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I have a child who is very mildly autistic. He is in kindergarten and most people don't realize he's autistic because he's so outgoing, gregarious, and friendly. He could pass as neurotypical and we've been told by his doctors that he needs to be in a regular classroom with neurotypical kids to mimic their behaviors and that him being in special education would be very bad for him. He's currently in a very small private school in a different state that has terrible public schools in a combined K-1st grade class where he is everyone's best friend and gets S and S+ in all subjects.
We are considering moving to Princeton. Primarily for the good school system. What I'm trying to understand though, before I pay through the nose for an overpriced home in an excellent school district is, what happens if he can't measure up academically with the other kids? While he excels in many other things such as dance, tennis, and math, he is delayed in reading and is not more than an average student overall.
Does Princeton "relocate" kids with special needs to other schools if they aren't making the academic cut in order to keep their ratings up? Would they move him to a special education unit that he might feel embarrassed to be in (yes he has enough self-awareness to understand this)? Do I have the right to refuse IEP services for him (he gets tutoring and speech therapy privately)? Do I have to reveal his diagnosis?
Basically, I'm just trying to understand if the school districts have the power to remove students that are different learners. There's no point in my paying so much for a home in an area that we want him to be educated in if it's possible for them to tell us they don't have the resources to give him the education he needs and send him elsewhere. Thanks
I have a child who is very mildly autistic. He is in kindergarten and most people don't realize he's autistic because he's so outgoing, gregarious, and friendly. He could pass as neurotypical and we've been told by his doctors that he needs to be in a regular classroom with neurotypical kids to mimic their behaviors and that him being in special education would be very bad for him. He's currently in a very small private school in a different state that has terrible public schools in a combined K-1st grade class where he is everyone's best friend and gets S and S+ in all subjects.
We are considering moving to Princeton. Primarily for the good school system. What I'm trying to understand though, before I pay through the nose for an overpriced home in an excellent school district is, what happens if he can't measure up academically with the other kids? While he excels in many other things such as dance, tennis, and math, he is delayed in reading and is not more than an average student overall.
Does Princeton "relocate" kids with special needs to other schools if they aren't making the academic cut in order to keep their ratings up? Would they move him to a special education unit that he might feel embarrassed to be in (yes he has enough self-awareness to understand this)? Do I have the right to refuse IEP services for him (he gets tutoring and speech therapy privately)? Do I have to reveal his diagnosis?
Basically, I'm just trying to understand if the school districts have the power to remove students that are different learners. There's no point in my paying so much for a home in an area that we want him to be educated in if it's possible for them to tell us they don't have the resources to give him the education he needs and send him elsewhere. Thanks
Princeton public schools have all levels of classes just like every other school. Every kid there is not going to be high achieving. They also have special ed classes, like every other district. I have never in my life heard of a public school kicking a student out because he can't compete academically. I don't think that would even be legal. It would also be very costly for them, because when a public school takes a child out of the district, they then have to pay for another district to take him, and provide transport. That normally only happens with special ed kids who are too aggressive or can't be handled in public school. It would never happen with a child like your son. There are most likely many kids on the spectrum there. Rich people have kids with autism, too.
There are also inclusion classes in many districts, where there will be typical students and kids with needs. I wouldn't close your mind to anything. Most kids on the spectrum do not mimic social behavior, your son will learn most of it via his speech therapist most likely. Is he classified?
Princeton public schools have all levels of classes just like every other school. Every kid there is not going to be high achieving. They also have special ed classes, like every other district. I have never in my life heard of a public school kicking a student out because he can't compete academically. I don't think that would even be legal. It would also be very costly for them, because when a public school takes a child out of the district, they then have to pay for another district to take him, and provide transport. That normally only happens with special ed kids who are too aggressive or can't be handled in public school. It would never happen with a child like your son. There are most likely many kids on the spectrum there. Rich people have kids with autism, too.
There are also inclusion classes in many districts, where there will be typical students and kids with needs. I wouldn't close your mind to anything. Most kids on the spectrum do not mimic social behavior, your son will learn most of it via his speech therapist most likely. Is he classified?
Thank you for this response. I need to ask these questions because I am unaware of NJ policies regarding this. I lived in Utah once and kids who could not academically complete high school were generally removed from the schools and placed in a different program. I knew someone in NJ that was removed from public middle school and placed in the now-closed Sand Hill School, back in the 1990s. I don't know if that sort of thing is done anymore.
