Dear Homeschool Frederick,
We are starting to think about homeschooling our son, but he receives speech therapy through the school system. If we homeschool him, will we still be able to get speech through the schools for free? If not, what do we do?
Sincerely,
Homeschool Mom
Dear Homeschool Mom,
Unfortunately, the answer to this question is no, you will not be able to continue receiving services through FCPS. From the MSDE website:
"Can a home-schooled student receive special education services?
Children with disabilities who are home schooled do not have an individual entitlement to special education services. Local school systems will offer free appropriate education (FAPE) in accordance with an Individualized Education Program (IEP) to all students with disabilities at any time the parent decides to access public school education. If a parent believes that a child should be evaluated to determine eligibility for special education services, the parent should call the Special Education Office of the local school system."
Unfortunately, this places many parents in the tough position of choosing between what they feel is the best educational environment for their children vs. the ability to receive therapeutic services. We were in the same boat with our twin daughters when they left the public school and they lost speech services.
First, if you have health insurance, check to determine if any services are covered. Most plans only cover speech therapy for stroke and accidents victims, so this is a long shot.
If speech is not covered by your insurer, check with Frederick County Child Find at 301‑644‑5292 to see if they can recommend low cost speech providers in the area. Also check the Maryland Speech Language Hearing Association for a list of licensed local providers. The University of Maryland offers a speech clinic which may reduce your costs. Towson University also offers a speech language and hearing clinic.
Some speech therapists may be able to teach you activities you can do at home to cut down on the number of sessions where they need to be present.
The Linguisystems website also has an array of speech-related products that can be used at home. Consultation with a speech therapist is recommended to point you in the right direction on this website, as there are so many different types of speech issues, and one product will not fit all. The speech therapist at my daughters' public school gave us direction on what to use at home and how to find the specific product (Lindamood Bell-Visualizing and Verbalization) that she was using with our girls. This program is very expensive when delivered by a private therapist, but I was able to purchase the book and use it at home for less than $60.00.
Other products to ask your therapist about:
- Beyond Speech Therapy Learning is mentioned on some homeschool sites, but I don't see any research associated with it, so I would check with your school therapist before trying this one.
- Earobics: helps improve listening, cognitive, auditory processing and phonemic awareness skills. This product has a strong research base to support it and can be used at home.
- Straight Talk: the National Challenged Homeschoolers Associated Network has two products developed by speech therapists specifically for homeschooling parents. These get positive reviews on many homeschool sites.
Best of luck to you on your journey. We have found that speech activities are a fun part of our homeschooling day, and hope that you will find success as well!
Sincerely,
Beth Redmond, Editor