Anonymous
Post 03/24/2017 06:54     Subject: Private School Recs for DS with lots of different needs

When my child qualified for private placement, the school gave me a list of 3 schools to go tour. One of them wouldn't consider him and one did not have any openings. The third which was our only actual option was a terrible fit. When we met again, there was magically a few more options the school gave us--all were much more expensive than the first choices.

There really arent a lot of options to choose from with these special effects private schools. Some don't take publicly funded kids at all. Some school districts don't have agreements with some schools.
Anonymous
Post 03/23/2017 23:22     Subject: Re:Private School Recs for DS with lots of different needs

Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:If someone had said this to me I would jump for joy. It indicates they will pay to place him. Get yourself an advocate who will then advise on a lawyer and go tour Katherine Thomas.


Yeah my understanding when this happens is that the school district will not only pay the private school tuition, they will also provide transportation for your child to school and back!


Don't get too excited. FCPS has my child on a bus for over 3 hours/day.
Anonymous
Post 03/23/2017 23:06     Subject: Private School Recs for DS with lots of different needs

Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:What was his IQ score and subtests? I know this board does not like the ID label coming from school testing, but for some children it is accurate.
If were looking at ID, they were looking at adaptive functioning from the ABAS combined with the IQ.


However, if they didn't use a nonverbal IQ test for a child with apraxia of speech - the results are likely inaccurate.

-been there, done that mom


The UNIT is a non-verbal test. It stands for the Universal Non-verbal Intelligence Test.
Anonymous
Post 03/23/2017 22:34     Subject: Private School Recs for DS with lots of different needs

Where do you live? I would go see Alternate Paths in Alexandria, Phillips school in Annandale, and Ivymount if they will see you.
Anonymous
Post 03/23/2017 21:51     Subject: Private School Recs for DS with lots of different needs

Anonymous wrote:What was his IQ score and subtests? I know this board does not like the ID label coming from school testing, but for some children it is accurate.
If were looking at ID, they were looking at adaptive functioning from the ABAS combined with the IQ.


However, if they didn't use a nonverbal IQ test for a child with apraxia of speech - the results are likely inaccurate.

-been there, done that mom
Anonymous
Post 03/23/2017 21:47     Subject: Private School Recs for DS with lots of different needs

What was his IQ score and subtests? I know this board does not like the ID label coming from school testing, but for some children it is accurate.
If were looking at ID, they were looking at adaptive functioning from the ABAS combined with the IQ.
Anonymous
Post 03/23/2017 19:40     Subject: Re:Private School Recs for DS with lots of different needs

Anonymous wrote:If someone had said this to me I would jump for joy. It indicates they will pay to place him. Get yourself an advocate who will then advise on a lawyer and go tour Katherine Thomas.


Yeah my understanding when this happens is that the school district will not only pay the private school tuition, they will also provide transportation for your child to school and back!
Anonymous
Post 03/23/2017 15:07     Subject: Private School Recs for DS with lots of different needs

OP - what school district are you in?

Each school district has a list of schools that they will pay for children to attend. You usually have to enroll in one of those, or threaten a lawsuit to convince them to pay for anotehr one.

I think you need an advocate. Again, where do you live. There may be some free/low cost ones available to you. They can help you get the IEE, regardless of whether you agreed to an ID code.

Anonymous
Post 03/23/2017 14:58     Subject: Re:Private School Recs for DS with lots of different needs

Also, depending on where you live, Harbour School (in Annapolis) and Kennedy Krieger (in Baltimore).
Anonymous
Post 03/23/2017 14:52     Subject: Re:Private School Recs for DS with lots of different needs

If someone had said this to me I would jump for joy. It indicates they will pay to place him. Get yourself an advocate who will then advise on a lawyer and go tour Katherine Thomas.
Anonymous
Post 03/23/2017 14:38     Subject: Re:Private School Recs for DS with lots of different needs

Anonymous wrote:To be clear, OP, the pubic school HAS to accommodate your kid. It would be easier for them if you decided to go private but you don't have to. Either they will find a place/support for your kid or they will decide your kid needs private and they will pay. Don't let them talk you into finding your own private school that you have to pay for.


Yes, they have agreed to pay for it because this was the most-restrictive environment (last resort) for him and he hasn't made much progress in the 2 years he has been there. They haven't talked me into finding my own private school, I am just trying to do some research on my own while I wait for the process to move forward; trying to be pro-active and educate myself as much as possible.
Anonymous
Post 03/23/2017 14:34     Subject: Private School Recs for DS with lots of different needs

Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:Have you done a neuropsych? I am leery of the schools giving an id label. I'd look into Ivymount and St. Collettas.


The school psychologist did the assessment report, DS is scheduled to get evaluated by his developmental pediatrician this summer (that was the earliest appt she had).


Agree not to trust the school report. You could disagree with the results and ask for an IEE at school expense. Or get your own and pay for it

Did the school use a test designed for nonverbal /children with a language disorder? The TONI is a good one.


He received the following tests: UNIT, ABAS-3, BASC-3, Conners-3, and ASRS. What does IEE stand for?


IEE is independent evaluation. Basically, you say you disagree with testing results and then school has to pay to have testing from a private provider of your choice.

UNIT is a non-verbal IQ test; I'm sure there are others that can tell you whether it's a good test or not.

ABAS, BASC, and Conners are all checklists of parent and teacher observations of behavior; nothing should be diagnosed based solely on that.

You got some pretty heavy diagnoses without a whole lot of comprehensive testing.


Thank you so much for the explanation. I think it might be too late to ask for an IEE because this was done a few months ago and we agreed to put the ID for the IEP code. Do you know where/ whom I ask to get a neuropsych testing?
Anonymous
Post 03/23/2017 14:33     Subject: Re:Private School Recs for DS with lots of different needs

To be clear, OP, the pubic school HAS to accommodate your kid. It would be easier for them if you decided to go private but you don't have to. Either they will find a place/support for your kid or they will decide your kid needs private and they will pay. Don't let them talk you into finding your own private school that you have to pay for.
Anonymous
Post 03/23/2017 14:30     Subject: Private School Recs for DS with lots of different needs

Anonymous wrote:Who diagnosed the apraxia op? Is he verbal?


The Speech Dept at Children's and he's non-verbal