Parenting Magazine's Advice on Paying for Private School Placement

I recently came across this article in my copy of Parenting magazine.  While I applaud the magazine for addressing learning disabilities, I was disappointed with the advice.  In the article, a mother of a child with learning disabilities asked the magazine financial expert, "My son has been diagnosed with learning disorders. A special school could help him -- but it costs $7,000 a year. That's about what we have budgeted for savings and chipping away at our debt. Should we do it?"  While the expert did indicate that public funding for the school may be available, that was not the main focus of her answer.


My Response:

As a special education attorney, I think it is very important to emphasize that if a child needs to be educated in a special school it is the school district's legal responsibility to pay for the tuition.  Navigating special education law can be confusing, especially when advocating for private placements.  It is a good idea to contact a special education lawyer who can consult with you about the process and assess the strength of your case.

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