligible for special education in DC. No IEP, no private school funding case.

[Anonymous]

I was not hoping DCPS would pay for us to send our child to a private school at all. We just want to live in DC for a better commute and to enjoy city life as we moved a couple years back from Chicago and miss city living.
Thanks to all for your replies

[Anonymous]

I have a friend with a child at Mann - she is very happy with how the school has handled her child's LD and ADHD issues.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I think it used to be close to 75% when we looked about 8-10 years ago. I believe Lab was trying to bring that down. It often includes transportation which is why there are school busses from all 3 jurisdictions dropping off there in the morning. Also as I understand it you are on the hook for tuition until any funding comes through. But to get current info you'd have to ask the schools as I am not current at all.

Wow, that's depressing. All that and there were bathroom doors missing and broken faucets in the public school down the street. DCPS needs to get its act together so it can stop sending our tax money to support private schools!

You are a tad misguided there - the tax money is going to provide an education for kids with learning disabilities that the city is unable to provide adequate services for.