Anonymous
Post 06/02/2026 20:30     Subject: Hiring a 1:1 Sped teacher for elementary school student (homeschooling)
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:My 2e AuDHD with anxiety and DMDD did incredibly well in MCPS non public placement. What made it work was the small class size. In his biggest elem class, there were 5 kids plus a teacher + para.

I had an easier time getting the non public placement because once he failed out of SESES there was no other place to go for elem school. SESES came to his gen ed class to do an observation and speak with his existing teachers and at the IEP meeting they said they were not able to handle his level of needs. Had he been older (MS), it would not have been as easy to get the NPP.

Kid is now just a kid with an IEP in an MCPS HS.


Thank you, PP, this gives me hope. Would you mind saying which NPP did your son attend?


RICA. Add the built in wrap around services (therapy, psychiatry, family therapy, modality therapy) and I could not have asked for a better placement. I realize RICA isn't an option if you're not in MCPS.


I didn’t realize RICA was a NPP, except the residential portion.
Anonymous
Post 06/02/2026 19:57     Subject: Hiring a 1:1 Sped teacher for elementary school student (homeschooling)
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:My 2e AuDHD with anxiety and DMDD did incredibly well in MCPS non public placement. What made it work was the small class size. In his biggest elem class, there were 5 kids plus a teacher + para.

I had an easier time getting the non public placement because once he failed out of SESES there was no other place to go for elem school. SESES came to his gen ed class to do an observation and speak with his existing teachers and at the IEP meeting they said they were not able to handle his level of needs. Had he been older (MS), it would not have been as easy to get the NPP.

Kid is now just a kid with an IEP in an MCPS HS.


Thank you, PP, this gives me hope. Would you mind saying which NPP did your son attend?


RICA. Add the built in wrap around services (therapy, psychiatry, family therapy, modality therapy) and I could not have asked for a better placement. I realize RICA isn't an option if you're not in MCPS.
Anonymous
Post 06/02/2026 19:32     Subject: Hiring a 1:1 Sped teacher for elementary school student (homeschooling)
OP, are you and the other parent (if there is one) able to flex your work schedules to have a block of time with ds?
It doesn't even have to be a 4 hr block, it could be in 2 hr increments, or even hour ones. In homeschooling, the schedule can look like whatever works for dc and parents.
Anonymous
Post 06/02/2026 18:19     Subject: Hiring a 1:1 Sped teacher for elementary school student (homeschooling)
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:4 hours a day for specialized sped instruction is going to be $300/day minimum. (Assuming rates are discounted for volume of hours—usually around here it’s $100/hour). You’re probably looking at least $50k per school year.

You’ll do better to supplement what public school is able to do (and hire a lawyer/advocate to maximize supports at school if needed)


Thank you for responding, can I ask where you got the rate quotes?

My math was based on Wyzeant rates for Sped teachers (generally $60/hr), 180 instructional days, 4 hrs each day, no volume discount, working out to ~43K, which is exactly what some of SN-light schools are charging in DMV.


Are wyzant teachers any good? Are they available during the day? Is your kid capable of sitting in front of a screen for that much time? If you're at work, will he be home alone?

$60 am hour is way less than we've paid for high quality tutors. I suspect you get what you pay for.
Anonymous
Post 06/02/2026 15:46     Subject: Hiring a 1:1 Sped teacher for elementary school student (homeschooling)
60/hr in the DMV? Doubtful.
Not for now but later, look at Fusion Academy. It's 1:1 starting in 4th. But you do have to go there.
Anonymous
Post 06/02/2026 15:32     Subject: Hiring a 1:1 Sped teacher for elementary school student (homeschooling)
Anonymous wrote:My math was based on Wyzeant rates for Sped teachers (generally $60/hr), 180 instructional days, 4 hrs each day, no volume discount, working out to ~43K, which is exactly what some of SN-light schools are charging in DMV.

Are the Wyzant rates for tutoring or for teaching a curriculum? Also, does Wyzant offer in person services?
Anonymous
Post 06/02/2026 15:07     Subject: Hiring a 1:1 Sped teacher for elementary school student (homeschooling)
Anonymous wrote:My 2e AuDHD with anxiety and DMDD did incredibly well in MCPS non public placement. What made it work was the small class size. In his biggest elem class, there were 5 kids plus a teacher + para.

I had an easier time getting the non public placement because once he failed out of SESES there was no other place to go for elem school. SESES came to his gen ed class to do an observation and speak with his existing teachers and at the IEP meeting they said they were not able to handle his level of needs. Had he been older (MS), it would not have been as easy to get the NPP.

Kid is now just a kid with an IEP in an MCPS HS.


