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A guide to relocation when you have a child with Learning Disabilities.

By
Real Estate Agent with Harry Norman, Realtors 333356

Moving and relocation for every member of the family can be, and usually is, an anxiety-ridden experience.  You are responsible for finding just the right house in just the right neighborhood in the most perfect community with a reasonable commute to the office.  For most, those challenges are monumental enough, but a relocating parent that has a child or children with Learning Disabilities faces challenges and responsibilities that can be overwhelming. 

I have been a licensed Real Estate Consultant since 1981 and a career consumer sales and marketing manager.  I have held several corporate positions that required my family and me to relocate no less than ten times throughout the US.  The reason I want to share my moving experiences with you is that I am also the father of a child with Learning Disabilities. 

The excitement of relocation can sometimes overshadow the impending pile of responsibilities and decisions that become necessary during a move.  I can remember one of the first times I was promoted and sent off to a city that I had never heard of; even the challenge of finding my way out of the airport's parking lot was exhilarating.  

That all changed when my child was diagnosed early in his academic career with Learning Disabilities.  Once the long-term prognosis of academic failure and the lengthy course of action required were laid out in front of me I suddenly realized that an enormous layer had just been added to any relocation process going forward.  I share my experiences from the moment your job assignment has been handed to you and the move is inevitable: 

1. Create a Student Packet of Information on your child or children;

a. If your child or children are on an IEP (Individual Education Plan) include copies of each page, from each year and guard these reports as if they are gold!

b. If your child has had Psychological testing; include the written diagnosis.

c. If you have notes taken during Psychiatric and School visits; create a synopsis of the discussions and time-lines of progress with the specific disability!

d. Include medication history in the information packet and the results of each medication that has been prescribed.  Some are more successful than others, and it is important that this is documented prior to contacting another Physician or Psychologist after the move to your new location.

e. I have always found that a personal "light-hearted" letter from the parents helped to bring another perspective to this packet.  No one wants their child or children to be viewed as a problem or drain on the school system's budget. 

2. Do NOT start looking for a home yet!  

3. Once your packet is complete; contact the Department of Education in the state that you are moving to and try to speak with the State Director of Special Education. Their website is sometimes helpful, but does not replace the conversation with the Director.

4. Your first priority during this discussion is to determine what the State's requirements are for placement into a Special Needs Services program. 

NOTE: services for children with special needs are mandatory by the Federal Government, but each state, and then each school district interpret those "mandatory" guidelines and type of services offered very differently. Will the State you are moving to accept an Out-of-State IEP (most will) and Psychological Testing Diagnosis (most will not) or do you have to start from the beginning. 

If you can get the following information, you will save yourself and your family a lot of time-consuming research; What school systems in the state and most specifically in the area that you are planning to relocate do the "best" overall job of providing services to students with learning disabilities?  Many State Directors will NOT divulge this information forcing you to contact each system on your own, but it is worth the attempt. 

5. Do NOT start looking for a home yet!  If you have been fortunate enough to get the State Director to provide a list of those school system's that provide strong services for special needs, great.  If you have not been provided with this list, it is now up to you to conduct the research on your own. 

6. Contact each Director of Special Education at each of the school systems close to or near the location you would like to relocate. 

a. Ask about services provided.  The last thing you want to do is relocate into a school system that does not offer much in the way of special needs services!

b. Ask if you can interview them in person...

c. Ask if you can provide the Director with a packet on your child or children for review.  If they are willing to review your child's packet and let you know if they can provide the appropriate services; your prayers have almost been answered.   

NOTE: Some school system's Legal Department will not allow the Special Education Director to open or review your child's packet.  The reason for this, and please don't take it personally, the school system may not offer much for those children with special needs and the system or the district may have to pay out-of-district tuition and provide bus service for your child to attend a district that does provide the needed services.  This now places additional expenses to the system or district that are not wanted.    

Many Directors of Special Education will review your child's packet and will let you know what services their district or system provides.  I always suggest a personal interview with each just to make certain that you are comfortable with the staff, the curriculum, and the services provided. 

Remember, there are differences by state and by school system / district on what they deem "appropriate" services.  In one state we were provided with one-on-one "pull-out" individual instruction for our child on most subjects.  That same year we were transferred to another state that only offered "group pull-out" for certain subjects.  One Special-Needs Instructor in this district had 20 students to attend to in this "group".....huge difference!

Once the pre-work has been completed, the research conducted, the personal interviews with the School Systems finished and your child's Student Packet of Information reviewed; ask for several recommendations on local Psychologists or Psychiatrists that the district has had a strong working relationship.  This just helps to tie-up all players toward your child's success! 

In the end, you may decide that a Private School catering to children with Learning Disabilities is more appropriate than the Public Schools in the state and community that you are moving to...that's ok; we have had to do that a few times as well.   

NOW, you can look for a home and best of luck!  I hope that I was helpful, but should you have additional questions, please feel free to contact me. Again, these were my experiences and yours "could" be a bit different.  If you are relocating to the Atlanta area, I would be more than happy to work with you. 

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