Residential Treatment Center (RTC) vs Alternative School

[klmno]

What qualifies to have the sd place a child in Residential Treatment Center (RTC) instead of alternative school? Our alternative schools here are worthless but I know the sd doesn't want to pay for difficult child to be placed in Residential Treatment Center (RTC)- and his last home school refused to consider it when I begged for it because the principal said he did not come close to justifying it based on his behavior at school. But, if it was determined that difficult child was high-risk for being a threat, would they pput him in an alternative as the LRE to avoid paying for Residential Treatment Center (RTC) even though if difficult child was threat at school, he's be a threat everywhere and really need 24 hour supervision to prevent it?

IOW, is it like getting Residential Treatment Center (RTC) thru mental health wheere you have to try in-home therapy first? Or can/will sd's skip alternative school and go straight for Residential Treatment Center (RTC) placement?

 

[rlsnights]

FIRST - the IEP team must identify the child's areas of disability and special education and related services needs.

THEN and only then is it appropriate for the IEP team to decide on a placement.

Need determines placement not the other way around.

So you must clearly define your child's needs and then ask the SD how they are going to meet those needs. If an alternative school is proposed then they must be able to go point by point down the list of needs and explain how alt school will meet his needs.

It is perfectly appropriate for you and your advocate to insist on a discussion of other placement options that may meet your son's needs as well or better than the SD's preferred option.