How to register for aspbergers program ?

[Anonymous]

There’s literally no info just the name of coordinators. Need for elementary school.

[Anonymous]

Had you tried checking with the Office of Special Education?

https://www.montgomeryschoolsmd.org/departments/special-education/programs-services/autism.aspx

Best wishes.

[Anonymous]

You probably should post in the Kids with Special Needs section.

It takes an IEP to get the placement. My kid was in it in MS and HS (but not ES). It was a game changer.

[Anonymous]

Call the school/look at the school's website for the name of the school counselor. Contact them.

We reached out to them with DC's first psychoeducational profile ahead of starting kindergarten.

[Anonymous]

I don't think you can register for a special education program, you have to be "placed" in one through the EMT process. That starts at your neighborhood school, even if you aren't currently attending there b/c child is in private school or preschool.

[Anonymous]

It's a placement that the iep team gives you if your child can not be successful in home school. You don't enroll in it.

[Anonymous]

*Aspergers

[Anonymous]

I'm surprised any school district has an Aspergers Program. I thought it was no longer considered an accurate diagnosis but is rather on the Autism Spectrum. Am I wrong about that?

[Anonymous]

My kid is smart, high functioning autism, but she is complicated with adhd. We have IEP, never ask for if there are Asperger program or informed about that program, possibly she is not qualified or that program is difficult to get in. You need a IEP placement to get in those special program in MCPS.

I am still confused what those aspersers program designed for what kind of kids, high functioning autism kid only or high functioning autism kid but needed to be gifted?

[Anonymous]

The program is for students who — for whatever reason — cannot be in a mainstream classroom for the whole day. Think sensory overload or behavioral issues. It’s not a program you want to be in but are thankful that exists if your child needs it.

These kids have to be able to do all the same curriculum. They may just need to do it in a quieter setting with an aide or more direct teacher support to make it through the day. Or more monitoring and modeling of behavior. These kids typically have a lot of trouble staying on task in the larger classroom setting and can be disruptive or shut down despite being capable academically.

The student must have an IEP and be placed in the program by a team that includes the homeschool teachers, counselors, and other specialists. You do not want to find yourself needing this option but it exists if you do.

[Anonymous]

Is there a reason not to ask the school counselor, or a reason not to call the OSE and ask how this works?

[Anonymous]

I’m sure you can call the school counselor or anyone else. But there’s a process and you have to go through the process and it typically starts with your IEP team. Call for a meeting. Ask that all the data be evaluated. Bring your own data in the form of outside medical/ psych profiles. Ask the team to bring in central office staff for an “autism consult.” Go from there.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I'm surprised any school district has an Aspergers Program. I thought it was no longer considered an accurate diagnosis but is rather on the Autism Spectrum. Am I wrong about that?

Different word same thing.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:The program is for students who — for whatever reason — cannot be in a mainstream classroom for the whole day. Think sensory overload or behavioral issues. It’s not a program you want to be in but are thankful that exists if your child needs it.

These kids have to be able to do all the same curriculum. They may just need to do it in a quieter setting with an aide or more direct teacher support to make it through the day. Or more monitoring and modeling of behavior. These kids typically have a lot of trouble staying on task in the larger classroom setting and can be disruptive or shut down despite being capable academically.

The student must have an IEP and be placed in the program by a team that includes the homeschool teachers, counselors, and other specialists. You do not want to find yourself needing this option but it exists if you do.

I can't speak to ES, but from MS on, the vast majority of classes my kid had were gen ed with support. There were contained english and social skills classes for a couple years in MS.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I'm surprised any school district has an Aspergers Program. I thought it was no longer considered an accurate diagnosis but is rather on the Autism Spectrum. Am I wrong about that?

it is accurate, they just took it out of the DSM! they could change the name to High Functioning Autism but people complain about that as well. Anyway, my understanding is that it is a program for kids on the spectrum who are on or above grade level and primarily need help with flexibility, social skills and organization. In MS and HS I assume they would mostly be in gen ed classes. My understanding is that the “autism” classrooms in MCPS are for kids who are not on grade level/have lower IQ and verbal skills.