Sometimes, the school you chose for your child when she was younger simply isn't working for her anymore. She may find herself falling behind academically or socially, or she may want to cultivate a new interest. Don't be afraid to look for a new school that's a better fit for the young adult she is becoming. Here are some strategies to ease your child and your family into the process of finding a new school.

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Finding the right school for a child with Asperger's Syndrome or high-functioning autism can be difficult. Students with Asperger's often have an area of strength, such as math or history, while they struggle with social and communication skills. The right school has to offer the child accommodations and help working with his or her areas of weakness while still fostering the child's areas of strength. Fortunately, more and more special education and mainstream schools are able to understand and nurture this type of complicated student, as the number of children diagnosed with Asperger's grows in the United States each year. Here are some strategies to place a child with Asperger's Syndrome or with high-functioning autism.

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The new teachers' pets may just be actual animals. Research shows that children who have pets in the classroom learn better. They are more relaxed, and their rates of attendance and good behavior skyrocket. While public schools are allowed only to have small animals such as hamsters in the classroom, private schools often have the luxury to have large animals such as dogs gracing their campus. In fact, some private schools have such popular pooches that the animals have become mascots, and the privilege of their presence in the classroom has inspired hefty bids at school fundraising auctions. Pets promise particular benefits for children in special education classes and those with behavior issues. Learn more about how pets help children learn.

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Schools across the country, private and public, are sacrificing pre-schoolers' time on the playground in favor of direct instruction in the belief that this type of formal lesson will create serious students down the road. Now, experts have proven this type of thinking wrong. They've shown instead that pre-schoolers learn a great deal from "just playing" and that children who aren't allowed to play run the risk of being worse students and thinkers in later years. Learn more about the importance of play in pre-school.

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