How can I get a private school placement for my child with an IEP?

There are two possible methods for private school placement:

1. Parents independently place their child in a private school (known as parentally placed).

2. Placement is assigned by the school district at a non-public school (NPS), which is a specialized private school that is contracted by a public school and certified to provide special education for students with disabilities. You can learn more about NPS in our article Non-Public School (NPS) 101.

Parents have the authority to place their children in a private school without needing approval from their school district. However, if your child requires additional educational support, private schools that aren’t receiving government funding aren't obligated to accept children with disabilities or offer them special education services. Private schools can outright deny enrollment to your child or decline to offer special education services. Private schools are required only to provide reasonable accommodations under the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA), and the private school has the discretion to determine what is and is not reasonable.

For more information, see our full article Private School 101.