Disability in a private school?

Question

If a child has a disability in a private school, what is the school's responsibility in educating the child, since they don't get federal money? Like, do the parents have to pay for whatever is needed? Or, can they get money from the state?

Answer 1

Some private (that is, not government-run) schools exist SPECIFICALLY for the purpose of dealing with learning disabled children. For religious reasons, they might not want to bother with IEPs, as that would entail "taking the king's gold". Otherwise, however, they have a full staff dedicated to dealing with special-needs children. This was true of a school I attended for several years. Catholic-run, it was staffed by three nuns, a priest, several lay teachers (I don't know how many of them, if any, were Catholic), and one speech therapist. The classroom teachers (both the nuns and the lay teachers) did a little bit of everything in dealing with the students.

Answer 2

It depends what school. Usally if it is a bad disability the parents don't have to pay. If it is only a moderate disability parents may have to pay but you will never be forced to accept help. I'm at private school, Im dislexic and dispraxic and I get all my help payed for.

Answer 3

The previous answer is correct.  Let me add that although a public school teacher can and will write an IEP for a student, the private school is not obligated to follow it.  The public school will set up a time for a speech therapist, occupational therapist, etc. to see the child, either coming to the school or as a "drive in," meaning the parent is responsible for getting the child to the therapist, but the private school does not have to make accommodations and modifications for the child.

The parents won't be given money by the state, they will be offered the services the child needs; they may choose to not take advantage of the services, but they will be offered.

Answer 4

It depends on the private school.  They do not have to provide services or accommodations to any student.  Schools that do have staff (speech, physical, occupational therapists) come from the public schools to provide services.  There is typically a special education teacher from the public school district who is assigned as a teacher of record who will be in charge of writing the IEP, setting up conferences, and consulting with the teachers at the private school.  I do not know of any private schools that have a resource room for students to go to for instruction or help.  I also do not know of any private schools that serve students with severe disabilities.