I have experienced many different request from parents. Some want more some want less and some don't participate in the school program at all. Some kids have paraprofessionals, OT, PT, sped teacher, and parents are unhappy and want more specialists, and some parents want less services and more inclusion with no para. I have trained all special ed staff in autism and am a certified autism specialist myself. So, because I still see parent concerns I'm seeking ideas from all of you so I can be a… read more

Hello. My autistic son turned 7 and I know he’s supposed to start school. The schools in our area do not have enough support/resource for him. He was referred to a private school for autism but he is on the waiting list and 4th in that list. They said realistically it may take 4 years to make it to the top of the list. What do we do in the meantime? If he can’t start school until years later, how will he be at “grade level”? Also, how does grade level and state testing work with children who… read more

My son is newly diagnosed at 6 with ASD high functioning, and has never been on any IEP or 504 plan. The school wants him on a 504 instead of an IEP. Any suggestions on what I can do to help the site specialist and others involved see the value of an IEP over a 504? I am new to this, so any advice would be welcome. Thanks!

Has anyone hired an aide for their kid in public school and paid out of pocket? How hard is it to convince the school in the first place? My daughter will be starting kindergarten without an aide. School thinks she won’t need one and they maybe right, but, I want to be prepared if she ends up needing one. I’m willing to pay if it comes to that. Any opinion is welcome even if you haven’t done it yourself. Thanks

Do you have any suggestions for a good southside of Chicago public school for students with autism. My grand sons are 5 years old and will be starting kindgergarten this year. I just wanted them to get into a school in which they will be able to receive the therapies that they need as well as a good education.

Thank you in advance

He'll be 5 in July.

My son was not diagnosed with ASD until he was 11, he is now almost 13. Prior to that he was diagnosed with ADHD and ODD. After a reevaluation this summer it was determined he has Asperger's and ADHD. He has always had difficulty with aggression, but some of the more obvious ASD behaviors have increased since starting puberty. (More perseveration, vocal stimming, tantrums, threats, entering others personal space). The school has refused to acknowledge that his behaviors are due to Autism… read more

My son is refusing to learn in class and is interfering with the learning process of others. I am considering homeschooling or online schooling with my son. My son does participate in social groups outside of school so that element will not be completely missed.

I am looking for anyone and their location to a great school district for our elementary school aged son. My husband and I are trying to relocate out of the Chicago area. We initially thought private school but are curious if their are great public schools out there. We are homeschooling now but he really does enjoy being in a school setting everyday.

We live in Clayton California which falls into Mount Diablo School District. My son in 3, with high functioning autism. He has no cognitive issues, and is quite verbal, but has problems with social skills and pragmatic speech. We have had an IEP meeting with the school district, who have suggested placing him in a general special needs classroom. When we visited the class, it was clear to us that it was not suitable. His peers in the class were super cute, but virtually non verbal. We also… read more