@A MyAutismTeam Member, do you have a sense of what part/region of MA? Greater Boston? Eastern MA? Western MA? Southern MA? Cape? I agree: Boston, Worcester, Springfield are not my top choices because of the reasons already stated. It's hard to say "such and such" town/city because even within the same district you have such variations depending on schools and teachers. A program philosophy can be great but if the people running it are incompetent, it's a moot point. As much as I hate to say it, the more affluent towns with higher cost of living and higher taxes do tend to have better programming. Places like Dover, Sudbury, Winchester, Lexington, Newton, Brookline, Lincoln, etc... But I've also spoken to families living in towns like Arlington, Melrose, Woburn and Cambridge who are very happy with their schools/services. I can tell you DO NOT MOVE TO MEDFORD!!!!!! Other than their OT department, their special education program is archaic and horrendous. They clearly state that they are "not an inclusion school system" and they still have the mindset of keeping kids with special needs substantially separate. Their gen ed staff is not equipped, trained or encouraged to include our kids in their classrooms. I speak from experience. We could not get our son out of there fast enough!!!

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A MyAutis...

The school districts are very similar but I would reccomend a smaller town and stay away from the bigger cities. I say this because if you have to fight the school system they do not have the resources to battle you like the bigger cities do. Also the small towns are all over the bullying issue where in the bigger schools there are so many other students they do not give it the attention that you would get in a smaller school.

All the state services are the same no matter where you go.

Both have very good reputations... Good luck & keep us posted! :)

we are possibly thinking about the Lincoln area. Close to AFB maybe? I had also heard Sudbury was good!

Thanks.