This thread stems from last summer. Somebody responded on an old thread. OP hasn’t posted for almost 6 months.

I would never put a child with learning differences in DCPS

OP, I have no direct experience but have a couple of friends who have gone through the testing/IEP process with DCPS. Once assessed, they can help place your child at an appropriate school and bypass the lottery altogether. Sibling would still have preference as well. I don't know if they have anything like this in the charter system, but for DCPS, SWS that goes through 5th or a JKLM that also goes through 5th but has a string middle school feeder would be ideal. With SWS you will be doing this all again after 5th and that will stink.

With a parent of a kid with ASD and ADHD and an extremely high IQ - I have to say that DCPS is not the place you want to be. The only program intended to address this is a program at SWS - but getting in is based upon luck.

Some info here:
https://www.dcurbanmom.com/jforum/posts/list/662806.page#11393471
https://www.dcurbanmom.com/jforum/posts/list/546237.page

I think MCPS has more options, but I haven't investigated fully yet.

If you want gifted you need to stay in VA. No charter or DCPsis truly equipped to provide a true education to a gifted student.

I have a child similar to yours but with dyslexia/dysgraphia thrown in the mix, and strong in math instead. I also posted on the special needs forum on a question about ADHD in Montessori.

I have looked at a lot of different schools in DC and ultimately decided that our charter Montessori was the best situation we are likely to find.

Charter schools I would consider for your child's profile are: Inspired Teaching, Yu Ying, Mundo Verde, maybe Stokes(?), Latin & BASIS for 5th
DCPS to consider: Hearst, Mann
Montessori schools: Shining Stars, Lee Montessori, Capitol Hill Montessori at Logan

If your younger child has language-based issues, there are a few DCI feeder schools that provide strong evidence-based instruction for dyslexia: Mundo Verde, DC Bilingual, and Yu Ying (not as sure about last one)

Check out the book Differently Wired. It can be hard to find the right setting for these types of kids. MCPS has a GT/LD program that some people like.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:As an aside, OP, I highly recommend a year round swimming program for your child. Downright stunning how being in the water doing repetitive tasks can calm and focus the brain, and eventually rewire it. It has been amazing to watch our DS transform.

Side bar but where are year round swimming programs?

YMCA, British Swim School, Trinity, Gallaudet, DPR.

Anonymous wrote:As an aside, OP, I highly recommend a year round swimming program for your child. Downright stunning how being in the water doing repetitive tasks can calm and focus the brain, and eventually rewire it. It has been amazing to watch our DS transform.

Side bar but where are year round swimming programs?

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:what's the zoned school for the house?

if your kids are getting IEP services for sensory processing and being "emotional" it sounds like you must be in a place that has good services. not clear why you would want to take chances on charter lottery.

I'm surprised Arlington has IEPs for preK4 ... I didn't realize there were public preK4 programs for mild disabilities. I would reconsider moving.

Fyi, every jurisdiction has IEPs for 4 year olds (and 3 year olds) because it's required by federal law. Some jurisdictions, like DC, have universal PK and so can serve kids within that system. Other jurisdictions have public PK just for kids with disabilities (and sometimes typically developing peers, who either pay or are part of headstart). Those jurisdictions have to have a range of programming to serve a range of disabilities.

OP here - just to clarify, our 4yo is at a private preschool (no free preschool here!) but the County still approved him for an IEP. As far as I understood, by law they have to support preschool-aged kids. What his IEP entails is that a school psychologist comes to his preschool 2 mornings a week for 30-45 min to work with him on emotional control. I do feel lucky for this but he's made such good progress in the past year that it's looking like he won't need it in a year.

FYI - I have children with IEPs and having the amount of services you have for emotional support is a lot higher than most of the services I have seen.

If you move jurisdictions, (or from a charter to DCPS), you still qualify for an IEP BUT your IEP will be re-written. When we moved from a Charter to DCPS, we were surprised at the reduction of hours.