montgomery county autism programs?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Burning tree has a learning center. Tilden has an autism middle school program. Pyle has a facilitated communication program but their teacher just left and I know nothing about the new one. A friend had to sue to get private placement. Not easy.

There are many other ways in which the link is outdated. The AAC programs now only run through Second Grade. There are facilitated communication programs for autism but they are hush-hush.

Another reason why MCPS really sucks. It is near impossible to find anything online about programs.

The website sucks, but I've talked to several people in Central Office and they were all very good about answering questions.

Well, lucky you. However, these people probably could probably saved a lot of time if MCPS just posted information in the first place.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Somebody posted above that MCPS sucks. That's what I'm trying to find out -- do the special ed programs suck? For my child it would definitely be in one of the self contained classrooms, either autism or something else.

MCPS does suck in general but I think the children that suffer the most are the ones that are mainstreamed, perform at or above grade level, are on the border of needing a program and are in wealthier areas. If you can get your child into one of the programs you'll probably find good support. The autism program in particular is known to have excellent teachers with excellent back up from the central office. You may still find a dud teacher or paraeducator from time to time but I know parents who have children in both the autism program and the Asperger's programs and they all have good things to say about the classrooms themselves. For many of them it WAS a fight to get their child there in the first place so the positive feelings they have towards the teachers and program staff does not extend to MCPS in general.

The children who suffer the most are the ones who are mainstreamed and perform at or above grade level in wealthier areas? I don't think I follow you, PP. How are these kids suffering the most?

Not the pp but those are the kids who sort of get by, who get overlooked and MCPS assumes their parents will handle therapies/tutoring privately.

Pardon me if I don't cry for the wealthy kids performing above grade level in mainstream classrooms.

Wow, no need to be a sh*t. A lot of kids could use social support and don't get it--regardless of their SES.

No doubt. But they are not "suffering the most."

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Burning tree has a learning center. Tilden has an autism middle school program. Pyle has a facilitated communication program but their teacher just left and I know nothing about the new one. A friend had to sue to get private placement. Not easy.

There are many other ways in which the link is outdated. The AAC programs now only run through Second Grade. There are facilitated communication programs for autism but they are hush-hush.

Another reason why MCPS really sucks. It is near impossible to find anything online about programs.

The website sucks, but I've talked to several people in Central Office and they were all very good about answering questions.

Well, lucky you. However, these people probably could probably saved a lot of time if MCPS just posted information in the first place.

Lucky me nothing. I could have save a lot time that way too. Do you have some magical alternative? If you do, please share so we all can learn about it.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Somebody posted above that MCPS sucks. That's what I'm trying to find out -- do the special ed programs suck? For my child it would definitely be in one of the self contained classrooms, either autism or something else.

MCPS does suck in general but I think the children that suffer the most are the ones that are mainstreamed, perform at or above grade level, are on the border of needing a program and are in wealthier areas. If you can get your child into one of the programs you'll probably find good support. The autism program in particular is known to have excellent teachers with excellent back up from the central office. You may still find a dud teacher or paraeducator from time to time but I know parents who have children in both the autism program and the Asperger's programs and they all have good things to say about the classrooms themselves. For many of them it WAS a fight to get their child there in the first place so the positive feelings they have towards the teachers and program staff does not extend to MCPS in general.

The children who suffer the most are the ones who are mainstreamed and perform at or above grade level in wealthier areas? I don't think I follow you, PP. How are these kids suffering the most?

Not the pp but those are the kids who sort of get by, who get overlooked and MCPS assumes their parents will handle therapies/tutoring privately.

Public schools must provide all needed educational services for free. They are not allowed to assume that parents will fill the gap, even if the parents have the money to do it.

Why wouldn't their parents handle therapies/tutoring privately?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Somebody posted above that MCPS sucks. That's what I'm trying to find out -- do the special ed programs suck? For my child it would definitely be in one of the self contained classrooms, either autism or something else.

MCPS does suck in general but I think the children that suffer the most are the ones that are mainstreamed, perform at or above grade level, are on the border of needing a program and are in wealthier areas. If you can get your child into one of the programs you'll probably find good support. The autism program in particular is known to have excellent teachers with excellent back up from the central office. You may still find a dud teacher or paraeducator from time to time but I know parents who have children in both the autism program and the Asperger's programs and they all have good things to say about the classrooms themselves. For many of them it WAS a fight to get their child there in the first place so the positive feelings they have towards the teachers and program staff does not extend to MCPS in general.

The children who suffer the most are the ones who are mainstreamed and perform at or above grade level in wealthier areas? I don't think I follow you, PP. How are these kids suffering the most?

Not the pp but those are the kids who sort of get by, who get overlooked and MCPS assumes their parents will handle therapies/tutoring privately.

