The Foreign Service Journal, June 2023

70 JUNE 2023 | THE FOREIGN SERVICE JOURNAL EDUCATION SUPPLEMENT available through the school. Posts may approve up to 50 percent above the “At Post” SNEA rate for allowable expenses. When necessary, Supplementary Instruc- tion can be funded up to $4,100, in addi- tion to the “At Post” SNEA rate. The “Home Study/Private Instruction/ Virtual Schooling” (HS/PI/VS) SNEA rates are now equivalent to the HS/PI/VS rates under DSSR 274.12b (K–6 $10,500 and 7–12 $21,500, as of March 23, 2023). MED/CFP reviews the child’s ILP or equivalent and approves funds for addi- tional services required in the ILP. Posts may reimburse for allowable expenses up to 50 percent above the HS/PI/VS SNEA rate. Previously, the HS/PI/VS SNEA rate was the same as the “At Post” SNEA rate. The methodology for the “Away from Post” SNEA rate remains the same: an average of U.S. and foreign boarding schools attended by children with special needs plus an international transporta- tion component to get the child between their school and the employee’s foreign post of assignment. The current amount, as of March 23, 2023, is $95,400 annually. As above, MED/ CFP reviews each child’s ILP or equivalent and approves additional services required in the ILP. Posts may reimburse for allow- able expenses up to 50 percent above the “Away from Post” SNEA rate. GCLO: Is there a new cap for SNEA reimbursements? It appears that the services are capped at 150 percent of the standard “At Post” education allowance. FROM THE DECEMBER 2022 FSJ EDUCATION SUPPLEMENT Returning to U.S. Public Schools with Special Education Needs: What You Need to Know BY CHARLOTTE LARSEN AND REBECCAMCPHERSON R eturning to the U.S. after being overseas with a child who has an Indi- vidualized Education Program (IEP) or a 504 Plan can be a challenge. Finding the right services and schools to meet the needs of your child will take time to research and understand. As every child is different, many factors will go into this decision process. It is important to research the school districts and programs you are consid- ering and evaluate whether the education they have received overseas will align with the different types of public school systems in the U.S. Starting early, asking questions, and connecting with the right resources will be cru- cial to making the transition easier. As a Foreign Service parent, you may face the reality that the IEP or 504 Plan from your children’s international school is no longer valid once they come home, nor is any educational assessment completed by an outside provider. If a child receives an IEP-504 from an international school overseas, including a State Department–assisted school, it will not be accepted by a U.S. public school. The Global Community Liaison Office (GCLO) wants to help you under- stand how to navigate and advocate for the best outcome for your child in these situations. Knowing who to contact can save time and can contribute to a successful transition back to the U.S. You can visit GCLO’s Special Needs and the Foreign Service Child web page for parent resource centers in the D.C./Maryland/ Virginia (DMV) school districts and to connect with the Parent Educational Advocacy Training Centers in the state where you choose to live. You can start communicating with the school in the U.S. as soon as you know you are returning. Starting early allows you to understand the pro- cess for the school where you are hoping to enroll your child. Under the U.S. education law and IDEA 2004, an educational evaluation must be performed every three years. The Bureau of Medical Services Child and Family Program (CFP) encour- ages families to contact MEDCFP@state.gov before scheduling an assessment and choosing an evaluator. CFP specialists can answer questions, discuss concerns, and provide recommendations for services that the schools can con- sider, as well as confirm whether an evaluator and the assessment meet the qualifications for Special Needs Education Allowance (SNEA) eligibility. Charlotte Larsen has been a Foreign Service family member at six overseas posts over the last 26 years. She joined the Global Community Liaison Office as education and youth program officer in 2020. Rebecca McPherson has been a Foreign Service family member for eight years, serv- ing both overseas and domestically. She joined the Global Community Liaison Office in January 2020 and is an education and youth program specialist. The complete article appears in the December 2022 FSJ . Whatever is necessary for the child’s education is allowed. —ALS