Children with Special Needs Schools?

Question

I currently live in GA, and I am very dissappointed in the schools for children with special needs. Their structure is horrible!

My question is what state in the USA, has good schooling for children with special needs?

Any insight is greatly appreciated!

Thanks!

Answer 1

You would have to say what disability your child has.  My daughter has dyslexia, processing issues, a non specific reading disability and fine motor skill issues and she's doing really well in a school for children with learning disabilities.  I have a cousin who's son is dealing with PPD and he's also goes to a school for children with learning disabilities and he's doing very well also.  Both of these children have normal to high average IQ's and are college bound.  Because they have differerent disablites they go to different schools but they both go to high schools in New York City for children with LD's.  I think that it's a matter of making sure that the school that your child goes to fits the child and not lettling someone else tell you what school to send your child to.  I decided which school my daughter would go to.  I didn't let the city tell me where to send my child and I made sure to choose a private school outside of the public school system.  I knew that in the school system they don't teach the teachers to deal with specific LD's they just have them try and keep them with in two years of their grade level.  I know this because my cousin with PPD's mother is a special ed teacher in the public school system and that's why she also wouldn't let her son go to school with in the system.

Answer 2

There are no states that provide across the board, equatable outstanding services in every district..unfortunate but very true.  That being said, states with strong special ed reputations are...CA (especially for autism), MA (special ed originated in MA and it is a strong state for teaching programs in general), PA (Phillie oddly enough does not have strong services, but many of the smaller districts do), MD (again, limited to a few specific counties, but the proximity of two major cities and the wide vareity of private schools gives special ed parents more options at times) and VA are the ones  I am most familiar with.  When looking at options some things to keep in mind...areas near a larger, metropolitin area, areas with several colleges (especially if they have strong teaching and psych departments), areas with strong children's services in general.  If you have a child with specific special needs, I always suggest parents contact the local chapter of any support groups they may belong to to get the skinny from the folks who will actually know!

Answer 3

It changes. Spurwink School in Maine used to be great, but then they made a policy decision that all children with autism are mentally retarded, so they are now out of the picture. I can't recommend the Spaulding School in New Hampshire either. My child got hurt there when he was attacked in his bed by another student. I wish you luck.

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Answer 4

I'm in GA and I agree. They are horrible. But the thing is, ALL states are the same, some even worse.

I'm a member of MANY boards, groups, lists etc and it is the same all over the USA.

Sorry!

YOu could go to www.schwablearning.org and sign up for free to post on their parent to parent message board.

They have lots of parents all over the US and can help you!