Hi, we are moving to Chicago this summer and searching for a neighborhood with a good elementary school around. My son has moderate autism and has been thriving since he started ABA and special education at 3. Based on my research so far, it seems that we should not expect the same level of educational services from Chicago Public Schools as what we have now here in Boston. But I would love to know if any of you have had some positive experience with CPS concerning your child's special… read more

Does anyone have any experience with planning the first IEP with a new special ed program at preschool? My son is transitioning from early intervention to our town's school system next month. Any tips for the first IEP?

Did your child benefit from being around neurotyoical children in a regular preschool or a special needs preschool( school) was a better fit for his/her needs? Please share your thoughts. Thank you!

My son is currently 44 months old and has been taking ABA Therapy at home since October of 2016. He is currently taking 6.5 hours of ABA therapy 5 days a week from 8:00 AM - 11:30 AM and 2:30 PM - 5:30 PM. He was non-verbal prior to ABA therapy and is now saying 10-20 words when prompted. His ABA therapy takes place in our home. We were thinking about sending him to preschool for 2 days a week from 9:00 AM - 12:00 PM so he could get some interaction with other kids. Our ABA therapy is… read more

I just had an informal meeting with the teacher who will be drafting my 3 yo son's IEP. The initial suggestion is to start with 3 days of Special Ed PreSchool at Moorefield Station, Ashburn. Is there any place where I could find some information on the Special Ed Schools and the programs offered. Or all schools pretty much follow the same set of programs?

My son is currently in what they call Early Childhood Special Education Program at our local Elementary School. I'll like to believe he will eventually transition to the regular school system program but I'm curious to hear if this similar situation may have happen with any of your kids. In other words, is it something possible to transition from special education program to regular one?

I'm looking for guidance and advice, hopefully from parents who've been in similar situations. My son is 5 1/2 and delayed in most areas in education. He's a fast learner, but getting his focus for long periods of time is hard. He was diagnosed with ASD a few months ago, and has not been in a preschool during/after his diagnosis. He was slated to start kindergarten this fall, however I'm REALLY struggling with that decision. The school district advised I keep him in a special day preschool… read more

Three year old with HFA in preschool, when picked up he is always sitting off to the side doing nothing while everyone else is in circle time. Staff says letting him sit keeps him calm and he dose not want to do circle time. I know with a 1-10 ratio they don't have time to make sure he is participating. We want to provide our own aide, does anyone have any experience with this? Where to start? Where to find a skilled aide? Cost?

Im looking to find playdates for my 3y.o asd son. Toys aren't enough anymore. He needs friends in his age group.

We are still trying to make a decision as to whether we should send our son to a private preschool or to the special needs preschool in our district. Has anyone tried any other alternatives for preschool or tried a co-op preschool?
Does anyone have any recommendations of private preschools in the Los Angeles/ Pasadena area that cater to special needs kidos?