31 for 21: Why Not Special Education Preschool?

You might have caught in the last post that Max is attending a regular, private, church run preschool.  Kids with developmental delays or disabilities are entitled to free, public preschool when they turn 3, and so we're doing something a bit different from many families in our area.  Our decision is something I want to write about because I don't talk about it much.  Unfortunately, the discussions we've had often pit typical classrooms against special education classrooms.  Since I hope that both inclusive settings and professionals with special education experience will have a lot of influence on Max's learning, I hate this dichotomy. So, to set the record straight:

• We aren't sending Max to a typical preschool because we're worried about the quality of the special education programs in our district.  We've got lots of friends in those programs and they love them.
• We aren't sending Max to a typical preschool because we're worried about the influence of kids with other disabilities.  Honestly, that is the biggest downside to what we're doing.  In my perfect world Max would be in a classroom with kids with a variety of abilities.  (And really, considering the things my 1st grader comes home repeating, I'm more worried about the bad influence of the typically developing kids...)
• We aren't sending Max to a typical preschool because we don't see the value in trained Special Education teachers and therapists.  We love our current EI therapists, and I'm certain we will have many, many positive interactions with Special Education teachers in the future.  I'm new to this whole disability thing--and I am grateful for the support and experience that we are able to pull from in our community.
• We aren't sending Max to a typical preschool because we want him to catch up with his typical peers.  We're good with Max being Max and doing things in his own time.  We don't want to normalize him or erase his Down syndrome.  But we think he can be himself in an inclusive environment.
• We aren't interested in sending Max to a typical preschool because we want to make a statement.  Sure, encouraging inclusion is a great statement.  But if this doesn't work for Max?  If we need to make a switch so that he can learn and grow?  Then we'll make the switch.  We want to find the best fit for Max.

That's enough for today.  Tomorrow, some reasons why we ARE sending Max to a typical preschool.