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Post by aprilfay21 on Aug 17, 2023 15:38:35 GMT
Anyone here familiar with what non-government funded private schools can and cannot legally do?
Specifically, if they can suddenly demand mandatory donations of x amounts, or charge monthly for IEP type accommodations all of the sudden?
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Post by Merge on Aug 17, 2023 15:42:20 GMT
Private schools can do whatever the heck they want. It's one reason why we shouldn't be funding them with tax dollars.
I'm sorry for whatever they're putting you through.
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Post by natscraps on Aug 17, 2023 15:59:20 GMT
My son has an IEP and attends a private parochial school. We asked a lot of questions when pursuing his IEP last year especially how his services are funded.
When you enroll in a private school, you waive your right to free and appropriate public education (FAPE). This means your school district no longer has to provide any services to your child. The private school may choose to provide them free of charge or they may charge for individual services.
In Ohio private school students can apply for scholarship through the state to pay for IEP services with a qualified provider. My son receives a specialized reading curriculum and an intervention specialist works with him on executive functioning in the classroom without us paying any extra. We use the scholarship to pay for his occupational therapist that works with him in school and social skills programming outside of school.
As for the required monetary donations, you should have had to sign a financial agreement when enrolling for each school year. If it is not in there or a parent handbook, then you should not be obligated to pay it. But then I’d be looking for another school at that point.
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Post by elaine on Aug 17, 2023 16:26:39 GMT
Anyone here familiar with what non-government funded private schools can and cannot legally do? Specifically, if they can suddenly demand mandatory donations of x amounts, or charge monthly for IEP type accommodations all of the sudden? Private schools do not have to provide any IEP-type services. If they do, they can charge for them. Like Merge, this is one of the reasons I am STRONGLY against funding private schools with tax dollars. It is also one reason why this move on the part of some red states to tank public education is so dangerous. |
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Post by aprilfay21 on Aug 17, 2023 16:29:24 GMT
For the IEP type situation - a close friend of mine has a 7 year old daughter. Last year she was allowed a little more time for testing, and was occasionally allowed out of her seat to take a quick walk, or to use the rubber foot things to keep her feet busy while she sat. This year she's being told that she has to pay $2500 a month if she wants those accommodations. She already gets her dyslexia tutoring outside of school.
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pantsonfire
Pearl Clutcher
Take a step back, evaluate what is important, and enjoy your life with those who you love.
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Post by pantsonfire on Aug 17, 2023 16:31:20 GMT
For the IEP type situation - a close friend of mine has a 7 year old daughter. Last year she was allowed a little more time for testing, and was occasionally allowed out of her seat to take a quick walk, or to use the rubber foot things to keep her feet busy while she sat. This year she's being told that she has to pay $2500 a month if she wants those accommodations. She already gets her dyslexia tutoring outside of school. Looks like the school sees her as a burden and wants her gone. I suggest the mom put her child in public school where they won't pay for accommodations (which those things are), modifications (which those things are), and an IEP that covers appropriate supports. |
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Post by revirdsuba99 on Aug 17, 2023 16:31:34 GMT
Anyone here familiar with what non-government funded private schools can and cannot legally do? Specifically, if they can suddenly demand mandatory donations of x amounts, or charge monthly for IEP type accommodations all of the sudden? Private schools do not have to provide any IEP-type services. If they do, they can charge for them. Like Merge, this is one of the reasons I am STRONGLY against funding private schools with tax dollars. It is also one reason why this move on the part of some red states to tank public education is so dangerous. Could not have said it any better!! As soon as they get the charter and private school enrollment up to near capacity, they will get all or most of the funding. The poor, low income and disabled students will sit in near empty classrooms with few opportunities to learn even the basics, if that. |
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Post by myshelly on Aug 17, 2023 16:37:36 GMT
For the IEP type situation - a close friend of mine has a 7 year old daughter. Last year she was allowed a little more time for testing, and was occasionally allowed out of her seat to take a quick walk, or to use the rubber foot things to keep her feet busy while she sat. This year she's being told that she has to pay $2500 a month if she wants those accommodations. She already gets her dyslexia tutoring outside of school. Private schools are like the Wild West of education, they can do whatever they want. They do not have to offer IEPs at all. They do not have to offer accommodations at all. The girl is entitled to nothing at a private school. If she wants those accommodations, she can pay or she can go to public school. |
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Post by natscraps on Aug 17, 2023 16:49:10 GMT
For the IEP type situation - a close friend of mine has a 7 year old daughter. Last year she was allowed a little more time for testing, and was occasionally allowed out of her seat to take a quick walk, or to use the rubber foot things to keep her feet busy while she sat. This year she's being told that she has to pay $2500 a month if she wants those accommodations. She already gets her dyslexia tutoring outside of school. If that is truly the only accommodations she’s receiving, those cost nothing as no extra staff would be necessarily be needed. Time to find a new school. |
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Post by aprilfay21 on Aug 17, 2023 16:55:57 GMT
For the IEP type situation - a close friend of mine has a 7 year old daughter. Last year she was allowed a little more time for testing, and was occasionally allowed out of her seat to take a quick walk, or to use the rubber foot things to keep her feet busy while she sat. This year she's being told that she has to pay $2500 a month if she wants those accommodations. She already gets her dyslexia tutoring outside of school. If that is truly the only accommodations she’s receiving, those cost nothing as no extra staff would be necessarily be needed. Time to find a new school. It's literally the only accommodations, yes. Which is why she was floored when yesterday, she was told it would now be charged if she wanted them. I know quite a few families that will be leaving the school after this year due to the sudden (as of the first day of school last week) and shady changes. It's much deeper than what I've posted here. |
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Post by twinks on Aug 17, 2023 16:59:57 GMT
If the child is place by their school district in the private school, then they are afforded FAPE and all IEP services are given free of charge.
