Moving...Which School Districts to Seek/Avoid for ASD Special Ed

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:My impression from hanging out on these boards over the years is that special ed in MCPS is worse than FCPS in general.

Our FCPS experience has been pretty terrible for HFA with a bright kid. DC pass advanced several SOLs this year and the school systematically refuses access to honors classes because they're not team-taught.

9:44 here, we have been underwhelmed with FCPS admin as well (and I have probably been to a hundred IEP meetings in FCPS for just one child). MCPS seems like even more of a PITA.

[Anonymous]

This thread is quite interesting, as I have a HFA child who just started K in a DCPS inclusive classroom. We were pretty happy with PS3 & PK4 and K has gotten off to a good start. But I'm constantly assessing whether I'm maximizing my kid'S opportunities and wondering whether to make the move to the nearby burbs. I guess the grass isn't always greener.

Anyway, my child is lucky enough to have a great special ed

[Anonymous]

Whoops. Msg posted before I was done.

Anyway, I think a lot comes down to not just the school, but whether your child has good teachers and other professionals.

[Anonymous]

Avoid Loudoun County.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I am in Montgomery County, MD with a five year old ASD. Similar profile: high functioning,can read, etc. supports are not great. There is no special programming or class for HFA. It's mostly mainstreaming with whichever additional supports your child might need,like OT or speech services.

There are wonderful private school options but be prepared to shell out $30-40k/ year.

Privates will not provide services. If the child has an IEP a private school is not obligated to provide services.

[Anonymous]

The thing is that the trend is now to mainstream as many students as possible as quickly as possible in a least restrictive environment. That means you will have to fight to get services and keep those services. Because the child isn't struggling academically the school (admin and SST mainly) will not want to offer services. If evidence shows that the child should be serviced then each time the IEP is up for reevaluation the SPED team will be looking to either reduce hours or take away services all together. The case loads are heavy and they are being pushed to reduce the SPED numbers. This is some DCPS schools by the way but not all.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I am in Montgomery County, MD with a five year old ASD. Similar profile: high functioning,can read, etc. supports are not great. There is no special programming or class for HFA. It's mostly mainstreaming with whichever additional supports your child might need,like OT or speech services.

There are wonderful private school options but be prepared to shell out $30-40k/ year.

Privates will not provide services. If the child has an IEP a private school is not obligated to provide services.

PP is probably talking about SN private schools like Maddux, Auburn, etc

We are at a DC charter and been very happy with supports and services for ASD but entrance is by lottery so not an option for OP.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I am in Montgomery County, MD with a five year old ASD. Similar profile: high functioning,can read, etc. supports are not great. There is no special programming or class for HFA. It's mostly mainstreaming with whichever additional supports your child might need,like OT or speech services.

There are wonderful private school options but be prepared to shell out $30-40k/ year.

Privates will not provide services. If the child has an IEP a private school is not obligated to provide services.

PP is probably talking about SN private schools like Maddux, Auburn, etc

We are at a DC charter and been very happy with supports and services for ASD but entrance is by lottery so not an option for OP.

Ahhh, OK.

[Anonymous]

If you look at the stats most HFA ASD kids in MCPS are mainstreamed. I also know a bunch who are mainstreamed but the schools offered NO SUPPORTS. It's terrible.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I am in Montgomery County, MD with a five year old ASD. Similar profile: high functioning,can read, etc. supports are not great. There is no special programming or class for HFA. It's mostly mainstreaming with whichever additional supports your child might need,like OT or speech services.

There are wonderful private school options but be prepared to shell out $30-40k/ year.

There are a few classes for HFA starting age 6/first grade but not a ton of them in Montgomery County (and it's a really big county). Otherwise, most of the children with HFA are in a LAD class (learning and academic class) which is smaller and mainstreamed into the K classes with mostly pullouts for speech/OT.

[Anonymous]

If you are interested in the special needs friendly charters (Bridges, Creative Minds) in DC, I believe you can apply before you have a house in DC or move. You might want to ask OSSE of myschooldc about that.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:If you are interested in the special needs friendly charters (Bridges, Creative Minds) in DC, I believe you can apply before you have a house in DC or move. You might want to ask OSSE of myschooldc about that.

Yes you can apply without living in DC - but you must produce residency paperwork before the enrollment deadline (30 days after lottery).

[Anonymous]

My experience is that you'll always have to advocate, year to year, as administrations change, teachers, and even fellow peers come and go

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:My experience is that you'll always have to advocate, year to year, as administrations change, teachers, and even fellow peers come and go

This. PP whose child attends a DC charter that has been very accommodating but even at our school, DC has been at the school longer than anyone in the SNs department. It's really a never ending job to make sure your child is getting what they need. Our former Sp Ed Coordinator always said that it is ultimately up to the parents to advocate for their kid.

[Anonymous]

We are in MCPS but if I had to do it over again would go to DCPS. I've hardly ever heard positive stories from parents in MCPS but have heard plenty in DCPS. Part of it comes down to school choice. If a school is not a good fit you can go elsewhere. It's not necessarily easy but in it can be done.

[Anonymous]

My kid doesn't have ASD but has "near ADHD" and qualified for an IEP at our DC Charter. It has been wonderful for him. Mainstreaming has been great whereas I think the suburbs would have sent him to a special program because of his problem behaviors. Now his oroblem behaviors are mostly under control with accommodations like movement breaks and services like counseling etc. So another vote for a 'good' DC charter if you can get in. Bridges may be the only one you can get into...