The School Community Based Program at Bethesda Elementary is generally considered one of the best in the area for kids with complex needs. It's built on an inclusive model, and very well done. At your price range, you'd be unlikely to find a house in your budget in the Bethesda catchment, but you might be able to find a house in a neighborhood that is zoned to one of the other elementary schools that feeds to the same high school, in which case your daughter might be assigned there. The areas around Rosemary Hills elementary and Rock Creek Forest Elementary are generally the least expensive areas in the cluster, and tend to have more varied housing stock than some areas around DC.

Having said that, at 4 your daughter would be in PEP, which is MCPS's preschool program for children with disabilities. She'd probably be in the PEP Beginnings program. It might be worth renting for a year, while she's in PEP and you get to know the county system, and they'd get to know her. Then once they are ready to make their recommendations for Kindergarten placements, you could choose a home based on the programs in that category (e.g. School Community Based, Learning For Independence, Learning Center, Physical Disabilities, Augmentative Communication etc . . . ).

Those Arlington small ranch houses sell for around 800k.

FYI, even fixer-uppers in Arlington are close to 1 million. Crazy but true.

Maybe Brookland, or woodrige. There are some 50s style ranches around Bunker Hill rd in Brookland. We live here and CNMC is close so it's really a huge benefit. Your commute to SW also wouldn't be bad from Ft Totten.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:School Within a School is a public school in DC that has two classrooms for medically complex students. I would schedule a tour there. The principal is great.

DCPS has historically not had a strong Assistive Technology program, and has had difficulty consistently staffing their PT and OT positions. Given how crucial PT, OT, and AT are for kids like the OP's, I'd want to be very sure those issues aren't impacting SWS before I chose it for my child. Do you know whether or not staffing issues exist at SWS?

They do not have those issues.

That's good to know. Do you have a child there, or work there?

My dear friend works there. But do go see for yourself!

I'm the PP, but not the OP. I'm glad to hear that DC has established a high quality program for kids with complex needs. It's desperately needed. I'm curious why DCPS doesn't list any therapists on the SWS website's staff list.

Given what I've seen from DCPS special ed, however, I think the OP needs to be very careful about investigating programs, and about making sure that options are available for her daughter to continue in high quality programs as she progresses from level to level.

Because the therapists in DCPS work at multiple schools usually.

Anonymous wrote:I know there are a fair number of older ranch style homes in Arlington as well as where the PP mentioned in FFX County in Alexandria (belle haven? is that where I'm thinking?). The older communities with the 1950's homes tend to have some the older ranches still around. You may find, however, that the doorways are too narrow (in my ranch I cannot carry a laundry basket through the door without brushing my knuckles on the frame) but at least that's not too hard of a fix.

There are a lot of brick ranches in 22205 Arlington.

I know there are a fair number of older ranch style homes in Arlington as well as where the PP mentioned in FFX County in Alexandria (belle haven? is that where I'm thinking?). The older communities with the 1950's homes tend to have some the older ranches still around. You may find, however, that the doorways are too narrow (in my ranch I cannot carry a laundry basket through the door without brushing my knuckles on the frame) but at least that's not too hard of a fix.

There are some residential neighbors in FFX County south of Alexandria that might have some ranch style houses. Commute up the parkway to SW and you would get the FCPS special ed supports. Not as convenient to childrens though.

OP here, thanks again for all the responses. To answer some questions: our daughter will be 4 when we arrive, budget is maybe 800k but could go higher with renovations. I've been thinking a fixer upper we could renovate might be a good option but really I'm just trying to figure out whether DC is even realistic. I'm ok living in VA or MD we just prefer DC.

We are commuting towards SW DC. We lived on the hill before and it was fine but I'm guessing we would have to head more NE for what we need/can afford. We would need 4 bedrooms total and yes, there's a dog.

VA seems to make more sense for the commute but MD east of DC seems better for access to CNMC. Our daughter is usually hospitalized a few times a year, at least. You guys have given me a lot to look into, though!

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:School Within a School is a public school in DC that has two classrooms for medically complex students. I would schedule a tour there. The principal is great.

DCPS has historically not had a strong Assistive Technology program, and has had difficulty consistently staffing their PT and OT positions. Given how crucial PT, OT, and AT are for kids like the OP's, I'd want to be very sure those issues aren't impacting SWS before I chose it for my child. Do you know whether or not staffing issues exist at SWS?

They do not have those issues.

That's good to know. Do you have a child there, or work there?

My dear friend works there. But do go see for yourself!

I'm the PP, but not the OP. I'm glad to hear that DC has established a high quality program for kids with complex needs. It's desperately needed. I'm curious why DCPS doesn't list any therapists on the SWS website's staff list.

Given what I've seen from DCPS special ed, however, I think the OP needs to be very careful about investigating programs, and about making sure that options are available for her daughter to continue in high quality programs as she progresses from level to level.

The house mentioned earlier is in Germantown, MD
http://mrislistings.mris.com/Matrix/Public/Portal.aspx?ID=62199768353#1

Not really that accessible to DC

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:School Within a School is a public school in DC that has two classrooms for medically complex students. I would schedule a tour there. The principal is great.

DCPS has historically not had a strong Assistive Technology program, and has had difficulty consistently staffing their PT and OT positions. Given how crucial PT, OT, and AT are for kids like the OP's, I'd want to be very sure those issues aren't impacting SWS before I chose it for my child. Do you know whether or not staffing issues exist at SWS?

They do not have those issues.

That's good to know. Do you have a child there, or work there?

My dear friend works there. But do go see for yourself!

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:School Within a School is a public school in DC that has two classrooms for medically complex students. I would schedule a tour there. The principal is great.

DCPS has historically not had a strong Assistive Technology program, and has had difficulty consistently staffing their PT and OT positions. Given how crucial PT, OT, and AT are for kids like the OP's, I'd want to be very sure those issues aren't impacting SWS before I chose it for my child. Do you know whether or not staffing issues exist at SWS?

They do not have those issues.

That's good to know. Do you have a child there, or work there?

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:School Within a School is a public school in DC that has two classrooms for medically complex students. I would schedule a tour there. The principal is great.

Capitol Hill would be an extremely tough place to live for OP. Townhouses are narrow with small doorways and renovating is a nightmare.

You don't have to live on the hill to send your kid there. And they provide busing, with nurses on the bus.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:School Within a School is a public school in DC that has two classrooms for medically complex students. I would schedule a tour there. The principal is great.

DCPS has historically not had a strong Assistive Technology program, and has had difficulty consistently staffing their PT and OT positions. Given how crucial PT, OT, and AT are for kids like the OP's, I'd want to be very sure those issues aren't impacting SWS before I chose it for my child. Do you know whether or not staffing issues exist at SWS?

They do not have those issues.