Help with placement choice for kindergarten....need some feedback please may be a bit long

My ds will be going to kindergarten in the fall. He has apraxia and has been doing well. For those of you unfamiliar with apraxia....an example.....pretend you knew what you wanted to say, but couldn't get your brain to make the connection to your mouth to say it. So at first he was diagnosed as speech delayed, but now that they know what he has he is getting the help he needs and is beginning to speak.

So that being said, last year when he was tested he scored a 6-12 month in expressive language and a 9-12 month in receptive. He was just recently tested again and now that they know what he has and he's been speaking...his scores shot up. He scored 3 year 11 month in expressive and 4 year 8 month in receptive. I'm estatic!

So here is the question. In our district we do not have a full time kindergarten placement, only half day. Special Ed kindergarten is full day. His team members and my dh and I (we're both teachers) do feel that the best place for him would be a regular ed kindergarten, but I'm worried b/c he would still have to be pulled 3 - 4 times a week for the intensive speech he needs which would leave him virtually no time in the class.

The team members had said they would recommend for me a special ed class placement if I wanted him to go full day, but all agree he does not really belong there. I do know however, although districts don't really like doing this....that I could ask for a regular ed kindergarten and request that he have someone come to the house for his services.

I need to talk this out and get some ideas from everyone. Thanks!

Re: Help with placement choice for kindergarten....need some feedback please may be a bit long

So glad he is doing well!!!

I would say typical kindergarten. If it were me I would ask for center based service, which is what we do now.

Lance's SLP also does speech in his class once a week. That may be an option for you also.

If your district won't give in, is it possible that you could pay for private K?

Re: Help with placement choice for kindergarten....need some feedback please may be a bit long

My DD got services in pre-k, but did not qualify for kindergarten.

If your DS has made so much improvement this year, I would want to do the Special Ed K for next year. I would want a full day program. I would not want a half day one that would also pull him out for services. I would worry about not enough classroom time.

Can you visit the full day Spec Ed classroom now, before you make your decision?

Re: Help with placement choice for kindergarten....need some feedback please may be a bit long

can he do the gen ed half day K and get speech outside of the school day?

Re: Help with placement choice for kindergarten....need some feedback please may be a bit long

I would view the special class as well. It's done differently in every school district and he may be placed with kids who have similar speech delays. Maybe speak with the teacher and speech teacher on staff in that building so they can help answer some questions for you.

The other option (half day with services) sounds good too. Weigh your different options and the pros/cons. Look at the gen ed K class as well as a source of comparison.

Re: Help with placement choice for kindergarten....need some feedback please may be a bit long

Does your school district have an integrated K class? That may be another option.

Re: Help with placement choice for kindergarten....need some feedback please may be a bit long

Thanks everyone. I have two older dd's who have attended kindergarten and do know the teachers well. The special K differs every year since there is no way to tell what type of makeup the class will be until they start doing the dial screening in late April of the new incoming students. I did speak to two of the teachers I know and the thing is everyone is somewhat stuck as to what they think would be best. Since my ds is not a "typical case" in terms of what they experienced everyone is not sure where to go with this one. The nice thing is, is that they are pretty much leaving up to my dh and I as to what placement we want to try him in.

Re: Help with placement choice for kindergarten....need some feedback please may be a bit long

I would pick which ever placement gave him the most intensive services. Could you start with spec ed and then move to reg ed if he's not a good fit?

I also agree with PP that a half day prog loaded with pullouts doesn't seem worthwhile.