10 Things to Consider in Your Special Needs School Search

Finding the best school for your child with special needs can seem overwhelming. An NYC mom of four, including one with special needs, shares her top 10 things to consider when looking the for the right school for your child with special needs.

If you’re like me, you might find yourself surprisingly, woefully underprepared for your first special needs school search, especially if you are considering mainstreaming and attend tours that mainly consist of parents of typical children.

The tour guide, whether it be a parent coordinator or the vice principal, is not going to offer up a special needs version of the tour most of the time, but will instead cater to the general audience and tell you how competitive the school is academically and how amazing its extracurricular activities are. There’s nothing wrong with that—it’s good to know those things, but depending on your child’s disability, academic competition and after-school clubs might not be at the top of your list when researching schools for a child with special needs.

So what should be on your list then? Well, obviously priorities are different for each parent depending on their child’s disability, unique needs, strengths, and personality, but here are my top 10 considerations and questions when researching schools for a child with special needs.

Staff Availability and Responsiveness

When you telephone the school for an appointment, do you reach a real person or an automated message? If a real person, is he or she helpful and polite? Is your call returned promptly if not taken right away? Or, did you email? Was your email forwarded to the appropriate person? How long did it take to receive a reply? Was it sufficient?

Cleanliness and Safety

What is the general appearance of the school? Does it look well cared for? Is it clean? What about the reception area for you to wait in (is there one?)? Is there a security guard or other security in place at the entrance? Does someone greet you when you arrive?

Administration Availability

Do you have the chance to meet with the principal or vice-principal during your visit? If not, do you have a way to contact them with questions? Are you invited to set up a meeting with them at another time?

Lunchroom and Food Allergy Policies

Where do the students eat—in a classroom or cafeteria? Does the school cater to special dietary requirements? How are food allergies handled? If mainstreaming, do special ed students eat with the general population? Do you have options if your child’s needs change?

Sick Children and Medications

Is there a school nurse on-site full time? If not, how are medications handled? Spills on the playground? Sick children?

Behavior and Bullying Policies

What strategies does the school use to manage challenging behavior? How do teachers and administrators monitor if it is working? What is the school’s policy on bullying?