Is a special education school right for your child? These schools can be public, nonpublic or private and often utilize different teaching methods than traditional public schools, as well as professional training programs, that are specially designed for students with disabilities.
Though the Ideas with Disabilities Education Act guarantees that all students with disabilities have access to public school education at no cost, some families choose private and non-public schools that charge tuition in favor of their specialized programming.
Many states offer financial assistance programs to help shoulder the cost.
To apply to these schools, students typically receive an evaluation to determine their disability and educational needs. But it can be difficult to determine which school is right for you.
Here are some factors to keep in mind as you explore schools in the Baltimore area.
Demographics
While some special education schools cover a wide range of disabilities, including physical, intellectual, developmental and learning disabilities, others are more specific—and may be a better option for children with that disability.
Like its name suggests, the Maryland School for the Blind, at the northernmost edge of Baltimore City near Overlea, serves students who are blind or have low vision.
Because of this singular focus, the school and its faculty are well-versed in teaching methods and the use of adaptive tools that make learning more accessible to students with low or no vision.
Students have access to more resources and peer bonding with those who have similar experiences. Of course, schools catering to a wide range of needs can give your child the opportunity to meet and befriend students with other disabilities and learn more about them.
Curriculum
The way subjects are taught can vary greatly between special education schools. It can depend on the age of students taught or the kinds of disabilities they have.
Some special education schools will take their students through the standard public school curriculum used for their district, but with the use of adaptive tools and additional resources.
For example, the Sheppard Pratt School in Glyndon, located in Reisterstown, uses the Baltimore County Curriculum, Maryland College and Career Readiness Curriculum and Syracuse Community-Referenced Curriculum Guide, but all of these are adapted to be more accessible to students with autism and intellectual disabilities.
Others use completely different approaches to teaching. Individualized education is common at special needs schools, as they take students’ specific needs into account and help to tailor the curriculum to their learning style.
In both public and non-public special education programs, it is common for parents to fill out an Individualized Education Plan (IEP) for their child, outlining their specific needs and learning style.
Other common approaches to learning at special education schools include multisensory learning, which engages the five senses and allows students to get hands-on experiences with the subjects they are learning about, and arts-based learning, as art can help students with communication difficulties to better express themselves.
Therapy
In addition to a regular school curriculum, many special education schools such as The Harbour School at Baltimore, in Owings Mills, offer therapy programs for students. These usually include occupational therapy, physical therapy, speech therapy and in-school counseling.
While many public schools also offer therapy services, students often have to miss classes to take therapy, as the regular curriculum is not made with extra time for therapy in mind.
According to the National Institutes of Health study, “Therapy use for U.S. school-aged children with developmental disabilities: State variation and determinants,” in-school therapy can be especially helpful for developing children’s physical, language, emotional and social skills, as developmental disabilities affect children early in life.
Administering therapy at an early age can help children with disabilities develop important life skills.
Post-School Programming
Graduating high school at 18 and heading off to college may not be an option for all students with disabilities or neurodivergence, but special education schools offer tools to help students enter the workforce, go to college or receive continued care.
The Baltimore Lab School in Baltimore City gives students in its senior internship program hands-on job experience at local institutions like Johns Hopkins University, the Maryland Institute College of Art and the Baltimore Mounted Police.
They teach students important work skills, like interviewing and working with customers. Some schools, like the Maryland School for the Blind, even have on-campus businesses.