My child has more rare and recently discovered autism markers that are often misdiagnosed as anxiety, the saying is that when you've met one child with autism....you've met one child with autism. They are all different. Mine mimics social behavior, and his speech was most accelerated by being within a neurotypical school environment with peers who showed him age-appropriate speech and speech therapy, while nice, does not help him as much. While I know all kids have big emotions, he's generally not aggressive, however he is strong-willed.
Thank you for this response. I need to ask these questions because I am unaware of NJ policies regarding this. I lived in Utah once and kids who could not academically complete high school were generally removed from the schools and placed in a different program. I knew someone in NJ that was removed from public middle school and placed in the now-closed Sand Hill School, back in the 1990s. I don't know if that sort of thing is done anymore.
My child has more rare and recently discovered autism markers that are often misdiagnosed as anxiety, the saying is that when you've met one child with autism....you've met one child with autism. They are all different. Mine mimics social behavior, and his speech was most accelerated by being within a neurotypical school environment with peers who showed him age-appropriate speech and speech therapy, while nice, does not help him as much. While I know all kids have big emotions, he's generally not aggressive, however he is strong-willed.
I would reach out to the school directly to find out. When I was in highschool, they literally rounded up the problem kids of the county and sent them to Burlington County College for some program together there.
Those same kids in middle school were sent to a separate program in the school though, in a locked and secured room.
I would reach out to the school directly to find out. When I was in highschool, they literally rounded up the problem kids of the county and sent them to Burlington County College for some program together there.
Those same kids in middle school were sent to a separate program in the school though, in a locked and secured room.
There is nothing in her description of her son that would label him “a problem”. He gets good grades and “everyone loves him”. Simply being high on the spectrum would not be a reason for a child to be kicked out of school.
There is nothing in her description of her son that would label him “a problem”. He gets good grades and “everyone loves him”. Simply being high on the spectrum would not be a reason for a child to be kicked out of school.
I would speak directly with the school and how its handled. Agreed with the parents, I certainly would want mine in a regular environment, as children become products of their environment. The challenge is when they reach middle school and high school years, its no longer that everyone is one class, and kids are separated out by their speed.
I would speak directly with the school and how its handled. Agreed with the parents, I certainly would want mine in a regular environment, as children become products of their environment. The challenge is when they reach middle school and high school years, its no longer that everyone is one class, and kids are separated out by their speed.
All families of special ed kids get to assist with placement. I worked for Galloway schools for 5 years in special ed. Every child who enters school with special needs is evaluated by the child study team to assess functional and educational level, and then a meeting is held with the parent and team to decide placement. The parents wishes are priority, as long as the request is reasonable (unreasonable would be putting a low functioning child in an advanced placement class). They will not be able to tell her what class he will be in until all that happens. But considering he is in a regular ed class now, and doing well both academically and socially, there is zero reason they would want to put him in a special ed class. Placement is always geared to the least restrictive environment.
All families of special ed kids get to assist with placement. I worked for Galloway schools for 5 years in special ed. Every child who enters school with special needs is evaluated by the child study team to assess functional and educational level, and then a meeting is held with the parent and team to decide placement. The parents wishes are priority, as long as the request is reasonable (unreasonable would be putting a low functioning child in an advanced placement class). They will not be able to tell her what class he will be in until all that happens. But considering he is in a regular ed class now, and doing well both academically and socially, there is zero reason they would want to put him in a special ed class. Placement is always geared to the least restrictive environment.
Thank you for that information. Has "placement" ever happened outside the zoned school one lives in? I'm less worried about him being pulled out for different classes within school. I'm more worried about having him placed in a different school than the one I am zoned for if for some reason his progress slows or he shows future maladaptive behavior.
Thank you for that information. Has "placement" ever happened outside the zoned school one lives in? I'm less worried about him being pulled out for different classes within school. I'm more worried about having him placed in a different school than the one I am zoned for if for some reason his progress slows or he shows future maladaptive behavior.
In NJ, school systems are town based (every town has a school board) and not county based like in some other states. Most towns will have a k-8 and a high school or a regional high school shared with other towns. Unless your child has a very rare need, your school system should be able to accommodate your child within the town's schools.
Some NJ towns do not have zoned schools within the town (Montclair has a magnet system). There might be towns with two k-5 schools and one of these schools might be better for your child. Every town is different. You would need to call the town school board to get your answers. The town you live in has to educate your child.
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