Services for autistic kids in Loudoun County public schools

[girlmom21]

Hello,

We have a first grader with autism. We are currently in Pennsylvania and services here are awesome. My daughter is in general ed classroom with a PCA. She has an IEP, good services and is progressing steadily. She has high functioning autism with some issues of escaping that we are working on. We are considering a move to Loudoun County, VA to be close to family/friends and also for a new job. Therefore, wanted to check how the services are for kids on spectrum in the public schools in Loudoun County. Do they work/reevaluate current IEP? Do they offer PCA if necessary/allow outside providers like a BHT? Are kids with autism placed in general ed classrooms and offered services? Do all elementary schools also have separate autistic support classrooms? Also, in general are there agencies that offer Speech/OT through insurance? We have Cigna insurance and all services are pretty much covered through insurance here. We want to understand how it all works in nova. Any insights would be very helpful. Thank you.

[Anonymous]

There are several options in LCPS. Many students (likely yours given existing supports) would be placed primarily in general education and would receive support from a cross-category special ed teacher. There are also autism classrooms in specific school (not every elementary school). Students in these classrooms vary in how much time they spend in gen ed. Some are split pretty evenly between gen ed and autism support, some spend most of their time in the self-contained classroom. If a student with autism has primarily behavioral needs, they may be placed in an emotional support classroom instead.

I'm not positive, but I do not think the district allows outside aides (is this what the PCA is) to work in the school. District paraprofessionals would provide these services if necessary.

[Anonymous]

Oh to answer your other question - I think they do take out of state IEPs and then just revise them at the next cycle. IEPs are legally carried state to state.

[Anonymous]

I really appreciate your response and glad to see some positive comments. May I ask if you had any personal experience and how it has been? Yes by PCA, I mean a 1:1 like an aBA therapist. Do they allow a 1:1 if we are able to provide someone through insurance? Currently my child’s IEP mandates a 1:1 for her in general ed classroom.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I really appreciate your response and glad to see some positive comments. May I ask if you had any personal experience and how it has been? Yes by PCA, I mean a 1:1 like an aBA therapist. Do they allow a 1:1 if we are able to provide someone through insurance? Currently my child’s IEP mandates a 1:1 for her in general ed classroom.

Loudoun does not have 1:1 aides. I am not sure if they allow private ones that you pay for - I have never seen one in an LCPS classroom though as a teacher and I know that the county does not have the funding or positions for 1:1 aides. If the IEP requires that, I believe in Loudoun that would be a self contained AUT classroom, but again, I couldn’t say if the aide is allowed if your insurance pays. If you post this on the SN parents forum of this page you may get better answers .

[Anonymous]

OP I will warn you that staffing is very different here than PA, where there is almost always tough competition and good unions. Here we have huge staffing shortages in SPED and many teachers are inexperienced and/of provisionally licensed. In your shoes I wouldn’t move

[Anonymous]

I saw your post yesterday in the FCPS forum and was going to reply, “DO NOT move to LCPS.” I have a high functioning autistic kid and moved from FCPS to LCPS so, we have experience with both. The most that my child has been able to get was team taught classes in gen ed and few accommodations. My request for school provided therapy services was denied each time. Both FCPS and LCPS give accommodations easily but that’s about it. We spend on private therapy services and counseling. I think, the child has to be severely disabled to get any services in both. I don’t think a high functioning autistic kid will qualify. If you have to move, FCPS is definitely better for the quality teachers and better education than LCPS.

[Anonymous]

If an IEP requires something, the school must provide it. Are you saying your PA IEP says 1:1 aide but you are responsible?

[Anonymous]

Yes, if the IeP requires it the school must provide, but the school will re-evaluate a child who has high functioning autism and whose IEP says they need a 1:1 aid. And once the re-eval is in, the new IEP won’t require the 1:1. In general it’s a crappy system but in this case it seems ok because does your child with high functioning autism need 1:1? If so, that’s not high functioning.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:OP I will warn you that staffing is very different here than PA, where there is almost always tough competition and good unions. Here we have huge staffing shortages in SPED and many teachers are inexperienced and/of provisionally licensed. In your shoes I wouldn’t move

+1

[Anonymous]

stay in PA

[Anonymous]

How does a kid with high functioning autism get a 1:1 aide?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:How does a kid with high functioning autism get a 1:1 aide?

High functioning autism isn’t even an official term. A kid with a 1:1 aide would, in Loudoun, likely be in a self contained AUT class, which is for children whose disability is so impactful they can’t access the general curriculum with non disabled peers.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Yes, if the IeP requires it the school must provide, but the school will re-evaluate a child who has high functioning autism and whose IEP says they need a 1:1 aid. And once the re-eval is in, the new IEP won’t require the 1:1. In general it’s a crappy system but in this case it seems ok because does your child with high functioning autism need 1:1? If so, that’s not high functioning.

Virginia is a parent consent state. Once a 1:1 is written into an IEP, the school can only re-evaluate and remove it if the parent consents by signing the new IEP. Also, I have seen students with level one autism who require 1:1 support in the general education setting. If this parent does move to LCPS, they may want to consult with an attorney to understand their rights.

- special education attorney

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:How does a kid with high functioning autism get a 1:1 aide?

it's dependent on needs, not the dx