Sorry to say but we are one of the families that got stuck in the process. We are going on 18 months without an appropriate placement despite mcps funding.

The issue is that supply and demand for non-public’s aren’t lining up. Too many jurisdictions are vying for the same limited spots. There are few that can provide on grade level instruction and special Ed at the same time in one program. The ones that exist are behavioral focused.

This is probably why you are being pushed to a learning center first. Mcps kind of needs you to “fail” in an in-district special Ed program before approving for the next step. In which there may not be a suitable option either.

Anonymous wrote:Sorry for the confusion. My child has been at our neighborhood school while we wait for a nonpublic placement. MCPS no longer wants to do that— they want to put her in a learning center while we wait for a spot. Which we really don’t want. We want her to stay with her peers and staff she’s had a long-term relationship with for as long as possible before going to a nonpublic.

But honestly I don’t know our chances of ever getting placed at a nonpublic option…

By homeschooling (which we can make happen) we will possibly lose our chance at getting nonpublic funding approval, but we’re not really getting that anyways, soo….

How long do we wait for a nonpublic spot before giving up??

Is your child being placed for behavior related manifestations of their disability? Or, is behavior not a concern and it is solely based on child’s LD (dyslexia for example)? If behavior is a concern, I would strongly consider visiting and talking to other parents of the learning center they want your child to attend short term while you wait for a placement. I agree with PP — if the school has recommended the learning center, and all teachers are in agreement, I wouldn’t want any resentment directed towards my child.

Has your child already been conditionally accepted (pending space available) at the private school? If so then I would stay engaged with the private school by respectfully calling, emailing, etc. whatever you can to stay visible and on their radar. Ask if there are specific things your child should be doing, studying or working on to help them acclimate to the new school. Usually there is a buffer of being to add one or two more kids to a class.

Anonymous wrote:Agree with above, expand the area you are looking at for schools. I would not pull your child out to homeschool- leave the onus on the county to educate.

Have you gone through RACU? Why was your child not considered appropriate for the learning center before? Assuming that is still true, you might have a good argument for staying in your homeschool. However, consider whether it is reasonable for the staff (both gen Ed and sped staff) at the current school to continue to meet your child’s IEP. They might be correctly stating that they can’t continue to which is why the school might be pushing for the change. If that’s the case, they might be resentful if you force your child to stay.

The sped forum might have ideas for schools if you share your child’s needs, which schools have denied your child, and your wants. There are a lot of very well informed people on that forum!

It takes a lot to get approved for a private including homeschool cannot meet child’s needs.

Anonymous wrote:Sorry for the confusion. My child has been at our neighborhood school while we wait for a nonpublic placement. MCPS no longer wants to do that— they want to put her in a learning center while we wait for a spot. Which we really don’t want. We want her to stay with her peers and staff she’s had a long-term relationship with for as long as possible before going to a nonpublic.

But honestly I don’t know our chances of ever getting placed at a nonpublic option…

By homeschooling (which we can make happen) we will possibly lose our chance at getting nonpublic funding approval, but we’re not really getting that anyways, soo….

How long do we wait for a nonpublic spot before giving up??

They are trying to work with you and offering an alternative. Your homeschool cannot meet your child’s needs. What more do you want. They cannot force a private to take your child.

Agree with above, expand the area you are looking at for schools. I would not pull your child out to homeschool- leave the onus on the county to educate.

Have you gone through RACU? Why was your child not considered appropriate for the learning center before? Assuming that is still true, you might have a good argument for staying in your homeschool. However, consider whether it is reasonable for the staff (both gen Ed and sped staff) at the current school to continue to meet your child’s IEP. They might be correctly stating that they can’t continue to which is why the school might be pushing for the change. If that’s the case, they might be resentful if you force your child to stay.

The sped forum might have ideas for schools if you share your child’s needs, which schools have denied your child, and your wants. There are a lot of very well informed people on that forum!

+1 to PP. Look at the MANSEF website and start calling schools you think would be a good fit.

Also, what schools were recommended by MCPS? Was your child denied at schools they recommend? They are required to expand the search and offer additional schools if you were denied. Who is your placement specialist in MCPS? I would reach out to them too.

Anonymous wrote:Sorry for the confusion. My child has been at our neighborhood school while we wait for a nonpublic placement. MCPS no longer wants to do that— they want to put her in a learning center while we wait for a spot. Which we really don’t want. We want her to stay with her peers and staff she’s had a long-term relationship with for as long as possible before going to a nonpublic.

But honestly I don’t know our chances of ever getting placed at a nonpublic option…

By homeschooling (which we can make happen) we will possibly lose our chance at getting nonpublic funding approval, but we’re not really getting that anyways, soo….

How long do we wait for a nonpublic spot before giving up??

Work the phones. Use an advocate and have them call the schools for you. What schools are you trying to get into?

Sorry for the confusion. My child has been at our neighborhood school while we wait for a nonpublic placement. MCPS no longer wants to do that— they want to put her in a learning center while we wait for a spot. Which we really don’t want. We want her to stay with her peers and staff she’s had a long-term relationship with for as long as possible before going to a nonpublic.

But honestly I don’t know our chances of ever getting placed at a nonpublic option…

By homeschooling (which we can make happen) we will possibly lose our chance at getting nonpublic funding approval, but we’re not really getting that anyways, soo….

How long do we wait for a nonpublic spot before giving up??

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Yeah. He has magical thinking that we’ll get a spot if we just wait a little longer…

I just want to start figuring out a plan for homeschooling. Because we’re clearly not going to get an appropriate education with the options we’re getting through MCPS.

Can’t you just go ahead and home school?

If they officially withdraw from mcps, the school district is no longer required to provide fape, so they'd lose the offer of funding.

OP, where does mcps think your child will attend school in the fall?

Yes but that would only be necessary if MCPS is allowing their child to continue to attend in the school that can’t serve their child. If the child is at home waiting for a placement OP can do whatever she wants in terms of educating their child.

Yes, that's why I asked what mcps thinks is going to happen in the fall. Either way, I don't understand what due process would accomplish.