The Foreign Service Journal, June 2013

94 JUNE 2013 | THE FOREIGN SERVICE JOURNAL EDUCATION SUPPLEMENT you to explain the circumstances more effectively than just sending an e-mail. It’s easier to say no to an e-mail than it is after listening to a person’s story. Be sure to highlight any strength that your child has so that the focus is not solely on the psychological-educational evaluation. School records with teacher comments are also important. It is extremely important to be as honest and forthright as possible in these conversations. Yes, you want your child to be admitted. But the more important goal is for your child to be in an environment where he or she will thrive. Do not with- hold information. Once you disclose your child’s learning differences, be alert to the response. If the school is negative or not willing to embrace your child, you need to think twice about that school. In my experience, many international schools can now accommodate mild to moderate learning differences in the lower grades. However, once they become older and enter high school, the work becomes more complex, the tasks required of students are more demanding, and the ability of most international schools to meet those needs diminishes. This is when a boarding school that truly understands and welcomes a child with exceptional needs may be the best possible option. Fortunately, the away-from-post allow- ance for students with special needs is generous and will generally cover the cost of a first-class education. Other Educational Options Homeschooling . Many more families are choosing the option of homeschool- The regulation states that the course of study must either be accredited or be approved by the school district in the child’s home school district in the United States. Continued on p. 98