What it feels like to me is the private school was willing to accept the student and then decided in practicality they couldn’t serve the student. So they are charging the parents and making it no longer cost affective.
Another thing that unfortunately could be at play here is the school district in residence here. The parents can no longer approach the school district for reimbursement for the private education expense unless the child is doing better and is receiving the services required on the last IEP.
Just as an aside, IEPs are something from public education. IDEA is a public law and doesn’t apply to private schools. My DD attended a private special education school. She did not have an IEP because there was no longer any school district involvement. She had a “plan” but there was no legal rights.
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Post by **GypsyGirl** on Aug 17, 2023 17:00:54 GMT
For the IEP type situation - a close friend of mine has a 7 year old daughter. Last year she was allowed a little more time for testing, and was occasionally allowed out of her seat to take a quick walk, or to use the rubber foot things to keep her feet busy while she sat. This year she's being told that she has to pay $2500 a month if she wants those accommodations. She already gets her dyslexia tutoring outside of school. Private schools are like the Wild West of education, they can do whatever they want. They do not have to offer IEPs at all. They do not have to offer accommodations at all. The girl is entitled to nothing at a private school. If she wants those accommodations, she can pay or she can go to public school.  . BTDT with DD when she was in grade school. Private schools have no obligation to provide IEPs or 504 plans. It's something you give up when you make the choice for private schooling. We could have funded at least a year at an out of state college for what we spent on testing, tutoring, therapy. And that's not including the tuition we were paying. It was a choice we made because the elementary we are zoned to was not a good option for her. We had some luck with accommodations when DD was in international schools overseas, but it still wasn't a perfect solution. All that played into the decision to use public school for high school. |
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Post by aprilfay21 on Aug 17, 2023 17:05:17 GMT
If the child is place by their school district in the private school, then they are afforded FAPE and all IEP services are given free of charge. What it feels like to me is the private school was willing to accept the student and then decided in practicality they couldn’t serve the student. So they are charging the parents and making it no longer cost affective. Another thing that unfortunately could be at play here is the school district in residence here. The parents can no longer approach the school district for reimbursement for the private education expense unless the child is doing better and is receiving the services required on the last IEP. Just as an aside, IEPs are something from public education. IDEA is a public law and doesn’t apply to private schools. My DD attended a private special education school. She did not have an IEP because there was no longer any school district involvement. She had a “plan” but there was no legal rights. We've both been at the private school for 11 years and due to some... board and sponsor changes within the school, these things were only changed this school year, and she wasn't given any advanced warning. Last year the school had no problem with allowing her daughter the stretchy desk band and extra testing time. We've never had any of our children at public school, and public school isn't even a factor here. |
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Post by **GypsyGirl** on Aug 17, 2023 17:05:27 GMT
I know quite a few families that will be leaving the school after this year due to the sudden (as of the first day of school last week) and shady changes. It's much deeper than what I've posted here. Sounds like a change in administration at the top and they are setting the price tag high in hopes that they flush out the need for them. Got caught up in that when DD was in Kindergarten and ended up changing schools. The new admin. where DD was actually told us that they were not interested in having children with accommodation needs and wanted to have children who all learned similarly! |
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Post by twinks on Aug 17, 2023 17:08:27 GMT
If that is the way they are treating my daughter and apparently on a money grabbing mission, I would be finding a way to break the contract and move my daughter to another school - preferably public where she would be afforded her IEP services and her legal rights. She can still receive the private tutoring for dyslexia. My DD received private speech therapy for years.
