Special ed. in Iowa City (Agency, Grant: neighborhood, elementary schools, to live in)

[DouglasE50]

We're considering relocating in the next few months. We have a high-functioning, theoretically mainstreamed, 11-year-old autistic boy. We like the services here in Madison, WI, and wonder what we'll be losing or gaining by moving to Iowa City. (One of us will be employed by Iowa U).

thanks.

[cevec]

You will want to talk with the Grant Wood Area Education Agency.
Welcome to Grant Wood Area Education Agency
I would check out the programs & services link as well as the parents & students link.

I know a four year old with an IEP who is receiving good support. I don't know as much for 11 y.o. age group.

The public schools in Iowa City are excellent for most children. Maybe it is due to the education or due to the high number of highly educated parents in the city (per capita graduate degrees second only to Rochester, MN). My uneducated guess is there may be slightly fewer services due to the smaller size of the city, but I don't have a good basis for that opinion.

Best of luck.

[neanerbean]

First find out what neighborhood you are going to live in. not all the elementary schools are the same. then find out which school he will go to. Make sure you bring all documentation as soon as you register your son for school. Also request an IEP meeting right away so when he starts he will be getting help right away. actually do this BEFORE you move. Iowa city is one of the best districts in the state. You need to be a bit forward with the Jr high and High school because they have so many to deal with. certain schools are better in dealing with special needs than others. I'm partial to Mann (northside neighborhood and Goosetown, you will understand when you move here maybe because my daughter goes there and she has Asperger's and they have done wonders. Good luck and welcome to Iowa city

[Sioux06Alum]

Iowa and its AEA's are reknown to be very innovative and very good. I just recently signed with an AEA as a school psychologist. You should be in good hands. Like neanerbean said, you want to bring all your paperwork and get a meeting right away. Explain to the team what interventions have been tried and then which of those have worked.