Child custody decisions are far and in between. Parents seeking legal help usually cannot make decisions together. The court's priority when deciding child custody issues is the best interest of the child. For more information on how courts determine what the best interest of the child is, please see our article titled, “Determining the Best Interest of a Child.”
In addition, parents may also disagree on education and schooling issues. Here are some common education-related issues that may arise in child custody suits:
- School Choice: Parents may disagree on whether a child should attend a public or private school, or which specific school is best. Courts often consider factors like the quality of the schools, the child’s academic needs, and the distance from each parent’s home.
- Educational Expenses: Disputes can occur over who should pay for tuition, school supplies, extracurricular activities, and other educational costs. Courts may include these expenses in child support calculations.
- Parental Involvement: Agreements often specify how parents will share responsibilities for attending parent-teacher conferences, school events, and making decisions about the child’s education.
- Special Educational Needs: If a child has special educational needs, parents may need to agree on the best approach to meet those needs, including specialized programs or therapies, as well as considering future education needs and expenses.
- Relocation: If one parent wants to move to a different city or state, it can impact the child’s schooling. Courts will consider the reasons for the move and its potential impact on the child’s education.
- Decision-Making Authority: In child custody cases, courts must decide how to handle disagreements between parents about their child’s education. Some courts designate one parent as the primary decision-maker.
- Parenting Exchanges: Parents should be mindful of how school drop-offs and pick-ups will impact scheduling. For high conflict co-parenting arrangements, allowing exchanges to occur at school (with one party taking the child to school and the other party picking the child up) may be helpful to the parents and protect the child.
- Communication: Given modern school trends and technology, the parents should share all information pertaining to communicating with the school and give access to all school records regardless of who has custody of the child.
- Holidays: When creating a schedule for the child, holidays and important life and family events should be incorporated.
Navigating these issues can be complex, and it’s often helpful to work with a family law attorney to ensure that the child’s best interests are prioritized. At Hooser Legal Counsel, we will diligently address the issues discussed above, as well as any additional issues that you may bring related to the case.
This is not legal advice.