Special Needs and the Magnet Lottery

[Dunning Mom]

My child will be entering K next fall, and so we are getting ready to have him do the magnet school lottery. He has autism, and is in a self-contained preschool class right now.

Does anyone know if there is a place on the lottery application to indicate that he has an IEP?

Is there a way to find out which schools have self-contained special ed rooms, so we can put those on our lottery application? What if he gets into a school that doesn't have a program?

[Christine Whitley]

There isn't any place on the Standard Elementary Application to indicate special needs or an IEP. IEP status is not supposed to impact any child's chances in a lottery. CPS tries to be inclusive if at all possible, which means you aren't going to find very many schools that have a separate self-contained special ed classroom. They really want special ed kids to be with the general population with their OT /ST and PT needs met by aides.

Parents correct me on this if I am wrong as Special Ed is not my area of expertise!

This site might be helpful for you.


Honestly I have heard that special ed is not something CPS does very well. In a cash-strapped school system there is never enough money for adequate therapies, aides, etc. But this is absolutely hearsay so hopefully someone more knowledgeable than me can help you.