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SweetieBsMom
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Post by SweetieBsMom on Aug 17, 2023 17:08:56 GMT
Anyone here familiar with what non-government funded private schools can and cannot legally do? Specifically, if they can suddenly demand mandatory donations of x amounts, or charge monthly for IEP type accommodations all of the sudden? Like Merge, this is one of the reasons I am STRONGLY against funding private schools with tax dollars. It is also one reason why this move on the part of some red states to tank public education is so dangerous. My DH and I both attended private catholic schools grades 1-12. We had zero experiences with public schools. DS has ASD and the above bolded is why we sent him to public school. We had always assumed he'd go to catholic schools like we did but it wasn't an option. I will go to my grave happy with my decision, the schools in my town were wonderful (all except grades 4&5, UGH, the battling I did with that school almost broke me). |
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scrapngranny
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Post by scrapngranny on Aug 17, 2023 17:22:26 GMT
It’s early in the school year. I would make arrangements to move my child now.
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Post by femalebusiness on Aug 17, 2023 17:39:39 GMT
Kanye West opened a private school. That right there should tell you all you need to know about how private schools can be run with no oversight and yet taxpayers are forced to fund them.
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Post by tommygirl on Aug 17, 2023 18:05:33 GMT
Public school is not a factor? DO you mean you do not have access to public school or that it is not an option for this child/family?
We sent our children to private school, but none had special educational needs. The accomodations seem pretty small, but I am not an educator. Is the child able to do without them?
I would first ask for a meeting with an administrator (finance person and/or head of school) to discuss the policy and the hardship it places on your family. Then if they are unwilling or unable to budge then look into other private schools in your area or revisit the idea of public school or homeschooling.
In our area (especially since covid) private school enrollment is up. There are students on waitlists to get in. The schools are able to charge more because the demand for their services is so great.
I hope this family is able to come to a satisfactory solution with the school.
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Post by aprilfay21 on Aug 17, 2023 18:21:25 GMT
Public school is not a factor? DO you mean you do not have access to public school or that it is not an option for this child/family?We sent our children to private school, but none had special educational needs. The accomodations seem pretty small, but I am not an educator. Is the child able to do without them? I would first ask for a meeting with an administrator (finance person and/or head of school) to discuss the policy and the hardship it places on your family. Then if they are unwilling or unable to budge then look into other private schools in your area or revisit the idea of public school or homeschooling. In our area (especially since covid) private school enrollment is up. There are students on waitlists to get in. The schools are able to charge more because the demand for their services is so great. I hope this family is able to come to a satisfactory solution with the school. I mean that it doesn't play into this situation at all, since someone mentioned getting reimbursement from or being sent from a local public school to private. For our family personally, public school is not an option until or unless we move to another district. Tuition did not change this year, and without getting into specifics of the undesirable overall changes this year, I think that because our school's enrollment is down, and their annual fundraising gala underperformed last year, they panicked and are forcing people to "donate" additional this year. For the adhd accommodations my friend had, I think that situation is just to weed out the children who learn differently. |
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luckyjune
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Post by luckyjune on Aug 17, 2023 19:05:35 GMT
Public school is not a factor? DO you mean you do not have access to public school or that it is not an option for this child/family?We sent our children to private school, but none had special educational needs. The accomodations seem pretty small, but I am not an educator. Is the child able to do without them? I would first ask for a meeting with an administrator (finance person and/or head of school) to discuss the policy and the hardship it places on your family. Then if they are unwilling or unable to budge then look into other private schools in your area or revisit the idea of public school or homeschooling. In our area (especially since covid) private school enrollment is up. There are students on waitlists to get in. The schools are able to charge more because the demand for their services is so great. I hope this family is able to come to a satisfactory solution with the school. I mean that it doesn't play into this situation at all, since someone mentioned getting reimbursement from or being sent from a local public school to private. For our family personally, public school is not an option until or unless we move to another district. Tuition did not change this year, and without getting into specifics of the undesirable overall changes this year, I think that because our school's enrollment is down, and their annual fundraising gala underperformed last year, they panicked and are forcing people to "donate" additional this year. For the adhd accommodations my friend had, I think that situation is just to weed out the children who learn differently.When I saw the amount they wanted for the accommodations you listed, that was the first place my mind went. Private schools and charters (depending on how they are funded) are free to make life uncomfortable for the families of kids who need extra services or kids who don't score high enough on standardized tests. Like adding over $20,000 to a tuition bill. I'm the first to say public schools need some serious help, but I will stand behind them forever because they take every kid who walks through their doors. |
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Post by aprilfay21 on Aug 17, 2023 19:19:06 GMT
I mean that it doesn't play into this situation at all, since someone mentioned getting reimbursement from or being sent from a local public school to private. For our family personally, public school is not an option until or unless we move to another district. Tuition did not change this year, and without getting into specifics of the undesirable overall changes this year, I think that because our school's enrollment is down, and their annual fundraising gala underperformed last year, they panicked and are forcing people to "donate" additional this year. For the adhd accommodations my friend had, I think that situation is just to weed out the children who learn differently.When I saw the amount they wanted for the accommodations you listed, that was the first place my mind went. Private schools and charters (depending on how they are funded) are free to make life uncomfortable for the families of kids who need extra services or kids who don't score high enough on standardized tests. Like adding over $20,000 to a tuition bill. I'm the first to say public schools need some serious help, but I will stand behind them forever because they take every kid who walks through their doors. It's crazy that I never considered it until I read your post, but they boast a 100% college acceptance rate. I wonder if that's because they weed these kids out. It's a Christian school and every single day they prove to be less and less Christian. |
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Post by ntsf on Aug 17, 2023 19:47:29 GMT
personally, with a child who went to private high school for special needs, partly paid by district.. I would not want my child at a school that does not want my child. that would be more soul crushing than in the local public school, whatever its test scores or other measurements are.
