School District Boundaries

[tacomaranch]

We are enrolled in a developmental school that buses the children from his autism school to the preschool. However, I have rented an apt that is out of the established boundaries.

Should I lie about my addy? I need him to go to the preschool so I can get a job to survive the cost of having to move and to support DS and myself. I can pick him up each day from the preschool but not from the autism school to bring him to a different school.

Or should I just request an exemption, knowing I will most likely not get it??? Urg. I hate being dishonest and I feel it sets a bad example for DS but we already moving just for the autism school!

Please, no flames, I am feeling tired emotionally from having to move.

April

 

[MousekeMommy]

Wow, I'm really sorry for your predicament.
That being said, I personally wouldn't risk making things worse by lying about my address. In OH where I taught, if you were found to be lying about your address, in addition to getting kicked out, the district could (and sometimes did) take you to court, and then you had to pay whatever the school's yearly per pupil spending amount, as a kind-of tuition restitution. (I know of 3 cases over 5 years where this was done in the district that I taught in.) Per pupil expenditures are regularly $3,000-$8,000 in this neck of the woods--easily the price of a private school tuition. And I wouldn't be surprised if the school district could be awarded extra funds if your child had special needs that make his/her per year expenditure amount more than the average . . . (I don't know this for sure, but it really wouldn't surprise me.) Many school budgets are stretched thin by the students living legitimately in their boundaries, so few are forgiving about residency violations and seek restitution when they can.
So, a long answer to a short ?, but no, I don't think you should lie about your address.
Good luck finding a solution! Hugs and Prayers!

 

[Scutapipig]

Is there a school of choice option in your state? I think I would contact the school(s) directly and simply explain the situation and see what they say.

 

[tacomaranch]

Because I am moving I don't even know about option schools? DS has autism and after his ASSERT school was scheduled to go to a developmental preschool.

There is one by our new apartment! But I can't get a job if I have to leave after 3 hours to get DS.

I made an appt. with the Dept. of workforce services to see if they can help me find a job. If I can get a job for 15 hours a week they will pay for private childcare for DS. There is NT preschool at the campus he is going to be at! I would love for him to go to a NT school because I think he can do it.

For me finding a job. I hit a full grown bull moose and sustained a very serious TBI. I have taught myself to type, talk, walk, and mostly handle my affairs. I am legally disabled and get social security. I wish I could live off the money but it is just not enough.

I need to find a job I can do??? That is also the problem because I really don't know what I can do anymore. I can't remember things and I know I can't "stack" instructions. I can remember about 3 things when told to me.....

I don't mean to whine. I thank the Lord each day that I am alive and my son is doing so well. We are going to the best school in the next state for autism. We found a nice apartment in a country setting. And this all for just one year.

Life will be ok, but I am just so upset having to pack, the out of boundaries thing really has me going. Of course no one was in today to speak to about the school in our area.

Thanks for reading my woes and it is just a bad day.

April

 

[Forevryoung]

I'm going to school for speech path. as you may know already. I don't know if you realized that cognitive therapy (ooh retraining your memory, providing strategies...) falls under our services.

I know you don't have time for one more thing on your plate but a few sessions (even for a few weeks) which could be covered by either office of vocational rehab (or whatever your state calls it) or your health insurance as a necessary outpatient service might help you figure out what memory strategies would be the most beneficial or give you memory tasks to help you retrain your brain to work slightly better than it is right now. I know that PA's OVR pays for speech services so it's worth a shot.

Just a thought as I'm not sure what you should do regarding the boundary issue. Good luck!

 

[cymomtx]

If his school district is like ours, they are going to require a copy of your rental lease and utility bill. So it would be very difficult to lie about your address.

 

[tacomaranch]

Friends,

It is really about where I stand morally. I don't judge and people are given hard choices everyday. They do what is best for them.

I am just going to not lie, keep our happy place to live and have faith that it will be ok. That is what is right for me. Maybe DS will only go to school in the morning. He is only 4 and afternoons would make for a long day.

I will pick him and we will play and learn about our new city.

Thanks for the support and help.

April