What to Do if a Residential Placement isn’t Working?

Residential placements are voluntary, and families have the right to speak up when a placement isn’t working. Kelly Rain Collin explains what happens when parents say no—how transitions are negotiated, what options may be explored next, and how school districts must revisit support plans to ensure a student continues to receive a free and appropriate public education (FAPE), whether at home, in a new placement, or through alternative programs.

Want to learn more about residential placement? Check out our Residential Placement 101 article.