Your district is responsible for arranging and paying for the evaluations it agrees to. An evaluation is necessary for public schools, private schools, and homeschooling. Districts are required by federal law to look for and evaluate students who show signs of having disabilities. The request for an evaluation can originate from either a teacher’s concern or your own. Either way, your public school district must pay for it. Before any decision is made, it would be best if you talk with your child’s teachers.

Your child has been evaluated and now qualifies for special education. You have a choice to make. Public school has its range of special education services. A private school has what’s called “equitable services.” These are specifically for students with disabilities, so that their parents can make the best decision for the “least restrictive environment” the student can be in. Just bear in mind that equitable does not necessarily mean equal. There may be differences between services in public school than in private.

So what’s the plan? That’s the pertinent question. What services will your child receive? In public school, this information is spelled out in an Individualized Education Program, or IEP. The IEP is a document that is developed for each public-school child who needs special education. It is created through a team effort and reviewed periodically. If you transfer to a new school but remain in the same school district, it does not change. If you transfer to another district or state, your child may need a new plan. A different state may have different rules.

Private schools sometimes have different hiring standards than public school. It all depends on the type of private school. If we are talking about an independent school for students with learning disabilities, ASD and other developmental conditions, staff will likely be hired according to the same qualifications, delineated by the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) and state education laws, as public-school teachers. Do not assume this to be true of a military academy or a parochial school.

What is included in the plan? What instructions are teachers given in regards to your child’s education? The correct term is ‘accommodations’. Accommodations include extra time on tests, assistive technology, and behavioral support to help the student complete their work. We also offer counseling, speech therapy, physical therapy, and occupational therapy. Before choosing to place your child in a private school, be sure to learn about all the accommodations that will be available to your child. Pay particular attention to disability-specific needs, whether physical and behavioral.

The final factor you must bear in mind in regards to your child’s education is the learning environment. Once a child is deemed eligible for special education, this must be decided on, along with the appropriate special services. If this is not a general education classroom in a public school, your district may agree to an out-of-district placement. It will agree to pay for the cost of sending your child to a state-approved state that caters to students with a specific range of disabilities. This happens when you and the district agree that the local public school is unable to meet your child’s needs.