I have been researching public TDS for Chris and JJJ and drawing a blank on "model programs." I emaile dLIZZ (former mod) re: this topic but she hasn't gotten back to me.
If I had been asked about the likelihood of a TDS being public or private, they are overwhelmingly private with SD picking up the cost for PLACEMENTS THAT THEY MAKE. If a SD makes the placement, then all IDEA protections under law apply. If it is "voluntary" parental placement, then virtually no rights exist. There are cases in which parents have received ex post facto reimbursement but it is VERY risky to assume that one will ever recover costs. I didn't.
However, when SD avoid outplacements that children desperately need, then their parents' placements do not really seem "voluntary" but legally there are so considered.
If you ave the opp't for a private TDS placement at public expense, I would look at this option VERY carefully because while not all are good, many are much better than what is available in public school. For one thing, these school do not have NCLB on their backs, and that changes the dynamic.
Martie