U.S. Department of State

Then, get detailed information about potential schools.

Start early to accumulate as much knowledge as you can about the places you are contemplating. Gather information about schools and about any specialized professionals you may need to call upon. You will want to find out not only about the availability of specialists - for example, pediatricians, physical therapists, speech therapists, etc. - but whether their training is compatible with your child's program and whether they speak English fluently (assuming that you and your child habitually speak English).

• Once you have begun a list of possible postings, start with the websites of the American and international schools in the cities you are contemplating. There are regional associations which list the member schools in its area. You can link with a number of these schools as well as the regional associations through the Office of Overseas Schools web site www.state.gov/m/a/os/.
  
  
• Look with particular care at overseas "international" (as opposed to "American") schools. Some are first-rate and some are not. Furthermore, some follow American curricula and others use British or other approaches. (The latter issue may or may not be of significance to your family, depending on whether you plan to stay overseas for the long term or to return home after your first tour of duty.)
  
• Contact the Office of Overseas Schools, e-mail OverseasSchools@state.gov, tel. 202-261-8200. The office maintains direct contact with almost 200 American-sponsored and international schools abroad, and, indirectly, through the regional associations with many more. A special list is kept of additional independent and parochial schools that serve students with special needs, though this information cannot be kept completely up-to-date. For more than 20 years, the Office of Overseas Schools has had a special interest in helping American-sponsored schools expand and upgrade their services to students with special needs. The office can respond to inquiries from both U.S. and non-U.S.-Government families.
  
• Begin an e-mail dialogue with the appropriate school contact person (this may be the director, the admissions director, a principal, or the person who heads special services). Ask for contact with parents of current or recent students who resemble your child and e-mail them with your questions about not only the school but whether they have found alternatives and supplementary services in the community.
  
• Be sure to be specific about the grade levels at which your child will be enrolled during your overseas assignment. Special needs services are much more likely to be available at the elementary than at the secondary level. Many overseas schools pride themselves on being "college prep" and, however supportive they may have been to younger children, provide only rigorous classes at the upper grades and no assistance whatsoever for students who need assistance with life-skills training such as practical math and reading skills.
  
• If it might be appropriate for your special needs child, investigate boarding schools in the United States for your child to attend while other family members fill an overseas assignment.