Public schools must provide all needed educational services for free. They are not allowed to assume that parents will fill the gap, even if the parents have the money to do it.

Why wouldn't their parents handle therapies/tutoring privately?

Students who are at and above grade level do not, by definition, need educational services.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Somebody posted above that MCPS sucks. That's what I'm trying to find out -- do the special ed programs suck? For my child it would definitely be in one of the self contained classrooms, either autism or something else.

MCPS does suck in general but I think the children that suffer the most are the ones that are mainstreamed, perform at or above grade level, are on the border of needing a program and are in wealthier areas. If you can get your child into one of the programs you'll probably find good support. The autism program in particular is known to have excellent teachers with excellent back up from the central office. You may still find a dud teacher or paraeducator from time to time but I know parents who have children in both the autism program and the Asperger's programs and they all have good things to say about the classrooms themselves. For many of them it WAS a fight to get their child there in the first place so the positive feelings they have towards the teachers and program staff does not extend to MCPS in general.

The children who suffer the most are the ones who are mainstreamed and perform at or above grade level in wealthier areas? I don't think I follow you, PP. How are these kids suffering the most?

Not the pp but those are the kids who sort of get by, who get overlooked and MCPS assumes their parents will handle therapies/tutoring privately.

Public schools must provide all needed educational services for free. They are not allowed to assume that parents will fill the gap, even if the parents have the money to do it.

Why wouldn't their parents handle therapies/tutoring privately?

Students who are at and above grade level do not, by definition, need educational services.

And moreover, most parents take their kids for private therapy to enrich what's offered in school. It's a fact of life. Don't be obtuse. Your kid takes tennis at school; you take your kid for tennis lessons. Your kid gets speech at school, you take your kid for private speech therapy. There is no magical school system that offers every therapy up to the point the child requires.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Burning tree has a learning center. Tilden has an autism middle school program. Pyle has a facilitated communication program but their teacher just left and I know nothing about the new one. A friend had to sue to get private placement. Not easy.

There are many other ways in which the link is outdated. The AAC programs now only run through Second Grade. There are facilitated communication programs for autism but they are hush-hush.

Another reason why MCPS really sucks. It is near impossible to find anything online about programs.

The website sucks, but I've talked to several people in Central Office and they were all very good about answering questions.

Well, lucky you. However, these people probably could probably saved a lot of time if MCPS just posted information in the first place.

Lucky me nothing. I could have save a lot time that way too. Do you have some magical alternative? If you do, please share so we all can learn about it.

No. I think you were fortunate in who you talked to. I wasn't being sarcastic. I couldn't get basic information from the central office like the deadline for the language immersion programs when it wasn't published online (for a different kid). I just wish they would post information online and update regularly. It would be cost and time effective form them and for parents.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Burning tree has a learning center. Tilden has an autism middle school program. Pyle has a facilitated communication program but their teacher just left and I know nothing about the new one. A friend had to sue to get private placement. Not easy.

There are many other ways in which the link is outdated. The AAC programs now only run through Second Grade. There are facilitated communication programs for autism but they are hush-hush.

Another reason why MCPS really sucks. It is near impossible to find anything online about programs.

The website sucks, but I've talked to several people in Central Office and they were all very good about answering questions.

Well, lucky you. However, these people probably could probably saved a lot of time if MCPS just posted information in the first place.

Lucky me nothing. I could have save a lot time that way too. Do you have some magical alternative? If you do, please share so we all can learn about it.

No. I think you were fortunate in who you talked to. I wasn't being sarcastic. I couldn't get basic information from the central office like the deadline for the language immersion programs when it wasn't published online (for a different kid). I just wish they would post information online and update regularly. It would be cost and time effective form them and for parents.

Ok thanks. I agree that they need to put a lot more stuff online. Just for the record, I was talking about the Special Ed department only. I think they are pretty good overall. I can't say the same for the rest of MCPS.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Students who are at and above grade level do not, by definition, need educational services.

Not necessarily true. My DC had an IEP and is in a magnet program. DC receives instructional support in some areas.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Kids use/are taught to use augmentative communication devices. Under the auspices of Interact. The program is K-2 and is inclusive for part of the day. It's held at Cannon Road and Beall elementary schools.

Where do those kids go after 2nd grade, assuming they still are using AAC?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Kids use/are taught to use augmentative communication devices. Under the auspices of Interact. The program is K-2 and is inclusive for part of the day. It's held at Cannon Road and Beall elementary schools.

Where do those kids go after 2nd grade, assuming they still are using AAC?

Some return to their home schools. Some go to Learning Centers. Some to Forest Knolls or Judith Resnik (orthopedically handicapped programs). Different choices. Interact follows all.