Choosing a high school for your child with learning differences

Choosing a high school for your child with learning differences could be one of the most important decisions you ever make.  You only have four short years to get your child "college ready".   The single biggest predictor of failure in college will be the need for remedial reading.  If your child still needs remedial reading when they get to college, the chance of graduation and job prospects disintegrate rapidly. 

First of all It is important to find out what your school district requires for graduation verses what requirements are needed to attend college.  

Choose a four year state college for your example of pre-requisites, go to the website  and print them out. 

Compare them to high school graduation requirements, there is a very good chance they may not match.   Call the State college and ask any questions about their expectations. 

Don't expect the IEP (Individual Education Plan) team to know this information.  Get it on your own.  

If the IEP team suggests a special day class for your child to take language arts or math, beware.  Remedial self contained classes will not satisfy the requirements for admission to a four year state college!  In fact, in California, all state colleges require four years of language arts in high school.

 If your child even spends one semester in a self contained language arts class, you have just cut off your child's chance at entering almost every 4 year college.  Imagine the shock your child will feel when they start to look for colleges with their peers and find out they don't qualify enough to even apply!   

Look at the success rate of the high school where your child may be placed?  You have the right to look at the statistics of the high school.   How well do the students with disabilities score in comparison to non disabled students?  What about an state exit exam?  What is the passing rate of the special education population?   What kind of specialized tutoring is offered to help the students pass the exam?  Will your child even be given a "regular" diploma? Is there another high school with better statistics?  

Visit the high school before choosing a placement.  Make an appointment to talk to the person in charge of special education.  Talk to the regular education teachers too.   What is the culture of the school like?  Are special education students included or merely tolerated?

Sit in on the classes and bring your child to sit in too.  Take notes.  Are the classes to easy?  Is there homework?  Are the children engaged in learning?   Is too much time spent addressing behaviors?  Is afterschool tutoring available?

What if your child has a very low reading level?   What if the high school says they "don't do reading"? 

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