Can a PPCD Student Go to a Kindergarten Class?

I agree with Lisa O. They probably have to consolidate services. A friend's son was in the same boat and they would send a bus for him. Do they offer transportation?

I totally understand.

The deal is that the certain campus have the faculty, therapist and the equipment, with the ability to help these students. At our elementary school, we were the campus with all of this amazing assistance. The children attended regular classes as well as had special therapy . Each child had their own aide.

But I have heard that now that there are only 2 children that live in the area that need this special assistance, so the these services have been moved to another campus where the neighborhood has a larger population of children in need.

The good news is that the district does provide special transportation for these students. They pick up and drop off at the child's home every school day!

Maybe you could check into this in your district.

I would have him go to the school where the specialists are. They should be able to provide a bus pickup, or have him ride the bus to your neighborhood school, where he would then ride another bus to the other school.

This happens frequently in my area.

they cannot offer every special ed service in every school. there simply would not be enough students for each program. so they have to consolidate the services.

if you want your child to benefit from special ed.. it is best for him to go to the school that has the staff to best teach him.

if not he will be in a regular classroom with 20+ othe kids and he will not get the atttentioin that he needs.

I sent my daughter to the program that she needed. It broke my heart to do it but after being there for 20 minutes I knew the decision was the right one.
She just flourished in that program. She remained in that program until 5th grade when she came back to the home district. She fit in very well then. I have never regretted my decision. I too have four kids. Every year that particular program was in a different school, since NYS said no more "special Ed schools." So the program rented rooms in different schools in different districts. Did not bother her in the least. Actually she became more flexible. One year the transportation office could not work out a bus schedule. So bus picked up a little boy and then my daughter. They dropped off little boy. Then had like 40 minutes until her drop off time. So
Every day Betty took her for breakfast. Talk about feeling special. My daughter loved it. I know people will think OMG how could the bus not work out a schedule. It worked for all of us. So my suggestion is send him where he will get the appropriate help. He is young and has so much to gain just like my daughter did. So it does not fit your family's schedule. No one said life was fair. You do what you have to do for the child that needs
it. He will have a normal school day just like his friends. Just a different school. Not understanding f why he would have to get up at 5 am. You want him to go in the front. Heck, my daughter went in The door that was closest to where the bus parked. I would be very careful about how you project your feelings to you son. He will pick up on it. He is five years old, do what is best for him! Forget about what you want for him. I assume you want the best. Talking about what door he uses, long bus ride, says to me
You have not accepted the fact that he needs special services. The more intense the services are early on the more successful he will be later on. Think of him only. To him going to this program is normal. Remember he has never been in Kindergarten so he does not know what is "normal."
I would not do the 50/50 program. I would want as much help as I could get for him.

I believe in the most restrictive program early on. Trust me. Been thru this for a long time.

At the ARD they should be able to answer all of your questions for you. It is common for students who need additional services to not stay at their home campuses and be bussed to different schools based upon teacher availablity, especially since the budget cuts a few years back.
Typically most students who are in PPCD are still in classes with "regular" students, especially in the elementary school level, but they have the additional PPCD teacher in the classroom to work more closely with the PPCD students. My son is in a PPCD Pre-K program in SA right now as one of the regular ed students in the classroom, and he will likely be in a combo PPCD and regular class come kinder.
Come prepared with your list of questions at the ARD. They should be able to answer all of your questions there.

ETA: Judson does bus students to different campuses based upon student needs. I used to work for the district, and they were very good with that.

Good luck!

I think you should visit the home school and see what they have to offer him. With your IEP, they should be able to make accommodations for him no matter what; however, if they aren't as well equipped to handle his disabilities, you may want to put him on the other campus. Being at the school with the PPCD teachers does not mean he can't be in a mainstream class, does it? Hopefully he could be mainstreamed there, but still have the access to the special services he may require.

If your son's disabilities are purely physical, and his mental abilities are on par with his same-age peers, then you definitely want to make sure he's in a regular classroom. At least where I live, the vast majority of kids in the special needs classes have mental or behavioral disabilities/delays (autism, etc), so kids with only physical disabilities are sometimes held back by the behavioral issues that arise with their classmates.

He has disabilities and is on an IEP. Please send him to the school that will be able to help him learn. He will not succeed in a regular classroom. He needs extra help that he will not get in a regular classroom. He needs this firm foundation so that he'll be more likely able to transition to a regular classroom later tho that depends on what his special needs are.

Talk with people at your meeting on Thursday. They will explain the differences between the two schools for you.

You cannot turn him into a kid without special needs by putting him in a regular classroom. He might be able to be in a regular classroom later if these needs are met now.

First of all, get him out of PPCD and into the Least Restictive Envirornment if he is capable. First of all, I have gone thru this. My youngest has Downs and she surpassed everyones milestones because we refused for her to go into PPCD. Once your kid is in it is very hard to get them out. Expectations are everything, my daughter could go to regular pre K because she was pottied trained. When it came to Kinder, she was a head of the game with most kids. Push to have your kid inclusive if it is appropriate. It may not be, but if it is, stand your ground and sign nothing.....Ok, so now she is in 6th grade and her special ed has increased but let me tell you she is so integrated it is just wonderful.

Good luck,

DH

Good kycj