Find the Best Elementary Schools for IEP Students Easily

Differently-abled children require their educational needs addressed and served from a more focused approach. Luckily enough, different institutions strive to create the best learning environment for students with special needs. And we're sure you like the idea of your child going to one of the best elementary schools for IEP students.

Even so, finding the right school for your differently-abled child isn't that straightforward. And sometimes you may even have to consider relocating – it's stressful. But the whole school searching process doesn't have to be. With DoNotPay's School Search Tool, you can find the best institutions matching your standards.

What Is a School for IEP Students?

Schools for IEP students provide special education and related services through the students' Individualized Education Program (IEP). Through an IEP, each elementary student with an identified disability receives specialized instruction, education, and other related amenities.

Factors to Consider in an IEP Elementary School

Several aspects are worth considering when evaluating potential IEP elementary schools for your child. They include:

1. School Type and Specialties

Different IEP students have unique abilities, hence the assortment of specialized schools. In other words, your child's strengths and challenges should determine the school they attend. After all, you'd want your child to learn from an ideal setting. These school types comprise:

• Condition-Specific Schools: These are primarily for children with OCD, ADHD, autism, cognitive disabilities, anxiety, language-based learning challenges, or mental issues.
• Public schools: Best for students with familiar challenges and unique needs.
• Homeschool: gives you, the parent, total control and flexibility. It's possible to create the ideal setting and educational program for your child.
• Waldorf and Montessori: Best for special needs students with average or above-average IQ levels. Such schools only practice kinesthetic and visual learning. And they are also ideal for students who can manage in a socially intense but small setting.
• Charter and Magnet Schools: these are public and best suit children with autism or hyperactivity. They employ a more hands-on, service-learning model in their education provision.
• Therapy-Specific Schools: These are often private facilities established on varying therapeutic philosophies. For instance, in the case of autism, you can find RDI schools, SCERTS schools, ABA schools, Floortime schools, and more.

2. Student-teacher Ratio

The student-teacher ratio translates to the number of students per one teacher. It showcases the teacher workload in a school while giving a general idea of how much individual attention the students receive. Generally, the preferred ratio for special schools is 1:15, although it may vary with the school. The lower the student-teacher ratio, the better.

3. Communication and Availability

About the school's availability, here are a few questions to ask. When calling the school to schedule an appointment, do you reach an automated message or a real person? If it's a real person, are they polite and helpful? Does the school return your call promptly if not received immediately? In the case of emails, did your email reach the intended person? After how long did you receive a reply?

4. Medical and Specials

See that the school has a full-time duty school nurse. Also, inquire about how they handle medications, sick children, and other safety protocols. Know what therapists often visit the institution.

The Best Elementary Schools for IEP Students

Below are a few elementary schools you can consider:

1. Landmark School

Landmark School is situated in Beverly, Massachusetts. It best suits grade 2 to 12 students with language-based learning disabilities, e.g., executive function disorder and dyslexia.

2. Mary McDowell Friends School

Mary McDowell Friends School is another institution dedicated to helping children with learning challenges. It's situated in Brooklyn, New York, and incorporates three divisions: Upper, Middle, and Lower.

3. Louisiana Key Academy

The Louisiana Key Academy is a charter school in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, best for children with dyslexia. It serves students from grades 1 to 8 and provides teacher certification and training programs.

4. The Howard School

The Howard School is situated in Atlanta, Georgia. It's an institution supporting students with learning differences and language-learning disabilities from age 5 through 12.

Comparison Table

Finding the Best IEP Elementary Schools on Your Own

To find the best IEP elementary school, you must understand your child better, including the environment they flourish in. Do they like sports, art, or STEM? Are you after a public or private school? Would they want to enroll in a talented/gifted program?

Well, there are plenty of notable schools across the states. However, finding the right one for your unique child can prove stressful, especially if there's a chance of you relocating.

How DoNotPay Can Help

Through DoNotPay School Search Tool, you can carry out custom searches of schools focusing on the factors you're concerned about. For instance, student-teacher ratio, tuition pricing, etc. Follow the following steps and be sure to find the best elementary schools for IEP students in your area:

1. Visit DoNotPay and click on the Best Schools Search Product.

2. We'll take you through the various priorities you can use to filter the results.

3. Specify how you want DoNotPay to rank the findings (by what matters most to you).

4. Indicate the search area you wish to focus on. The wider the region, the more schools you'll find.

And that's all. DoNotPay will compile 5 top schools meeting your criteria. Even better, it will provide a detailed report on each school.

Other Services by DoNotPay

Besides finding the best schools, DoNotPay also delivers other services that you could employ some time.

• Child travel consent
• Homeschool letter of intent
• Compensation of crime victims
• Insurance claims
• Get chargebacks and refunds