schools for children with special needs

[kaday]

Originally Posted by Mattie

My girlfriend is going through this process now. She has found a private school she wants to enroll her ADD daughter in, but the (private) school told her that if she doesn't finish out the school year in the public school system, she will lose her eligibility for tuition assistance. She was told the average assistance granted was about $4000.00.

I guess we are all correct here as the amount of $$$ depends on the following
(From The Georgia Special Needs website link below)
The Calculation
While some states provide a flat dollar amount based on a child's specific disability, the amount of state funds a school system earns for a special education student in Georgia is based on four
factors:
1) the student’s disability type;
2) the severity of that disability as rated by the student’s IEP team;
3) the actual segments the student is served for special education per day; and
4) the level of service for those segments served; there are five levels possible.
Consequently, the level of state funding for students in the same school and even the same grade with the same disability can differ greatly. It all depends on what the IEP reported in the
October FTE count

http://public.doe.k12.ga.us/DMGetDocument.aspx/Georgia%20Special%20Needs%20Scholarship%20Funding. pdf?p=6CC6799F8C1371F6D694E9DF3B145FD3DDF28B3CFB39 0F57F04D5AC7805AEB01&Type=D (broken link)

[aisroc]

I am thinking of moving to Alanta from Washington, DC my daughter has been classified as mentally retarded she is in a very good school now but I really want to move can anyone help me find a qualified school for her needs

[roxyrn]

Because each special needs child is different in what they require it is very difficult for people without a knowledge of your child, IDEA and 504 and Georgia state laws, as well as the public and private school options in the areas of Atlanta that are close to your job, to pinpoint the right place for you.

I have been going through a similar situation regarding a move to the area with a child who has been involved in the "system" since Birth to Three and has an IEP in place. All of this takes time and patience.

My experience is to start with the least restrictive setting. Go to the web sites of the school districts you are considering and contact their special education coordinators. They may want to see your IEP. They should be able to steer you in the right direction.

[kaday]

I beleive you have to be enrolled for the entire year to be eligible. Here is the link:

http://www.doe.k12.ga.us/DMGetDocument.aspx/2009-10%20Georgia%20GSNS%20Parent%20Responsibilities%20 to%20post%20v3.pdf?p=6CC6799F8C1371F6A2B7A022E99AA A08B16B8B5A69E832457E5B5894F377665C&Type=D (broken link)

[Phrancine]

I have a handicapp child. She has servere cerebral palsy, blind and hard of hearing. She is 5 and non verbal. I will be relocating to Atlanta. What schools should I look into for her?