Finding the right school for your special-needs child

Trying to identify the school that is best able to help your child with special needs to learn and thrive is much like other aspects of parenting your child: it takes patience and legwork…and lots of advocacy.

#1. The first step will be determining, as well as you can, what environment is best for your child. Your child’s service providers can help you.

• What kind of environment does your child need: Is a well-structured classroom with clear routines important? Does your child have physical impairments that require special equipment or specially trained staff? Does your child need sensory supports? Does your child struggle with anxiety, attention issues or communication challenges that will require the help of a designated assistant?
• Do you expect that your child will be placed in a general education setting for at least part of the school day—possibly with considerable support? Or does your child need a full-time therapeutic setting? Keep in mind that the public schools are required by law to put your child in the Least Restrictive Environment (LRE) that will enable your child to progress. Most often a lot of supports need to be tried out before a student gets recommended for a full-time therapeutic environment.

#2. Once you have a better understanding of your child’s needs, consider your family’s resources and your schooling options. Some families will be interested in private schools (and may choose to hire an aide independently to expand options), while others know that their child will attend a CPS school.  For CPS:

• Within CPS every student is assigned to a neighborhood school.  Find your neighborhood school.
• ALL young children are also eligible to test for selective enrollment schools. In later grades, students with disabilities who meet the criteria for selective enrollment, i.e. stanines totalling 10, are eligible to apply to selective enrollment schools as described at http://www.cps.edu*

#3. In either case, school visits are the next step. During a school visit observe as many facets of the program and the “feel” of the school as you can:

• How does the morning start? All young students, but many students with special needs in particular, can either be regulated or completely derailed in the first few minutes of school.
• Do classrooms include the physical and/or sensory supports your child needs? Don’t count on these materials being added after your child arrives; school bureaucracies often work slowly.
• What is the attitude of the principal toward children with special needs? Are our children included in assemblies, field trips and awards ceremonies?
• Are the professionals at the school experienced in working with children like yours?
• What is the communication policy of the teacher? Look for a teacher who is available for conferencing and/or maintaining a home-to-school notebook. Building a relationship with the teacher is the most important step you will take in helping your special-needs child.

#4. Talk to other parents and the professionals who work with your child about the schools you have visited. Ask other parents in NPN who have older children or seek opinions on Internet groups that address your child’s particular needs.

#5. Finally, make sure you have a strong IEP going into the school year. The IEP is a legally binding document and guarantees your child’s services and accommodations. If you feel like your IEP is vague or incomplete, you may want to consult with an advocate or with other parents more experienced with your child’s condition. You might also consider reaching out to your area’s Specialized Services Administrator (SSA). This person should be able to mediate your complaint if your school is unresponsive. Find more information at http://www.cpsspecialeducation.org/

If you will be enrolling your child in CPS and do not have a selective enrollment option, know that you will receive a placement; CPS will not provide you with a choice of appropriate placements. It is still wise, however, to visit the school to which you have been assigned. If you feel strongly that the school will not be able to support your child, you can easily (though not always successfully) challenge the CPS placement.

Barbara Cohen is a special-needs consultant and the parent of a child with autism. She is the founder of Special Family Support, LLC.  www.specialfamilysupport.com.  For more information, please stop by Barbara's table at the Feb. 4th NPN Developmental Differences Resource Fair - the 1st of its kind in Chicago!

Posted on January 22, 2012 at 9:54 PM

Comments

Tweet