Last week I wrote about accommodations and modifications you can request for your child with special needs. How do you know when your child needs more services than the school provides? When is it time for a change in academic setting? This blog will address how you can tell when a change in schools becomes necessary. There are five major indicators.
- Your child’s school initiates a change in placement.
- Your child’s emotional and/or physical wellbeing is at stake.
- You see evidence that the negative impact of school is greater than the positive.
- Your child is not progressing.
- School personnel are not responding to your input.
Your child’s school can recommend enrollment in a special or alternative school if they don’t feel they can provide the services your child needs or if they have determined that your child’s behavior violates a code of student conduct and is not a manifestation of their disability. This constitutes a change in placement and requires a written Prior Notice before the IEP meeting that is held to discuss the change. The district is required to provide documentation to support this decision and most often, this is carefully researched and documented before the process is initiated. The school district is required to offer an alternative placement. If you disagree with the decision, you have the right to challenge it through due process. This is the most extreme example and usually is the result of a pattern of difficulties over an extended period of time. While it is natural to feel defensive in this case, the best approach is one of collaboration. Listen objectively to the information and recommendations of the school, and come prepared with some research and requests of your own. Research the alternatives you have in your area as well as online schools and even residential treatment centers or therapeutic boarding schools. Some parents have found success with home-school.
You may come to the conclusion that your child’s wellbeing is at stake with their current school setting. This could range from fearing for their physical safety as a result of bullying to witnessing a slow but steady erosion in their self-esteem. You may see persistent school avoidance behavior and emotional outbursts either before or after school. Even if the teacher assures you that your child’s behavior is appropriate at school, outbursts at home can be an indication of a problem. Your child could just be waiting for a safe environment to release pent-up emotions. If you are concerned about a bullying situation, you may want to listen to the podcast with Jeanie Cisco-Meth on how to bully-proof your child. Whatever the cause may be, if you have tried several accommodations and you still feel concern for your child’s wellbeing, it is time to consider the options in academic setting available to you.
Somewhat related to your child’s wellbeing, you may want to consider a change in schools if you see more negative results than positive. Your child may be doing well in terms of completing assignments and earning acceptable grades, but showing concerning behavior in other areas. Is your child developing a more negative mindset? Has their language changed in anyway that worries you? Are they beginning to show a lack of empathy for others, maybe an alarming insensitivity that could be a reflection of the social climate at school? Has their circle of friends changed in a way that causes concern? Your child will be most heavily influenced by the five people they spend the most time with. Hopefully, you are one of them. What type of influence could their friends from school have on them? And is it an influence you want for your child? Some changes will be age related. It may just be a phase they are experiencing. If you can trace negative changes that dwarf academic successes to their school and feel they would benefit from a change in environment, it could be time to review your school options.
If, after modifications and accommodations have been made, your child is still not progressing, you may need to take a look at the academic setting. What is their relationship with their teacher? Can you see evidence that the instructional style engages your child? Even an award-winning teacher may not be the right teacher for your child. If you feel your child is not progressing due to a lack of engagement in the classroom, it is time to find a setting that does motivate your child and promote their progress.
How responsive are the school personnel to your concerns? Have you done everything you can to support the school, express your appreciation for what they do, and communicate clearly and respectfully at parent-teacher conferences, IEP meetings, through phone calls and emails? If you feel you have done all you can to provide the information that will help the school serve your child and politely request the supports needed and no or insufficient effort has been made in response, it’s time to find another academic setting.
For any of these situations, you will be best served by researching your options. Talk to your neighbors and find out if anyone is sending their children to a different school. Find out what school choices there are in your area. I wrote a book, Navigating the Educational System, 5 Strategies to Get the Best for Your Child that discusses this challenge, all of the options I’ve mentioned in this blog, and more. For more information about my book and your options in academic settings, go to insupportoffamilies.com/book