Anonymous
Post 10/29/2025 13:21     Subject: Recommendations for schools for ASD/PDA child

Auburn
Anonymous
Post 10/29/2025 09:34     Subject: Recommendations for schools for ASD/PDA child

Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:My daughter has a similar profile, although she’s in prek-4. We’ve loved Maddux for her. They think outside the box and individualize their approaches to each student. After a terrible experience at a Montessori school last year, we moved from DC to Maryland so she could attend Maddux. I have no regrets. It’s been wonderful.
Could I ask why Montessori was a bad fit for PDA?

NP here. We steered clear of Montessori preschool for our ASD/ADHD/PDA kid because of how much agency kids are given. Without a very skilled Montessori teacher, we thought our kid would have stuck to their preferred activities and never come out of their comfort zone. We had success with a more structured, play-based preschool with high-skilled, high-warmth teachers.
Thanks for responding. We’re thinking of Montessori K-8 and then supplementing math and reading outside of school. I’m worried that traditional private will be too rigid.
Anonymous
Post 10/29/2025 07:10     Subject: Recommendations for schools for ASD/PDA child

Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:My daughter has a similar profile, although she’s in prek-4. We’ve loved Maddux for her. They think outside the box and individualize their approaches to each student. After a terrible experience at a Montessori school last year, we moved from DC to Maryland so she could attend Maddux. I have no regrets. It’s been wonderful.
Could I ask why Montessori was a bad fit for PDA?

NP here. We steered clear of Montessori preschool for our ASD/ADHD/PDA kid because of how much agency kids are given. Without a very skilled Montessori teacher, we thought our kid would have stuck to their preferred activities and never come out of their comfort zone. We had success with a more structured, play-based preschool with high-skilled, high-warmth teachers.
Anonymous
Post 10/29/2025 00:53     Subject: Recommendations for schools for ASD/PDA child

Anonymous wrote:My daughter has a similar profile, although she’s in prek-4. We’ve loved Maddux for her. They think outside the box and individualize their approaches to each student. After a terrible experience at a Montessori school last year, we moved from DC to Maryland so she could attend Maddux. I have no regrets. It’s been wonderful.
Could I ask why Montessori was a bad fit for PDA?
Anonymous
Post 10/28/2025 19:58     Subject: Recommendations for schools for ASD/PDA child

My daughter has a similar profile, although she’s in prek-4. We’ve loved Maddux for her. They think outside the box and individualize their approaches to each student. After a terrible experience at a Montessori school last year, we moved from DC to Maryland so she could attend Maddux. I have no regrets. It’s been wonderful.
Anonymous
Post 10/21/2025 23:26     Subject: Recommendations for schools for ASD/PDA child

Had success with a similar profile at Ivymount.
Anonymous
Post 10/21/2025 21:14     Subject: Recommendations for schools for ASD/PDA child

Anonymous wrote:Hi - I have 2nd grade girl and am looking for schools that would be a good fit for ASD Level 1 and Pervasive Demand for Autonomy (PDA). So schools that use an ABA type approach would not be the right fit. I spoke with Oakwood and Newton and neither would be a fit they said for my child. We are dealing with school refusal and challenges after school - academically they are on track. I spoke with Linwood and they sounded promising but they barely have any girls in elementary and I have a social child.

What do you recommend in the DMV?

Thank you!


I think ABA schools are exactly what you need in that case but YDY.
Anonymous
Post 10/21/2025 21:09     Subject: Recommendations for schools for ASD/PDA child

My child is similar and has done well at Diener.
Anonymous
Post 10/20/2025 20:44     Subject: Recommendations for schools for ASD/PDA child

Anonymous wrote:Hi - I have 2nd grade girl and am looking for schools that would be a good fit for ASD Level 1 and Pervasive Demand for Autonomy (PDA). So schools that use an ABA type approach would not be the right fit.

OP can you describe your DD's needs? What isn't working at her current school? What are you looking for? ASD/PDA could mean a lot of things.
Anonymous
Post 10/20/2025 14:40     Subject: Recommendations for schools for ASD/PDA child

Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:PDA doesn't typically present with outward behaviors. It's all internalized through masking and hence the school refusal and letdown after school.


Actually, PDA does typically present with significant externalizing behaviors. Maybe some kids can hold it together at school, but PDA typically describes students who react strongly to demands.


lol welcome to the new everything is PDA diagnosis
Anonymous
Post 10/20/2025 12:43     Subject: Recommendations for schools for ASD/PDA child

Anonymous wrote:Yes - I've heard that too that a lot are homeschooled. Although not sure what families do that don't have the option to homeschool because they work.


Homeschool doesn’t mean that mom or dad have to provide the education. Working parents could hire a school day nanny. This person could drive the child to home school co-op opportunities or monitor the child at home while they take online classes.

I used an online eleme school provider when my kid was in 3rd grade. It was run more like college classes. My son had English and math 2 days a week for an hour so 2 hrs total and then science and history the other 2 days. There was homework but it wasn’t bad. For English and history it was reading and we would do it before bed. He did great with only 2 hrs of actual class a day. Then we would go outside and play for PE. I enrolled him in an art class through Outschool.
Anonymous
Post 10/20/2025 10:57     Subject: Recommendations for schools for ASD/PDA child

Yes - I've heard that too that a lot are homeschooled. Although not sure what families do that don't have the option to homeschool because they work.
Anonymous
Post 10/17/2025 23:42     Subject: Recommendations for schools for ASD/PDA child

A lot of PDA kids I know are homeschooled or attend Fusion Academy when they're older.
Anonymous
Post 10/17/2025 21:44     Subject: Recommendations for schools for ASD/PDA child

Anonymous wrote:Ivymount.


Ivymount is ABA based. It would be terrible for a PDA child.
Anonymous
Post 10/17/2025 21:39     Subject: Recommendations for schools for ASD/PDA child

Ivymount.