American regular schools in the private sector are all set up in states throughout USA for various purposes with facilities, teaching and support mainly for so called normal classroom teaching with students that or not disabled in anyway.
As a private school can offer day or residential boarding school for student’s k12 education various levels of staffing with specialist knowledge & skills require being available for classroom teaching and boarding students 24 hours daily.
United States normal private schools don’t need to accept autistic students if they don’t have knowledge, facilities or skills to teach an autistic child. Regular k12 private schools also don’t require following Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA), though might accept high functioning, not disruptive or no behavior issues autistic students.
Private therapeutic schools in America accept students with various levels of autism, not every child, although special education schools in the private sector accept all types of autistic k12 male and female elementary to high school students.
Can private schools deny students with disabilities?
A private sector fee paying school can certainly deny a student with disabilities, such as autistic k12 children with behavior or learning difficulties that’s cognitive in nature, if they don’t have appropriate teaching & learning skills, knowledge, support and school facilities.
Regular private sector schools how they work actually do deny autistic children from attending they’re school citing lack of:
- Appropriate separate room if required.
- Extra teaching time.
- Qualified support staff.
- Lack of interacting with other students.
- Child’s history of violent or aggressive physical behavior.
- Pace of lessons that all students is expected to keep up with.
- Students level of general understanding at that age level.
Schools all have an admission criterion that involves a written & verbal assessment and face to face or online one to one interview between the school and student. Here many autistic children will not meet the required standard for admission into a so called normal private school in the United States.
Do private schools have to accept disabled students in USA
United States private schools don’t have to accept students that are disabled if they are set up in a way that teachers and staff members don’t have sufficient skills & knowledge, to be around, look after or teach effectively an autistic student.
Further, private schools in US don’t require following or meet specified standards of Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) as they have a curriculum, teaching timetable & classroom techniques for students without disabilities.
In states around America normal private schools cater to k12 school children that are not disabled with teaching & learning, daily routines and practices to provide a well rounded education that a normal physical & cognitive functioning child can do.
Specialist American sports and military schools don’t require accepting autistic children as the private school teaches and delivers an education curriculum and other activities that generally non autistic students have abilities for.
Autistic child normal school trail
Certain normal United States private schools could offer a trail period for high functioning autistic children with terms & conditions just like all other students who enroll at the same school.
The trail enrollment for you’re son or daughter would be weeks and they would require to meet the required standard of admission for that certain private school the same as other students.
Did you know: Teaching & learning for normal female or male k12 school children is different from autistic school students learning. Most notably, its highly possible class teachers at private schools haven’t received appropriate training or assessment teaching an autistic child.
When I was a high school teacher I received 2 hours training about managing & teaching students with disabilities, certainly not enough to effectively teach an autistic student towards a good education standard.
Private schools types that accept autistic students
Parents maybe asking can my autistic child go to private school? Yes, there are options in USA depending on the type and severity of autism you’re child has.
Normal private school (Kindergarten, elementary to high school)
As mentioned above a private school may give a child a trail enrollment if they’re high functioning with autism. Kindergarten should be no problem, although when you’re child reaches elementary to high school age limited options are available.
In the past, when I was teaching at high school I had a 11-12 year old autistic student in my classroom that I taught for 5 single lessons per week where they had assistance from a learning support person that assist them in each lesson.
The normal high school (Not USA) was a local state school for students attending a school with regular classrooms, meaning no other child in my class was autistic.
The autistic student was capable of understanding lesson content, with assistance and completing class & homework to above average standard for all students in the same class lessons.
Religious faith schools
Some faith based schools, such as Christian, Muslim or Catholic schools could possibly have more relaxed entrance criteria meaning they may accept a certain student that has mild autism if they would integrate successfully, and the school can accommodate them.
Therapeutic day & boarding school
American therapeutic day & boarding schools are located around the United States, such as New England therapeutic day & boarding schools that offer a temporary or full academic year education to autistic children.
Therapeutic schools will accept students with different levels of autism, although not all. Finding an appropriate school in you’re area should be achievable, although some US states have limited space for specific children as class sizes are kept small.
Bear in mind also therapeutic schools may only offer one to a few months education and not a full academic year of teaching & learning parents are looking for they’re daughter or son.
Special education private school
You as a parent of an autistic child already know about special education schools that will accept a student with autism.
Depending on where you live 1-2 options of a full time education that’s appropriate for you’re child will be available in the state locally to where you live, expect rural areas.
American private schools that don’t accept autistic students
Military school
Unlikely to accept any child that has autism due to the schools daily routine, strict discipline, military type training, activities and possible school learning curriculum offered.
Boarding military school has larger classes, dorm rooms and students have more interaction with one another working individually and as a team. Even if you’re child attended day school the faster pace of activities students are expected to take part in may not be appropriate for many students with autism.
Specialist sports school
A sports school also operates as a private school for non autistic students, and is only likely to offer admissions to you’re autistic child if they’re high functioning.
The demands of both a full educational teaching timetable coupled with sporting activities takes a lot out of any child. All students at the school require being able to cope with the high pressure and long teaching & sports day private schools have, so they may deny admission for one reason or another.