Homeschool/Therapy money According to Federal Law (IDEA), the states are off the hook completely for the education of a child who is parentally placed in a private school or who is homeschooled.  Unless your state differs, you and your family are completely on your own if you homeschool. They school district cannot "count" your child for anything but also does not "owe" your child anything.  Of course, local states can change that.  And each state has different "rules" for homeschooling.  Some states require parents to submit a lot of paperwork, some none.  You must get your own state's rules IN WRITING and follow them or you can be charged with educational neglect.  Good luck. For ease, here is HSLDA's website. I would check there. They will give you all the laws for homeschooling in your state. They know their stuff and legally represent individual families that homeschool and also do a lot of work to help keep homeschooling an option. Their information is totally free. You also might want to check your local advocacy groups to see what your state allows for therapy through the school (dual enrollment type things) if you have them placed in private or homeschooling situations. Homeschooling is a wonderful option for children, you just want to make sure you have all your ducks in a row so you aren't left hanging. Homeschool: HSLDA-Home School Legal Defense Association All states vary and it may be difficult to determine exactly how much they would get for her. However, if you are happy with the supplemental services you can receive such as ST, then I would do them. Make sure you get a full evaluation that would include OT, as she will probably be eligible for this as well. You will also be entitled to periodic evaluations, usually every 2 or 3 years depending on the district. I don't know other details about WA state and homeschooling. There is a homeschool website by the Homeschool Defense League (I think that's the name). They can tell you about any requirements you might have. Some states want nothing more than to be informed you are homeschooling. Others have more stringent things like wanting to know your curriculum, etc. Perhaps there is someone else here from WA who knows. Good luck, I'm homeschooling too. We are thinking about homeschooling our daughter.  If we homeschool her and use the school for ST can they clame her as a SPED student?  Will they get the SPED money for her?  My husband says that is not fair for us to do the work and get the money.  We are in WA state.  I would ask your friend to come to the IEP's and advocate WITH you for your child. You CAN legally get help from the School District (if you want it) But you are not required to get it. http://www.hslda.org/docs/news/washingtontimes/familytimes/1 99804010.asp http://www.hslda.org/strugglinglearner/sn_TwoSteps.asp These two articles should help.. We homeschool but didn't feel the supplemental therapies through the public school district were really helping so we just ended them. sevenup39854.7818055556What I mean is your INDIVIDUAL child has no right to individual money if you place him in a private setting.  School districts DO have a responsibility to spend a certain percentage on students from their districts who are parentally placed. However, HOW they spend that money is not an individual right per child.  That means, the school district can choose to spend it evenly or to give money heavily for some things and not at all for others. You, as the parent, cannot require that they give a cent to your particular child, only that they give money to the private schools in proportion to the numbers of local kids who are in private schools.  Some states (NY does this) fully fund IEPs for privately placed children. The parents are responsble for the tuition but the school districts fund the "special" services.  That is, if the private school allows this.  No one can demand that truly private schools do anything.  At the moment, home schooled kids in NY can be brought into the school district to get their related services, but the state is revisiting that.  How home schooled kids are treated is defined by individual state law.  Some states see home schooling in the same light as sending a child to private school, some don't.  The best course of action is to find out what is allowable in YOUR state.Actually, IDEA 2004 does include provisions for children in private school. Here is the info. from the Wright's law website: Child Find Child find requires school districts to identify, locate, and evaluate all children with disabilities and determine which children are and are not receiving special education and related services. (Section 1412(a)(3)) IDEA 2004 was amended to include children who are homeless, wards of the state, and children who attend private schools. School districts must report data about the number of children who are evaluated, found eligible and provided services. These requirements apply to children who attend private schools in the district. (Section 1412(a)(10)(A)(ii)) Children Who Attend Private Schools The law includes new requirements about equitable participation of children who attend private schools and consultation between public and private school officials. The consultation process includes written affirmation, compliance, and complaints by private schools to the state. Children who attend private schools are entitled to equitable services. Special education and related services may be provided on the premises of private religious schools. (Section 1412(a)(10)) Under “Child Find,” it appears that school districts are responsible for locating and identifying children with disabilities who attend private schools in the district, even if the child’s parents do not live in the district. However, current caselaw may lead to rulings that do not require school districts to accept responsibility for special education services to out-of-district children who attend private schools in the district. The child’s parents and original school district may be responsible. This doesn't mean you can chose to put your child in a private school and the district will pay for that, unless you can prove they cannot provide FAPE in a public setting. However, supplemental services still have to be provided once the child has been identified as being eligible. Good luck. THe bottom line is your negotiating skills will probably determine whether or not you will be able to negotiate to get funding from that percentage I mentioned.  That is probably how your friend is getting the services for her son.  Unless your state says otherwise, the District is under no obligation to do this. HOwever, they stand to SAVE A LOT OF MONEY because you are taking your child out of school, so paying just a little bit for speech in order to encourage you to take over your child's education may seem to them a good financial deal.  You might want to put it that way -- that your decision to homeschool depends on whether or not you can get them to pay for ST.  Thank you for the info.  We are in a very rural area with little services.  She has been in a special ed program and does have an IEP ect.  I am uneasy about her Kinder suggestion placement for next year,among other things.  She does get private ST as well (we pay) and I spoke with a homeschool mom who is doing a free public school  program and they are paying for her sons once a week (private) ST session.  I did not know that was possible, and this is a much better ST route then what the school is offering.  Lots of things to look at and conisder.  This is a huge decision.
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