Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
We recently moved from India to Jersey City. Our son (3 years and 5 months now) has been diagnosed with developmental delay in language and social interactions. We would want to know if there are good special education public/private schools or programs near jersey city.
We did research the internet but couldn't get to a clear direction . Any help or direction would be helpful
My advice would be to move to a good school district where your child will get the services to which he is legally entitled. You won't get that in Jersey City
We recently moved from India to Jersey City. Our son (3 years and 5 months now) has been diagnosed with developmental delay in language and social interactions. We would want to know if there are good special education public/private schools or programs near jersey city.
We did research the internet but couldn't get to a clear direction . Any help or direction would be helpful
Thanks
Hmm, I can't recall if the Early Intervention Program goes up to 3yo or 5yo, but I would google it for your area. It's a Federal program but goes by different names based on State. In Maryland it's called the Infants & Toddlers Program (I&T), but I know the name is different in CA and other states. It's a free service funded by the Dept. of Health and the local Public School System. If your child qualifies for the program, they send a teacher or therapist to your house or the child's school on a regular basis. My son is currently enrolled in their speech program for his speech delay. He simultaneously sees a few occupational therapists for feeding therapy, additional speech therapy, and aqua therapy. So, if you are beyond the age limit for Infants & Toddlers, a local occupational / speech therapist with a sliding scale (because the cost of weekly visits add up quickly) could be helpful too.
As for public/private schools, I'm not sure exactly what you'd be looking for a 3yo, since that's pre-school age. Are you asking about something like Head Start? Not that I recommend them, but it's an option. We are at the Goddard School and love it. His I&T speech teacher visits him at home and after the new year will be meeting him at pre-PreK (Goddard) to help him with speech there too.
Not sure if any of that helps, but I'd thought I'd pass it on, just in case. Good luck in your search.
It is nice of you to take time and respond over a weekend. I have started looking for information online and with folks in my office. I've setup time with a screening center for a formal evaluation (his previous evaluation was done in India and 99% we need to do it again in US) - I will try to get some help from them too
We recently moved from India to Jersey City. Our son (3 years and 5 months now) has been diagnosed with developmental delay in language and social interactions. We would want to know if there are good special education public/private schools or programs near jersey city.
We did research the internet but couldn't get to a clear direction . Any help or direction would be helpful
Thanks
Contact the public school near you for an evaluation. Early Intervention only goes up to 3 years old and then the school district takes over. You may want to contact a support group in the area for developmental delay. The most likely ones to help will be autism support groups. Easter Seals of NJ will probably have good information on where you can get services.
It is nice of you to take time and respond over a weekend. I have started looking for information online and with folks in my office. I've setup time with a screening center for a formal evaluation (his previous evaluation was done in India and 99% we need to do it again in US) - I will try to get some help from them too
Thanks again
You're very welcome. It's what I do when I'm too tired to be productive, but am bored trapped in the house with a sleeping baby.
Good luck. If their program goes up to 3yo and not 5yo, I know there's another program after this one (because they mentioned transitioning him, when the time comes). I'd call Maryland I&T on Monday (in the link found in my last post), ask for the name of the program for kids older than 3yo (is it I&T or something else?), then ask how you locate the equivalent in your State.
Preschool (Section 619) Coordinator for New Jersey
Barbara Tkach, 619 Coordinator
Office of Special Education Programs
CN 500
Riverview Executive Plaza, Building 100
Trenton, NJ 08625
Phone: (609) 984-4950
Fax: (609) 292-5558
Email: btkach@doe.state.nj.us
Website: New Jersey Department of Education - Special Education
Interagency Coordinating Council Chair for New Jersey
Catherine N. Colucci, Acting ICC Chair
School of Health Related Professions- Occupational Therapy Assistant Program
Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey
1776 Raritan Road
Scotch Plains, NJ 07076
Phone: (908) 889-2474
Fax: (908) 889 2701
Email: colucccn@shrp.rutgers.edu
Website: Early Intervention Services - Family Health services
Preschool (Section 619) Coordinator for New Jersey
Barbara Tkach, 619 Coordinator
Office of Special Education Programs
CN 500
Riverview Executive Plaza, Building 100
Trenton, NJ 08625
Phone: (609) 984-4950
Fax: (609) 292-5558
Email: btkach@doe.state.nj.us
Website: New Jersey Department of Education - Special Education
Interagency Coordinating Council Chair for New Jersey
Catherine N. Colucci, Acting ICC Chair
School of Health Related Professions- Occupational Therapy Assistant Program
Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey
1776 Raritan Road
Scotch Plains, NJ 07076
Phone: (908) 889-2474
Fax: (908) 889 2701
Email: colucccn@shrp.rutgers.edu
Website: Early Intervention Services - Family Health services
But do they handle children beyond 3yo? In Maryland, they do not. There's another program here for after 3yo, though I don't know what it is, since my son is still 1yo.
But do they handle children beyond 3yo? In Maryland, they do not. There's another program here for after 3yo, though I don't know what it is, since my son is still 1yo.
You can call them and they can tell you where to call for older children. Every early intervention I have worked with has all the information you need. Usually, it's the public school district that takes over after 3.
Early Intervention ends the day the child turns 3. The school district takes over at age 3 (and that ends at age 20-22 depending on the state IIRC (my state is 22; not sure about all others)).
OP: Call the school district in which you live - see if you can find the person in charge of "special services" or special education (they use many terms for special ed). If you can't figure this out via google or your city's website, just show up at your local elementary school or school department office and ask. (Bring your children if you do not have child care.)
You should ask for an evaluation in person but also put it in writing (email is fine; bcc yourself). By law they have a certain number of days to do that. They have a screening process - this is pretty common in a town or city of any size. They will then have a meeting which they will invite you to by mail. FWIW both of my kids were evaluated in my home at this age (once they are in the special ed preschool services - which are not provided in your home like EI services (preK services are at a school building) - they will do future evaluations during the time the child is at the school).
I recommend bringing any diagnosis by a doctor, psychiatrist, etc. the child may have to the meeting.
If your child qualifies for special ed services, s/he will likely attend a partial day preschool in your district with free bus service. Or, for milder issues, perhaps a couple of hours a week of speech therapy or whatever the child's challenges are.
Good luck!
Please register to post and access all features of our very popular forum. It is free and quick. Over $68,000 in prizes has already been given out to active posters on our forum. Additional giveaways are planned.
Detailed information about all U.S. cities, counties, and zip codes on our site: City-data.com.
Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
