Choosing a school | Imamother

amother

Tangerine

Sun, Jan 28 2018, 12:31 pm

Child is currently in a special program but needs a new school for next year. We need to decide between another special program or mainstream with a lot of support. Child is academically advanced, the challenges are behavioral. But it's not severe, no violence or aggression. Currently has para, and with the para is able to do well the whole day. They are trying to teach him to manage with less support, but he just isn't there yet. So if attending a mainstream school, would need a para for the foreseeable future.

We looked at a few special programs too. They are excellent and will definitely provide him the support he needs. The problem is, most of the other kids have more serious behavior issues and we're now worried that it might not be so great for him to be in that kind of environment. My parents faced a similar dilemma and went with the special school. My sibling is now in a mainstream high school and says the special school was really traumatic- not because of the program but because of the other kids. But having mainstream not work out can have its own consequences. Though all the mainstream schools we're looking at all accept kids who need shadows. Has anyone had a similar dilemma? What did you choose? Did it work out or do you wish you'd gone the other way?

amother

Lilac

Tue, Jan 30 2018, 9:30 am

If he has asd I would recommend a special program for a few more years. The problems won't resolve on their own and it will only get harder. now is the time to set a good foundation and you won't find it in mainstream schools.
Also consider that now the behaviors are mild but if he's in a school that can't meet his needs his behavior may well get much worse.
This is from personal experience. I know every situation is different and if it's not asd then disregard.

amother

Tangerine

Tue, Jan 30 2018, 2:00 pm

Don't want to share location, age is in the lower Elementary grades. but basically, he is impulsive and silly sometimes. This can be disruptive to the class. The para is able to prevent these disruptions and he does very well with her there. However, he is not able to implement the techniques by himself. They are working on teaching him to self-regulate, but as of now, he is not there yet.

amother

Lilac

Tue, Jan 30 2018, 4:07 pm

He has been in a special needs program through lower elementary for being impulsive and silly? He also has his own para in a self contained classroom? Why couldnt he just have a para in Reg. Ed. All these years? Does he have a diagnosis? His issues don't seem like much of a problem. This could happen to any child who doesn't have a good teacher. There is too much information missing from your posts. Also, I know you don't want to post location but you might get school suggestions if you do.

seeker

Tue, Jan 30 2018, 4:18 pm

amother wrote:

Yes, the missing information and lack of location are going to make it less likely to get helpful responses here.

amother

Tangerine

Tue, Jan 30 2018, 4:36 pm

I don't need school suggestions because we already have our shortlist. He does have a diagnosis. The reason he has been in a special program until now is because of that diagnosis. He used to have many more issues, but thanks to school plus team of therapists, he has overcome (or at least learned to compensate) most of his delays/deficits. The only thing he still needs help with at this point is the impusivness and silliness.

amother

Red

Tue, Jan 30 2018, 4:43 pm

Would you be willing to share his diagnosis? A kid with ASD and those issues is different than a kid with ADHD and those issues which is different from a kid with dyspraxia and those issues. It's a question of how far he could backslide if you put him in an environment that's no enough, as well as (or maybe versus) how far forward he could really go in a special ed environment - these depend not only on his current issues but on his larger diagnosis.