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Dissertation
Choosing schools for third-culture kids with special educational needs: key considerations for families in an international context
Doctor of Education (Ed.D.), Drexel University
Aug 2025
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.17918/00011182
Abstract
This qualitative narrative inquiry investigated the key considerations faced by families of United States third-culture kids (TCKs) with special education needs when selecting international school placements. While extensive research exists on special education within the U.S., there is a notable gap in scholarship examining how these services are accessed and implemented in international contexts, particularly for highly mobile expatriate families. The study addressed this gap by exploring the lived experiences of parents who had navigated special education services across multiple international schools. Participants included Foreign Service families and international educators raising children with a range of diagnoses, including autism, ADHD, dyslexia, Down syndrome, and sensory processing challenges. Data were collected through semistructured interviews and analyzed to capture both explicit and implicit dimensions of parental decision-making. Analysis yielded six major themes: the capacity-reality gap in school resources, the emotional climate and culture of schools, the labor of advocacy required of parents, regional and institutional variability in services, the toll of frequent transitions, and the role of peer and community support networks. These themes were synthesized into broader claims about the systemic and emotional challenges families face in securing adequate special education support abroad. Findings contribute to the literature by highlighting the disparity between policy ideals and practice in international schools and by documenting the resilience and strategies employed by parents. Implications extend to international school leaders, accrediting bodies, and policymakers, underscoring the need for clearer inclusion frameworks, transparent communication, and enhanced cross-cultural collaboration.
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Details
- Title
- Choosing schools for third-culture kids with special educational needs
- Creators
- Sarah Farmer
- Contributors
- Harriette Rasmussen (Advisor)
- Awarding Institution
- Drexel University
- Degree Awarded
- Doctor of Education (Ed.D.)
- Publisher
- Drexel University; Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
- Number of pages
- v, 90 pages
- Resource Type
- Dissertation
- Language
- English
- Academic Unit
- School of Education (1997-2026); Drexel University
- Other Identifier
- 991022092952004721