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Making Schooling Decisions for Children After Divorce

In the aftermath of a divorce, you and your ex are expected to continue communicating regarding important parenting decisions, including education decisions for your children. In some cases you might be on the same page about these decisions, but what happens if you disagree?

With regard to education, there might be disagreements over whether a child will attend a public or private school, which school they will attend or who will be responsible for schooling costs. Here’s an overview of what you should know about making these types of decisions.

Consider your custody arrangement

Who has say over education-related matters? This depends on your custody agreement. Parents will typically share physical custody. It may make sense for a child to go to school in an area where they spend the majority of their time. If both parents are in the same school district, that makes matters easier, but if not, whoever has the child more often may have the edge.

That’s not the only factor to consider, though. Parents will typically have joint legal custody, meaning they both have a right to make decisions regarding how to raise the child.

Ultimately, if parents are not able to agree on a solution, this is an issue that may require mediation, or even going back to court to have a judge make the decision. If an issue is private vs. public school, a judge will likely consider the parents’ respective abilities to pay for the schooling, and if private schooling was ever something considered or discussed during the marriage.

In some cases, a judge may allow an older child to weigh in with their opinions and schooling preferences.

Ultimately, any court will make decisions primarily based on the best interests of the child, not the wishes of the parents.

For more information about resolving disputes over schooling decisions after divorce, contact an experienced Minnesota child custody lawyer at Appelhof, Pfeifer & Hart, P.A.

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  • "With Appelhof, Pfeifer & Hart, P.A., it is like having a family physician. They are all knowledgeable, thorough, comforting, and the only call I need to make for all my legal needs for many years to come. No matter what the matter, I totally trust their advice and commitment to me and my family." - J.N.

  • "Mary from APH Law helped me thru a difficult divorce. She and the entire staff was there for me every step of the way helping me on what to do next. They listened to what I wanted and helped me achieve what matter the most to me in the divorce settlement." - Dana C.

  • "I chose APH after my initial consultation with Mary. I felt my best interest would be represented. The entire process went excellent, the attorneys and staff communicated effectively and efficiently with me throughout the process as they needed to. Being new to the legal process and verbiage, they walked me and talked me through the next steps and the jargon, I felt completely comfortable and represented. I hope I never have to use legal services again but if I do I will call Mary at APH Law and know that I will be taken care of." - Jeff M.

  • "Divorce is a time of emotion and stress. Mary Pfeifer , My lawyer was professional and compassionate. She was very informative through the process. Her insight helped me in my decisions. She worked hard to obtain a settlement which was fair to both parties. Though, I hope I won't need her help again. It is reassuring to know a good person that is willing to help." - Rod S.

  • "I first came to Ms. Jacquelyn Lutz of Appelhof, Pfeifer and Hart in October of 2016. It was definitely the worst time in my life and she compassionately spoke with me about my options. Ms. Lutz thoroughly explained the laws, statutes, process and what to expect going forward. What was supposed to be one case, turned into three intricate cases that took a huge toll on me and my family. Ms. Lutz represented me in court on all three cases with a vast knowledge of the laws and how to proceed accordingly. During all three cases she kept me informed, calm, gave me resources to utilize, and (most important) gave me a realistic view of what may come next. Ms. Lutz knew each case required a great deal of knowledge and creative thinking on how to legally proceed forward with each case. My family and friends are forever grateful for the amazing representation by Ms. Lutz. I highly recommend Ms. Lutz for anyone needing or considering superb representation for any kind of family law. " - M.H.

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