Parents of children with disabilities are facing significant challenges in securing residential special education placements capable of meeting their children’s complex needs, a situation that is leaving many families without viable educational options.
Charlotte, a 10-year-old from Montgomery County, Maryland, is among those whose family has struggled for months to find a residential program that can provide the individualized care she requires. Despite referrals to seven residential schools across the Northeast, none have availability for the upcoming school year. Charlotte’s parents, Jasmin Lange-Geise and Susan Hartman, acknowledge that the wait could extend for months or even years due to the scarcity of spots at such facilities.
Charlotte, who has developmental disabilities and considerable care needs, currently attends a community-based program within the public school system but lacks a dedicated one-on-one aide. Her school placement focuses primarily on basic life skills such as toilet training and emotional regulation rather than academic subjects, reflecting her parents’ understanding that traditional educational goals like reading or math are unlikely. With residential programs at capacity, her family continues to provide nearly round-the-clock care, a responsibility made more difficult by a shortage of qualified home health aides.
Similarly, Michael Graglia of California has confronted prolonged gaps in schooling for his 12-year-old son, Tony, who has SYNGAP1-related disorder, a condition involving epilepsy and autism. Tony’s violent behaviors, especially when upset, have made finding suitable educational placement difficult. After an extended search and several months without school, Tony began attending a residential treatment and special education program in Kansas in April 2026. While Graglia reports progress in Tony’s condition, the distance—approximately 1,800 miles from home—poses emotional and logistical challenges for the family.
Experts identify overcrowding and staffing shortages as major factors limiting availability in residential special education programs. Rita Gardner, president and CEO of Melmark, a provider of private special education schools, explained that students at such programs often remain enrolled for many years, which reduces turnover and exacerbates wait times. One family reportedly waited seven years before securing a placement. Additionally, some residential schools cite limited staff resources as reasons for declining referrals, pointing to the broader caregiver shortage impacting both residential and in-home support.
Parents like Lange-Geise and Hartman also confront the long-term uncertainty of care beyond K-12 education. They worry about what will happen once Charlotte ages out of school programs and whether appropriate adult services will be available. Moving out of their school district qualifies Charlotte’s IEP (Individualized Education Program) to cover the costs of private placements, making relocation an impractical option despite potential availability of programs elsewhere.
The disjointed nature of special education and care services, which are separately licensed and funded at different life stages, compounds difficulties faced by families. Gardner noted that early access to effective educational and care programs can influence long-term independence, but gaps in service provision often place additional burdens on adult care systems.
For now, families like the Graglias remain focused on continuity and progress at current placements, hoping that improvements will allow their children to eventually transition to programs closer to home. Meanwhile, they and other parents continue to navigate a system described as overburdened and inadequate for children with the most intensive needs.