Should a low support needs child be in a therapeutic school? What are the pros and cons of therapeutic schools?

[Anonymous]

I thought that mainstreaming was the best choice if at all possible, but not everyone agrees. What do you think? My kid is 12 and we're talking about high school.

[Anonymous]

Therapeutic schools have low academic standards and peer models who may behavior issues. I would not enroll my child with HFA in a therapeutic school.

[Anonymous]

I think it depends on the school. I'm currently looking for a theraputic-type school for my dd. She's 2E, but has hit the wall in her non-sn private and she needs some support. I'm not local so don't have any suggestions unfortunately.

What are the issues that are having you consider a school setting change?

Defenitely some schools would not be appropriate academically, but there are some where a kid can accelerate on an individual basis. There are even charter schools for kids with asd, adhd, ect with high academic standards.

[Anonymous]

What do you mean by therapeutic school? What supports does your child need?

My autistic high schooler is mostly on grade level (except for writing). She went to a mainstream private middle school and a private SN school for HS. The HS is much better because it's less sensory overwhelming and the teachers are much more flexible in how they work with her. The expectations are lower and the work less rigorous, but that is 100% fine for my child and her needs.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote: I think it depends on the school. I'm currently looking for a theraputic-type school for my dd. She's 2E, but has hit the wall in her non-sn private and she needs some support. I'm not local so don't have any suggestions unfortunately.

What are the issues that are having you consider a school setting change?

Defenitely some schools would not be appropriate academically, but there are some where a kid can accelerate on an individual basis. There are even charter schools for kids with asd, adhd, ect with high academic standards.

In the DC area? Can you name them?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote: I think it depends on the school. I'm currently looking for a theraputic-type school for my dd. She's 2E, but has hit the wall in her non-sn private and she needs some support. I'm not local so don't have any suggestions unfortunately.

What are the issues that are having you consider a school setting change?

Defenitely some schools would not be appropriate academically, but there are some where a kid can accelerate on an individual basis. There are even charter schools for kids with asd, adhd, ect with high academic standards.

In the DC area? Can you name them?

I'm sorry, no, I'm not local as I noted.

[Anonymous]

I will say that of all the things we were told to do, typical peer exposure turned out to be the least important. Get the services first. And work on getting your kid into scouts or some other thing for that.

[Anonymous]

Typical peer exposure can lead to bullying and exclusion. We pulled our HFA kid to an SN private for middle. We will see about high school.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Typical peer exposure can lead to bullying and exclusion. We pulled our HFA kid to an SN private for middle. We will see about high school.

do they have friends at the SN school?

[Anonymous]

Some options in VA:
Auburn
Cortona Academy
Sycamore School

[Anonymous]

Far too vague a question. My kid with “low support needs” needs to be mainstreamed. There’s no therepeutic school that would be appropriate. A school full of kids like him would maybe be something to consider but afaik does not exist.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Typical peer exposure can lead to bullying and exclusion. We pulled our HFA kid to an SN private for middle. We will see about high school.

Totally but not true for all schools/all HFA kids.

[Anonymous]

by 'therapeutic' do you mean 'sn'?

I wonder about this for our DC. He presents as NT and does not need any academic accommodations, but while he has friends his social life is not 'flowing'. Do the SN schools have a lot of fairly NT seeming kids or do they tend to have more kids with greater impacts? I would of course encourage dc to be friends with anyone and everyone but would like him to find a crew also who are much like himself.

[Anonymous]

What is low support?

[Anonymous]

OP what do you mean by therapeutic school?