Need to examine why the boy no longer attended at the public school. Advocates know that parents are routinely led to believe that a district “has no program” for a student, and that homeschooling is a “choice”. Special ed students in MO can attend “schooling” through age 21. Perhaps the parents weren’t aware of their options.
Budgets in public schools have resulted in lack of enough staff to work with our kids; resulting in these “forced drop-outs”.
Parents are often overwhelmed by the extra responsibilites of raising a child who is special. Many parents have lost careers due to the responsbilities–including being called by the public school to come up and take care of their kid.
Did the public school do what was appropriate for this boy? Kids in special ed in public schools have documents called “IEPs”. Does this boy’s IEP indicate the program at the public school was appropriate? Where was the social worker at the public school district?
Missouri Special Education Advocates 