my other kids went to public schools. not perfect, but there were great teachers there and the kids made friends with all sorts of people.. which has helped them in life.
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pinklady
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Post by pinklady on Aug 17, 2023 19:50:08 GMT
It's a Christian school and every single day they prove to be less and less Christian. I was waiting for this information to be divulged. That right there tells you everything you need to know. |
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Post by aprilfay21 on Aug 17, 2023 19:59:50 GMT
It's a Christian school and every single day they prove to be less and less Christian. I was waiting for this information to be divulged. That right there tells you everything you need to know. TBF, when we started there, they were very diverse and pretty inclusive, and we've loved it. Up until the last couple of years. Lots of changes in administration and their two boards and them wanting to "get back to their core Christian values" has caused lots of changes that a LARGE portion of people aren't happy with. They lost almost 100 students from middle school this year, and had virtually no new enrollment in 1st grade and middle school because of it. |
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Post by littlemama on Aug 17, 2023 20:06:24 GMT
Private schools can do whatever they want as others have stated.
Religious private schools spend so much time on religious indoctrination that when their kids move to public school, they tend to be behind and have behavior issues that were never corrected at their previous schools. This is of course my experience with private school students who left and went to my ds' school and with our niece and nephews who moved to public high school. This doesnt apply to all private schools or all private school children, but is my experience.
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Post by aprilfay21 on Aug 17, 2023 20:08:25 GMT
Private schools can do whatever they want as others have stated. Religious private schools spend so much time on religious indoctrination that when their kids move to public school, they tend to be behind and have behavior issues that were never corrected at their previous schools. This is of course my experience with private school students who left and went to my ds' school and with our niece and nephews who moved to public high school. This doesnt apply to all private schools or all private school children, but is my experience. Well I'm currently not happy with our school, but I can tell you that this is 100% not the case with this one. I can imagine it does apply to some, especially the more strictly religious ones. |
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Post by littlemama on Aug 17, 2023 20:11:38 GMT
Private schools can do whatever they want as others have stated. Religious private schools spend so much time on religious indoctrination that when their kids move to public school, they tend to be behind and have behavior issues that were never corrected at their previous schools. This is of course my experience with private school students who left and went to my ds' school and with our niece and nephews who moved to public high school. This doesnt apply to all private schools or all private school children, but is my experience. Well I'm currently not happy with our school, but I can tell you that this is 100% not the case with this one. I can imagine it does apply to some, especially the more strictly religious ones. if you live in a place where the public schools are so bad you dont want to put your child in them, I could definitely see that the private school kids wouldnt be behind. That wasnt the situation in the instances I mentioned |
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Post by aprilfay21 on Aug 17, 2023 20:15:07 GMT
Well I'm currently not happy with our school, but I can tell you that this is 100% not the case with this one. I can imagine it does apply to some, especially the more strictly religious ones. if you live in a place where the public schools are so bad you dont want to put your child in them, I could definitely see that the private school kids wouldnt be behind. That wasnt the situation in the instances I mentioned I live in the Houston area, where public school are hit or miss. My particular district is terrible, but all the districts around our private school are good to great. We just aren't zoned for those. My friend is, but she prefers private. Sounds like you have an issue with private schools. |
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CeeScraps
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Post by CeeScraps on Aug 17, 2023 20:16:49 GMT
I would have my child go to a public school to get the needed support. Go to the public school, talk to the admin, walk the halls. See what is there. You may be surprised.
If the private school has lost so many children that's why they are charging more for everything. They have to make up the money from tuition of others some how. To do this they nickel and dime you until they have recovered what they need.
I couldn't handle the stress of always wanting more money. I just couldn't.
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. BTDT with DD when she was in grade school. Private schools have no obligation to provide IEPs or 504 plans. It's something you give up when you make the choice for private schooling. 
