We're probably moving next year depending on where my husband's residency ends up. My kiddo will be entering 5th grade by then. He is mainstreamed and doing very well. The school is supportive and accommodating, but it really lacks in the gifted-kid support area. They have limited spaces, and the gifted kids get 1/2 hour a WEEK. It's sparse.
My son has tested right on the EDGE of gifted. There's one category he struggles in that I think is related to autism and processing language, but it's not really clear and they don't have an alternate test for that kind of thing. Every teacher he's had so far has been doing what they can to add extra engagement to his day but I think he needs more.
Has anyone had experience in finding schools that have both strong academic offerings for grade schoolers AND good support for kids with a 504 plan? What other options might be worth looking into?
I have heard that private schools do NOT have to offer support like IEP/504 for disabled kids. Some do by choice, but it's not a law. Has anyone dealt with that kind of situation?
Thanks!
If you will
Be moving, you have no idea what will be available. Wait until you find out where you are going and then start researching.
I think you might be jumping the gun a little bit on this. What is available varies wildly not only across the country, but even within a particular state.
I understand the desire to want to find the 'best fit' for your son, but I think you may have to wait to see where it is your husband's residency takes you.
Best!
As tough as this is, I think you have to wait. Until you know where you're going, I'm not really sure how you would go about researching it.
Once you do know where you're husband will be for his residency, talk to a realtor. They should be very knowledgeable about schools and school districts. One of the first questions our realtor asked us was if there was a particular school district we were interested in.
I have a child with special needs, so I really do get your concern. We have been learning about our son as he's gone to school and have had to work with the school, the doctors, the counselors, the therapists ... goodness gracious, who knew so many specialists would be involved! It is so not easy, so I do understand why this is on your mind. It would be on my mind!!!
Waiting stinks, but I think that's really where you are.
Where you live, after the move, will dictate what is available to your son. If your husband has any choices of where to move next, then you might be able to start researching school systems (public and private) in those target locations, and if he gets a choice, the school situation can factor into the decision he and you make about where to move. If there is zero chance of knowing where you might end up, you can't do any specific information-gathering yet, but you can work with your son's current teachers -- who sound great if they are willing to "add extra engagement" as you note -- and find out what else you can be doing with your son at home for enrichment. That doesn't help you pick a new school, but you can't pick a school anyway until you know where you'll be.
I would truly go talk in depth with your son's teachers and the school's specialists who work with him because of the 504 plan, AND the gifted teaching specialists. (Believe me, they probably want much more than that 30 minutes a week with the gifted kids!)
Tell them that you are going to move and ask them: What would they want to know from a school system if they were in your shoes and were moving with a child who is both gifted and in need of a 504? Do they know of web sites that provide advice to parents of kids like your son? Do they know that the "private schools don't do this" is true, or is that possibly not accurate? Can they help you compile a list of things to ask and things to look for when you do know where you're going to be moving?
There are quite a few books on Amazon about teaching twice-gifted kids. They might be helpful. You may even find some that will point you toward resources that will help you find schools that are geared toward teaching twice-gifted kids.
I don't know your son but I think before you start looking seriously, try and weigh what is the most important. Some gifted programs I have seen have great enriching activities but wouldn't be my choice for a kid with Autism. I would probably focus a little more on finding him good language support especially with someone who specializes in Autism. Maybe find a school with a gifted program and then get him language services privately, or find a school with minimal gifted but good IEP support and then find enrichment activities outside the school.
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I think you're jumping the gun a little. You may have to wait until you have a choice of locations to move to, or until you find out the destination.
Private schools fall into two general categories. One is: they receive federal funding in some way (students can ride regular school buses to get to the school - the same buses that public school students ride; students who qualify for free lunch under federal programs get a free lunch at the private school cafeteria; parents may use the voucher system to choose that school; the school receives federal funding through grants or other means for their library or playground or special courses like advanced arts or science courses; the town plows the parking lot and access roads after snow storms just like the public schools). Two: they receive no federal funding, and parents pay tuition out of their own pockets, or a church or religious organization helps offset the tuition or pays it altogether, and no federal funds are used at all.
If they're in category one, they must provide 504 services. If they're in category two, they are not obligated to. But even in category one, the law recognizes that some private schools just can't accommodate everyone and some exceptions are possible (this is usually in the case of the most severe of disabilities, like feeding tubes and ventilators and seizures, where a trained nurse is required).
My daughter had a 504 plan through most of her middle and high school years. Due to our extreme dissatisfaction with the public school, we chose an online school. Their 504 plan was outstanding and the support and encouragement she received was excellent. She did not participate in the gifted program, although one was available, and students could progress at their own levels. In my daughter's case, due to her medical problems, she took half-course-loads and it was the world's longest high school experience, but she made it.
I agree that you will probably have to wait until you know where you are going. Every city is so different in terms of what schooling options they have. Our district has a school-within-a-school middle school that houses a highly gifted program. Students have to qualify and then they have a lottery to fill the spots. We also have a public school that houses an autism program. We have a brand new school in town (not sure if it is private or charter) that is specifically for "differently wired" kids. Some are autistic, but not all. We have a couple of public schools who are piloting STEM and Humanities programs. Our elementary schools have gifted classes that meet 1-2 times every six day cycle. It depends on if students qualify in math/science and/or language/social sciences. Plus, our district is encouraging classroom teachers to take classes and earn Gifted Education teaching certificates.
Don't discredit "poor" schools. My own kids are both gifted and they attend one of the "poorer" schools in town. I teach at one of the "richer" schools in town. My kids' school gets extra funding (federal dollars) because of the number of students who receive free and reduced lunches. Because they get that money, they can funnel more money into support teachers and can provide more extra things for gifted students as well as struggling students. My own kids get more small group enrichment opportunities than the gifted students in the building where I teach.
You are kind of right in that private schools don't always provide services for IEP/504 plans. It's not so much because they don't have to. If it is a small school with only a small number of students requiring support it may not be possible for them to justify paying a teacher to service just a couple of students. The way it is handled in our community is that those students are bussed to the nearest public school for a portion of their day in order to receive services. That bussing is at the expense of the public school district. This year we have three students that are bussed to our building from a Catholic school. They spend probably 15-20 minutes on the bus each way. They spend an hour of the afternoon with a special ed teacher in our building and then go back to their school. The two schools use drastically different curriculum. It is difficult for our teacher and it's a lot of transition time for the students.
Once you know where you are going to be, contact the public school district. I would contact the district office rather than individual schools to start with. They will be able to give you the most comprehensive overview of what is available within the district. Then you can contact the individual schools that sound the most compatible for your son. Contact private schools as well. Have a list of questions to ask. If you tour schools maybe even have a checklist of things you want to look for or ask about. Don't be afraid to ask tough questions. You can ask realtors, but in my experience, they are not always the best informed when it comes to quality of schools.
Good luck!
I would research the federal laws regarding the IEP and 504 plans. I think the schools have to provide services but since they don't get state funds to pay for it I am unsure just how much they have to provide. Researching it will help you find some answers AND you can call their 1-800 numbers.
