Changing School Districts

[Juliennes]

We will be moving to a new school district at the end of this month. My son is in an out of district placement already. What do I have to do now? Who do I contact first the old district or the new district? The district I am in now is fabulous, and I have heard good things about the district I am moving to from the administrators at the school my son attends. My son was approved (from current district) for the extended summer session so will that be affected now that I am moving?
I am full of questions today :smile:
Any help is appreciated!
Thanks,

Julienne

 

[Martie]

Juienne,

The law varies depending upon whether it is an in-state or out-of-state move.

In state, the receiving SD must use the IEP until they develop their own. That means, since IEPs are ususally developed in the spring, they will "inherit" the IEP for 2007-08. If it is an out-of-state move, then all bets are off. The SD must provide FAPE, but they get more latitude to do so.

I would contact the receiving SD and try to get a feel for their intentions. A telephone call is not what I ususally suggest (a big DUH to regular readers of this Forum) but what you do next depends upon what their ideas are.

It woud be nice if all SDs folllowed the law but they don't. So although what I have written above is true, that does not mean they will do it. For example, the receiving SD could say, "we don't "DO" outplacements," which is not legal but it certainly has happened to parents and kids. After you find out what they have in mind (which may be nothing) then ask BY CERTIFIED MAIL for an IEP meeting. You need to have all the documentation that resulted in your difficult child's outplacement. You probably do not want to have them "give him a chance" in regular class. That, I would predict, would not end well.

Moves are diffiuclt for all kids....more so for most difficult children. The goal would be to get difficult child to trasnition with the least regression possible in learning and behavior. If you can get the SD on board with this goal, that would be a positive step.

Martie

 

[Juliennes]

Thanks Martie,
We are only moving a few towns over. There are already 2 kids at my sons school who are from the same town so hopefully I will not have a problem. I have no doubt that them putting my son in a regular classroom would be a complete disaster. He is doing very well in his current placement and I do not want to rock that boat as the move is going to be enough of an upset for him.
Before I started looking at new places, I asked the school social worker who handles all the intakes and whatnot which districts were a good bet for keeping his placement and which to stay away from and the district I am moving to was #1 on her list so I am hopeful.
Ahhh as if moving isn't stressful enough :smile:
Julienne