Reply to Does having an IEP or 504 hurt a child's chance for private school admissions?

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Reply to "Does having an IEP or 504 hurt a child's chance for private school admissions?"

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[quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous]We are right there with you and plan to send DS to private school starting in 6th grade.  DS has ASD/ADHD and has an[b] IEP mostly for social communication issues.  [/b]Gets great grades fully mainstreamed at a dual language school and is very talented in chess and math. (The current world champion in chess, Magnus Carlson, is suspected of having Asperger's too).

His psychiatrist and neuropsych think DS will do fine at a top tier private school and the schools also recruit for chess (and he has legacy status at one) so we'll see how it works out.  We plan on submitting a current neuropsych eval along with everything else.  If private school does not work out there are also public magnets.[/quote]

What are your DS's social communications issues and what are the supports and specialized instruction that he receives in public, but will not have in private? Wondering how the withdrawal of this support/ instruction will affect the child's performance (and social situation - since it will be middle school, after all!). [/quote]

His issues are mainly that he will not engage with peers and is slow to warm up to other kids.  He is fine with adults and older and younger kids.  He gets speech with SLP for pragmatics, social skills class with the school counselor, lunch bunch arranged by SN teacher, and OT for fine motor - touch typing practice with OT.  Academically, DS gets extra help with written composition but he also tests three grade levels ahead in both reading and math fully mainstreamed.

The private schools we are looking at provide excellent instruction in writing and DS probably does not need more than that.  As for the social communication issues, we have noticed that they have improved dramatically since he has been medicated for his ADHD and since he started playing chess.  DS is exceptionally gifted in math and chess and has "chess" friends and other kids who seek him out wanting to be friends.  Some of these kids are at the private schools we will be applying to.

DS has had an IEP since prek and is now in 4th grade.  DS has ASD/ADHD but not anxiety according to his neuropsych eval:  most people will never guess that DS has any diagnosis and/or an IEP.[/quote]

If you don't think he needs any accommodations at these schools, then I'd consider not even disclosing the IEP and diagnosis.  Arguably it's an ADA violation for them to even ask that question.  [/quote]

We plan on disclosing all including a current neuropsych eval.  And we want him to get accommodations for his ADHD which private schools can and are use to providing.  Our feelings are that if the school does not take him for who he is, why bother?[/quote]

+1 Agree with PP that this is best strategy for long term. Goal shouldn't just be getting into a school but finding one that suits the child. If you feel need to 'hide' things about your child, you probably shouldn't be applying there in the first place.[/quote]

There's such a thing as disability discrimination, that's why.  There's a reason why employers can't ask you about things like this.  If you think the information is not relevant to your child's success at the school, then there is no reason to disclose it.  But, this PP thinks that it is relevant, so I agree that it should be disclosed.  But there's no need to disclose anything more than what's required.  Why send in the full neuropsych report?   [/quote]

Why not?  They will have his grades, standardized test scores, recommendations, IEP, a record of his accomplishments and talents, etc.  The neuropsych eval will give a fully rounded picture of who he is and how he learns.  
[b]
If the school "discriminates" just because he has a disability, I would not want him at the school.[/b]

Also for the SSAT, PSAT, SAT, GREs, MCAT, etc if you want accommodations for a disability
, you have to submit a full neuropsych eval to the college board or whoever runs the testing so submitting a full neuropsych eval to a school where DS will be spending middle school and high school is reasonable.[/quote]

I do understand what you're saying especially since you do think your child needs supports in school.  But, I also think you're being naive to discount the actual disability discrimination that exists.  Unless the disability is relevant to the job/school/whatever, you're under no obligation to disclose. [/quote]

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