Best city/school district for child with AUTISM

[H00rah]

We have 3 boys on the spectrum. Moderator cut: snip

Arizona...totally depends on the district! STAY AWAY FROM MESA! Someone needs to go in there with a law team and force them to change! JERKS!!! Az has after school programs.

Wherever you lay your head, know your rights! Fight for your rights! Document EVERYTHING! Bring advocates, record your I.E.P.'s, do not let them push you around! You are your child's only hope! You are the oxygen that they breathe, you are the water to their thirsty souls! Do not sit back and be a punching bag. It is the law that they must provide the services. You just have to realize that they are there for YOU, not you for them! Your child only has one life to live! Get all you can from the districts!
You as the parent, you have to read, study, prepare yourself, pray, be strong, adapt, find groups for strength, do whatever you have to do to become the victorious one! You have the answers, now what are you going to do with it? FIGHT, FIGHT, FIGHT, FIGHT for your child's rights! If you do not, no one else will!!!

[jimj]

I am surprised no one has mentioned SARRC which is the Southwest Autism Resource Research Center in Phoenix. The Southwest Autism Research & Resource Center | SARRC
As a parent of an Asperger young adult I highly suggest anyone with an Autistic kid get in contact with them. They have a school on site as well as career training for teens on the spectrum and much more.

[wreckletmom]

I have an 8 yr old High Functioning Autistic son. I have him in the Deer Valley Unified School District. I've had both good and bad experiences in the same school district.

When he was 3 I put him in a preschool with one of my friends who was doing one out of her home. She noticed after a few months that he was struggling with some important social concepts and some behaviors. On her encouragement I had the school district test him as they were providing this free to the public. This got him on the radar. And started a process that got him into the district preschool they offered for children with delays. He had two. And they were great working with him.

I pulled him out when he was old enough to attend Kindergarden, I wish I hadn't. I put him in the school where he was supposed to be, and we had a really bad experience and it just alerted me to him not being ready for one. But also for two that he was definitely NOT going back to that school. Mainly because I felt the administration was handling him poorly. And I felt like they were looking down on ME as a parent because he was misbehaving. His teacher also told me they DIDN'T have enough funding for aides or any help. And I just felt that if the administration was already a problem, I wasn't gonna fight a brick wall.

I put him in a completely off the school district preschool after that because they had already filled the spot he had when he left even though I was told that he would be able to come back if he wasn't ready for Kindergarden. This probably had a lot to do with the fact that the lady in charge LEFT and they put someone else into the position who didn't even know me or my son or any of the information that had been discussed. (so frustrated) But it turned out to be an okay thing in the end.

I was given information about the Melmed Center ALSO named earlier in this thread. I had both good and bad experiences there as well.

I started to ask other parents and moms about their kids in school at church... asked them about if they had any kids with needs and if they were met... and I heard really good things about a school just south of my area. So I asked around and talked with the administration and I felt pretty good about them. So I applied for a variance to admit him to school. And it was accepted. So I enrolled him there... the process of getting him tested was EXTREMELY SLOW. But they did it and they put him in the Autistic Spectrum. I've got an IEP and he's in 2nd grade this year. I've been very impressed with them doing the best they can to keep him active in the classroom. They've been very creative about it and although I'd say they aren't perfect and it's a learning as they go, I know it's working because I see how my son's progress has been. It's amazing! He's learning and doing great. (Like I said though he's extremely high functioning.)

I feel the school I'm with are doing the best they can to help him learn their method of teaching and learning. I'm not sure if it is the best learning for HIM. I think he'd be better if he was in a classroom with other High Functioning Autistics but there just aren't enough of these children or there isn't a school in my area. But you make do with what you've got and until I have a reason to be worried, I'll keep him there. They continue to tell me academically he is either ahead or where he is supposed to be. Grades are high.

I thought that Melmed would have given us this diagnosis and not the school but they were still running us round in circles for a year and a half. Once the school finally had enough information they needed to finally approve the testing they had him diagnosed in a month. WHY if we are paying OUT of POCKET to Melmed would they have not done this? I asked them for their test results and found that although they tested him they NEVER completed the test because he refused to do it. But they said nothing to me and they failed to document WHY he didn't finish the test either. I was so frustrated I decided NOT to go back because I felt like they had nothing there to offer me at that point. (Except charge me to tell me what I already knew, he had a behavior issue.) Certainly they have great programs but they don't have ENOUGH high functioning autistic children going there to have a program specific to kids like him. (At least they didn't a year ago.) The special classes they have are tailored for several kinds of kids with varying problems. I've since heard that another center closed and they took all their attendees and the waiting line to get back into a doctor at Melmed is outrageous. So far I haven't really needed to take him back. So until I have a reason, he's doing well, learning well, and we're making progress.

I applied for state aid, submitted information from both Melmed and the school and I was told he won't qualify because he's not autistic enough.

I took my son to the dentist we've been using for years and I've told her just a little about my son and his issues… she said her son has something on the spectrum too, which I thought was a perfect fit for us. We got lucky. She recently told me about a support group for HFA families and kids. I went to their first meeting. I'm still learning stuff about the association so when I get more info I'll post about it here.

My suggestion is just start asking questions. Talk to people, talk to educators, share. Find what works for you. No one can tell you what place is good or not, you can get tips but ultimately it comes down to how you feel about it as your child's advocate. And if you find something that works share… the support group is a godsend! It's so good to know other parents who have this and what they've learned along the way. And the friends that my son can make with their kids around the same age. I've had several experiences in the same school district. If one school nearby isn't working try another. I can't bus my son. I have to pick him up. But it's not that far away. And if it means my son continues to excel seems like a small sacrifice.

I imagine that years from now when there are more kids in the autism spectrum and more effective ways to teach them are discovered better schools will become available but until that time… well, those of us who see the importance of all this are pioneers so document what you can. You never know how your experience will help shape the future.

[H00rah]

Gilbert is more than likely one of the best around! It depends upon the school and the teacher AT THAT school. Pioneer was horrible. Greenfield is awesome!

[amjd83]

Originally Posted by gokeegans

We have had great success in the Gilbert School district. We did a lot of research and moved from Mesa in 2005. We were not pleased with Mesa at all! They botched up her our daughter's testing twice and said nothing was wrong. In meetings they would always remind us that they would only provide services if it were for something that was interfering with academics. They also had absolutely nothing for high functioning kids. This pathetic when you consider that Mesa is by far the largest district in the entire state. Please feel free to contact me directly.

Hi, We are thinking about moving to Gilbert. My 3 year old is autistic and my almost 2 year old might also be on the spectrum. Any suggestion for schools? Do you still recommend Gilbert? I have been researching a lot and Gilbert seem to be a good area to live in and that the schools are pretty good too. Thanks