Deciding to place your child in a new school is a difficult decision. This is particularly true when parents are deciding whether to move their child from a traditional school to a therapeutic school.
Because this is an important decision, parents should approach it carefully. Factors such as the child’s needs, the school’s programs and services, and the fit between the two must be considered. This article discusses these factors and others that parents should consider when deciding to move to a therapeutic school in New York City.
Factor 1 – What Does Your Child Need?
Every child is unique. So, you should start by identifying your child’s needs, defining them, and prioritizing them.
First, consider what your child needs. You should list their academic struggles, but you should also list their non-academic needs, such as navigating social interactions, controlling their emotions, managing sensory issues, and learning life skills. If your child is old enough, ask for their input during the process.
Second, be specific. For example, “doesn’t like school” is not the same as “has school-related anxiety.” Being specific will help you create better goals. “Increasing attendance” is one thing; “reducing anxiety-related school avoidance” is another. One gets to the core of the issue while the other does not.
Third, prioritize the needs. Again, academics should not be the sole focus. For example, it may be important for your autistic child to get emotional support at school to prevent meltdowns when they’re at home.
Finally, think about where you’d like your child to be at a certain point – the end of the school year, the end of middle school, etc. Create clear goals that can be achieved in that time frame.
Factor 2 – What Does the Therapeutic School Offer?
Here, parents should consider the school’s academic and non-academic programs.
Academics
Academic offerings should be a key consideration. In addition to the standard curriculum, parents should look for features such as:
- Teachers who understand how to support children with learning differences
- How they prepare children to graduate
- How they help children who might be below grade level reach their peers
- Whether they prepare students for college, vocational school, or other post-secondary programs
- A curriculum that is challenging enough for a twice-exceptional student
Be sure to ask about how credits from the current school will transfer. Be specific about which credits will transfer and which will not. Under New York State guidelines, most credits from other New York schools must be accepted if they are “of comparable scope and quality.” It’s crucial to make sure that there is a plan to regain any lost credits so your student can graduate on time.
Counseling, Therapeutic, and Other Services
While it’s a good idea to ask how many counselors are on staff, that should not be the end of the conversation. You’ll need to ask questions specific to your child’s needs. For example, if a child struggles with emotional control, the parent should ask pointed questions about how the counseling staff and teachers help children with self-regulation and similar skills.
You should also look into how well the counselors and teachers work together. Having both pieces in the same building is not enough if they don’t communicate. Things to ask about include:
- Whether the teaching and counseling teams work together to develop goals for your child
- Whether academic and therapeutic goals are mutually reinforcing
- When and how often the teachers and counselors will communicate about your child
- Whether counseling staff actively participate in classroom sessions or simply observe
- How the teams coordinate the removal (and return) of emotionally or otherwise overwhelmed students
- How and how often the school’s counseling team will talk to outside providers
Factor 3 – Whether the School Fits Your Child’s Needs
Gauging the fit between your child’s needs and the school’s offerings can be tricky. Some things, such as teacher-student ratios, can be easily measured, while others, such as building trust, cannot. At a minimum, you can look at which aspects of the school’s offerings match the needs and goals you identified earlier. However, don’t be satisfied with answers such as, “Yes, we’ve helped many students with ADHD.” Dig deeper. If your child’s ADHD means that they need help with executive functioning, ask detailed questions about how the school handles that to determine whether the school might be a good fit.
Also, even the best schools are not perfect. Make note of each school’s strengths and weaknesses. Plan for how you’ll address each school’s shortcomings. If you can’t, it’s a strong sign that the school is not a good fit.
Questions Parents Can Ask While Touring a Therapeutic School
Again, parents ask questions based on their child’s needs. However, here are some general questions that can apply to many families.
- Do students like mine tend to succeed at your school?
- Does your school help students set their own goals?
- Will my child’s credits transfer?
- How does your school approach college and other post-secondary plans?
- When and how often are therapeutic services provided?
- What is your process for working with outside therapists?
- What does a typical school day look like?
- Can your school address all of your child’s needs? If not, what happens?
- What happens when students aren’t progressing as expected?
Frequently Asked Questions About Choosing a Therapeutic School
- Can students who graduate from a therapeutic school attend college?
Yes. While each school has different requirements, each school should have a pathway toward a diploma that will be accepted by colleges.
- Can parents tour a therapeutic school before applying?
Absolutely. Academics West offers both virtual and in-person tours.
- Do therapeutic schools offer extracurricular activities?
Yes. The options vary by school. The offerings at Academics West include sports, theatre, dance, and photography. There are also student-led clubs.
- Can my child continue seeing an outside therapist while attending therapeutic school?
Usually, yes. However, the parent will have to ensure that the proper consent forms are completed so the teams can communicate.
How Can Academics West Help Children with Their Learning Needs?
As your family is evaluating therapeutic schools, we hope you’ll consider Academics West. We’re an independent K–12 school on the Upper West Side. Our proprietary Clinically Informed Academics system helps us create individualized learning profiles for each student. Our teachers and clinical staff meet each week to plan for and assess student progress. We also help students prepare for and transition to college. We’re confident that we can help your student.
Learn more about our school by taking our virtual tour. You can also schedule an in-person visit by calling 212-580-0080 or using our online scheduler.