Thank you, PP, this gives me hope. Would you mind saying which NPP did your son attend?
Anonymous
Post 06/02/2026 12:22     Subject: Hiring a 1:1 Sped teacher for elementary school student (homeschooling)
My 2e AuDHD with anxiety and DMDD did incredibly well in MCPS non public placement. What made it work was the small class size. In his biggest elem class, there were 5 kids plus a teacher + para.

I had an easier time getting the non public placement because once he failed out of SESES there was no other place to go for elem school. SESES came to his gen ed class to do an observation and speak with his existing teachers and at the IEP meeting they said they were not able to handle his level of needs. Had he been older (MS), it would not have been as easy to get the NPP.

Kid is now just a kid with an IEP in an MCPS HS.
Anonymous
Post 06/02/2026 11:00     Subject: Re:Hiring a 1:1 Sped teacher for elementary school student (homeschooling)
Parents can legally homeschool their children in the District of Columbia, Maryland, and Virginia. While all three jurisdictions permit homeschooling, each has its own specific set of notification requirements, educational qualifications, and record-keeping rules.

DC- https://osse.dc.gov/service/homeschooling-district-columbia
MD - https://www.peoples-law.org/home-schooling
VA - https://heav.org/virginia-homeschool-laws/?gad_source=1&gad_campaignid=23183675178&gbraid=0AAAAAoyAERfPBlqLk5yzrG4MIkPXTPlRx&gclid=Cj0KCQjw_vnQBhCxARIsADcZyxLL5exQgX5HsalfkO7tBy9fw5dUBq92OcgXT3GQ4-ft_Fk-FHah3j0aArR7EALw_wcB


Fee for homeschooling with consists of a variety of factors including years of experience, degrees, certifications, and sometimes area rates.
Anonymous
Post 06/02/2026 10:49     Subject: Hiring a 1:1 Sped teacher for elementary school student (homeschooling)
Anonymous wrote:4 hours a day for specialized sped instruction is going to be $300/day minimum. (Assuming rates are discounted for volume of hours—usually around here it’s $100/hour). You’re probably looking at least $50k per school year.

You’ll do better to supplement what public school is able to do (and hire a lawyer/advocate to maximize supports at school if needed)


Thank you for responding, can I ask where you got the rate quotes?

My math was based on Wyzeant rates for Sped teachers (generally $60/hr), 180 instructional days, 4 hrs each day, no volume discount, working out to ~43K, which is exactly what some of SN-light schools are charging in DMV.
Anonymous
Post 06/02/2026 07:07     Subject: Hiring a 1:1 Sped teacher for elementary school student (homeschooling)
What state? Not all states allow this - homeschool is supposed to mean parent teachers. You can do tutors and coops but what you’re envisioning is a private school for one kid.
Anonymous
Post 06/02/2026 07:04     Subject: Hiring a 1:1 Sped teacher for elementary school student (homeschooling)
4 hours a day for specialized sped instruction is going to be $300/day minimum. (Assuming rates are discounted for volume of hours—usually around here it’s $100/hour). You’re probably looking at least $50k per school year.

You’ll do better to supplement what public school is able to do (and hire a lawyer/advocate to maximize supports at school if needed)
Anonymous
Post 06/02/2026 06:47     Subject: Hiring a 1:1 Sped teacher for elementary school student (homeschooling)
Anonymous wrote:You are going to have a hard time finding a full time 1-1 teacher to come to your house daily unless you are very wealthy. Even if you are, there is a big teacher shortage and I don’t know any teacher who would be willing to quit their job, give up benefits, and do this. Many of us were asked to teach in pods or similar during covid. I’m a teacher and a parent.

But you will be successful finding tutors if you want to homeschool and be the primary person, but you need support. There are lots of homeschooling resources in this area and groups.


I was thinking 3-4 hours a day, my child is in the 1st grade. Perhaps a retired sped teacher, or a part timer from the school system. I can't be the primary person because I have to work full time, as alas, we're not very wealthy.
Anonymous
Post 06/02/2026 05:48     Subject: Hiring a 1:1 Sped teacher for elementary school student (homeschooling)
You are going to have a hard time finding a full time 1-1 teacher to come to your house daily unless you are very wealthy. Even if you are, there is a big teacher shortage and I don’t know any teacher who would be willing to quit their job, give up benefits, and do this. Many of us were asked to teach in pods or similar during covid. I’m a teacher and a parent.

But you will be successful finding tutors if you want to homeschool and be the primary person, but you need support. There are lots of homeschooling resources in this area and groups.
Anonymous
Post 06/02/2026 04:53     Subject: Hiring a 1:1 Sped teacher for elementary school student (homeschooling)
How realistic is it? If anyone has done so - please share experiences? My child is AuDHD with anxiety and PDA. He needs 1:1 instruction, which is not feasible in a public school or a SN lite privates in the area.