I completely agree it’s kid specific. My child has similar LDs to yours but also a borderline IQ. He is somewhat typical socially though. He hated SN private and loves his public middle school. He’s mainstreamed, school is hard and he has a couple Ds, deserved. We have tutors and he still has Ds. He’d be miserable home schooled. He’s not college bound and IDK what the future holds - maybe a trade if possible. More realistically we will buy an apartment building or a small business for him to run. Regardless, he’s happy and that’s what’s important.

I am an experienced special education teacher. If your child has PDA, then he must show that at home. How will you get him to work at home? I’ve seen a lot of families try, and it fails, because the kid won’t follow directions at home anyway, and certainly won’t if schoolwork is involved. He’s still the same kid.

If he stays home a year he’s quite likely to refuse to go back for high school, despite what he says now. You can take his wishes into account, but this is an adult decision.

I would absolutely keep him at the current school because he’s going and having enough success that sounds reasonable. You can meet with the school about the lack of academic challenge and ask for change.

Unless you have a very solid homeschool arrangement and you are sure he will cooperate, I’d stay at the private school. He can catch up on learning later, but once he regresses behaviorally, it will be much harder and he will only be getting larger and more difficult to manage, with hormones kicking in.

I’d meet with a private school consultant, if I were you, to look for a better fit. Otherwise, leave well enough alone. He needs the routine of school and time away from home each day to develop socially.

As a parent of a child with learning differences - I would say - listen to your child advocating for themselves. Do not dismiss them - they know what their needs are.
DO NOT ANSWER THESE QUESTIONS HERE - THESE ARE FOR YOU TO FIGURE OUT.
Sit down TOGETHER and create a realistic plan.
What would a typical day look like? When you home school you do not need as many hours for a school day. But you need commitment to structure.
Where are they right now with Math? Can you get a full math skills assessment done? What is the target for the end of the 1st month? What curriculum are you going to use etc. You are lucky in that there are lot of resources available online to help you navigate this.
Repeat for every content area.
How do you make it student driven- and make learning fun?

Good luck

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Homeschooling for a school avoidant child could be a disaster. You are teaching him that school is something that should be avoided. By letting him stay home next year, you will undo all the work you've done to get him used to a morning routine and leaving the house each day. When he's resistant to doing the work you assign him, what will you do? How will you keep that from hurting your parent child relationship?

He was school avoidant at the elementary school when he was being bullied. He has not refused to go to school at his newer school.

Hi OP, 11:42 poster here. School refusal or avoidance is a textbook reaction to bullying so that makes sense. Since your son is doing ok socially or at least not being bullied at school, and I see your other post that he has a couple friends outside of school, then I would continue at this school for 8th grade. It's just a lot of transitions and your son could easily regress with homeschooling.

It sounds like it's not great educationally but at least tolerable socially? If so then I would supplement at home, either with extra assignments such as reading and book reports or getting a tutor if his grades need improvement.

IMO homeschooling is a last resort to escape an untenable situation such as bullying. There are too many downsides and risks.

Haven’t read the replies but I think it would be easier to find friends for a quirky kid if you homeschool.

Middle school is very rough for all kids. I would stick with private since he’s doing ok there and supplement with private tutoring on the side. I think you underestimate how much he will resent having you as his ‘teacher.’

I would rethink your high school plans. A kid like that really falls through the cracks in a big public school. If he’s doing ok socially in a small private try to stick with that strategy and supplement. Some kids take longer to mature. He can live st home for s couple years and do community college then transfer to a bigger state school if college is your concern.

Anonymous wrote:Homeschooling for a school avoidant child could be a disaster. You are teaching him that school is something that should be avoided. By letting him stay home next year, you will undo all the work you've done to get him used to a morning routine and leaving the house each day. When he's resistant to doing the work you assign him, what will you do? How will you keep that from hurting your parent child relationship?

He was school avoidant at the elementary school when he was being bullied. He has not refused to go to school at his newer school.