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Hi Nancy, thank you for lending your expertise!

Here's my question:

 

1.       Where do you think is the best place to live if you have a child with a disability?

 

That's a hard one. I get asked this quite often; people have to move due to jobs, family issues etc; and the special needs of their children cause them great anxiety. There is no absolute answer; the legislation requiring that children with special needs receive appropriate educational opportunities is national legislation, so theoretically services should be available across the country. The reality is sometimes a bit different. Smaller cities may have programs, but a limited number of openings. Or, the approaches to therapy may be limited and not in keeping with your own philosophy of education. Or in a district school, there may be one class in one school an hour away, and you may be dissatisfied with that one program, but it may be your only option. This is when the Internet can be a major help. Research, research, research. Get the names of the president and vice-president of the chapter of SEPTA (Special-Education Parent-Teacher Association) where you are looking to live, and email/call them. Ask very specific questions about teacher/student ratios, educational philosophy, and "gut feelings" about the programs. Describe your child and see if the district program has the capacity to handle your child's unique needs. Find out what private programs are locally available, and contact them. Enquire as to the number of parents who are private pay vs. tuition paid by the district; this will give you an indication of how willing the district is to place children wherever they need to be for their own personal growth. I recently had a family move to a small town far away from Long Island; the mother was unable to do this checking in advance (the move was sudden due to employment opportunities) and she was horrified to find virtually nothing appropriate for her child. At this point 2 months later, the child is being homeschooled. And check around in the immediate surrounding area from where you want to live. 2 towns over, still in the general area of where you want to be, you may find a wonderful district with a groundbreaking program. Good, in depth research can make all the difference in the world.

Thanks Nancy!