Is Private School Right for my Neurodivergent Child? BY AMANDA CIANI
A cademic growth. Accommodations. Communication. Discipline. Flexibility. And so on. Parents of neurodivergent children have many things to consider when it comes to their child’s education. They may ask themselves if private school is a good option for their child’s education. “Yes” or “no” are not really valid answers to this question; let’s go with “maybe” for now, because every private school is as unique as each neurodi- vergent child and their needs. To help answer the question at hand: “Is private school right for my neurodivergent child?” Cincinnati Family Magazine has rounded up even more questions which parents can ask prospective school officials. Do you accept students with learning disabilities? Would a student with learning differences be a good fit for this school? Get the obvious questions out of the way from the jump. If a school doesn’t accept students like your child, take your money elsewhere. Does the school offer an alternative system of support to aid students with different needs? While REPs, IEPs and 504 Plans are not legally required, private schools have the ability to create their own substitutes. These internal systems which can be adapted to individual students may include Student Support Plans (SSPs), Learning Profiles, Accommodation Plans, Direct Support Services and more. What kind of support staff members are employed at this school, including Intervention Specialists, Occupational Therapists, Speech Language Pathologists and counselors? Follow this up with clarifying questions on how often those employees are in the build- ing, and how service hours with individual students are determined. Is there an addi- tional cost for students to receive services from these providers? Having an SLP or OT on staff is great, but ensuring they work with your student on a regular basis is much more
important.
Neurodivergent or not, parents know their kids. They know their interests, their tolerance levels and their quirks. Hearing about an ed- ucational institution’s day-to-day operations including length of classes, specials available, extracurriculars and even something as simple as seeing the lunch room can help a parent imagine their student’s ability to form routines and simply fit in.
How many teachers have been trained specifically to work with neurodivergent students?
Smaller class sizes are an appealing aspect of private schools because students are given more individual attention from teachers. In fact, many private schools make their teacher to student ratio known. Yet neurodivergent parents can take this thought process one step further: how many of those teachers know how to effectively teach neurodiver- gent students? Knowing how many staff members have had training on ADHD, autism and learning disabilities can give a parent a better gauge on the level of understanding a school has regarding disabilities, accommo- dations and classroom strategies. What tools and accommodations does a neurodivergent student have access to at this school? Tools may include weighted vests, noise-can- celling headphones, a sensory room, flexible seating, fidgets, AAC devices and more. Addi- tional accommodations may include built in sensory breaks, additional recess, extended time for tests and assignments, differentiated instruction, modified tests, etc. What behavior policies are in place for neurodivergent students? This is a nice way of asking if a neurodiver- gent child will be disciplined for wiggling “too much” in their chair or if they will be given a demerit for information dumping at the wrong time. Asking to review a copy of the student handbook alongside a school official to go over specifics is a good idea to confirm expectations and also to discuss any flexibility for students with differences. While taking a gander at the student handbook would also be the optimal time to discuss how the school encourages inclusion and how it handles bullying. Would you be able to give us a tour of the school and chat about a typical school day?
Does this school offer trial periods or fit assessments?
Private school tuition is a big commitment, especially if the parent is unsure if the private school is going to work out for their student. Trial periods are a great way for a student to acclimate to a school’s social setting, explore their approach to academia and generally see if the school is a good fit for all involved. Can you explain the grading system here and evaluation of work, are there more tests or is the learning project-based? How much homework is assigned daily? Many private schools adhere to a rigorous course load and place a high level of impor- tance on academic excellence to challenge their student body. Alternative assessments may be available for neurodivergent students as well as opportunities for revisions and retests. Modified homework or extended deadlines may be options, too.
What type of communication can I expect from the school?
The answer parents should be looking for is proactive and consistent, not reactive and sparse. Neurodivergent parents should be kept in the loop as a part of their students’ academic success team! Issues should be identified early and communicated effective- ly so parents and teachers can collaborate and find resolutions together. Best of luck! We hope you find all of the right answers to these questions as you embark on your neurodiverse child’s educational journey!
30 JANUARY 2026 | CINCINNATIFAMILYMAGAZINE.COM
Made with FlippingBook interactive PDF creator