Best Long Island School Districts for Special Education (Valley Stream, Massapequa: purchase, park)

[adamommy]

Hi,
Which are the IEP Friendly School Districts and do you know of the ones that have FULL DAY Collaborative Teaching Team classrooms?
THANKS!

[Elke Mariotti]

Originally Posted by adamommy

Hi,
Which are the IEP Friendly School Districts and do you know of the ones that have FULL DAY Collaborative Teaching Team classrooms?
THANKS!

Are you looking in Nassau or Suffolk County?

[cathicool]

i've been hearing some really good things about the special ed programsin west babylon and to a lesser extent, west islip.

anyone have an experience they'd like to share? i'm especially interested in west babylon.

[teachsped]

I cannot say enough about Hewlett-Woodmere and the special ed programs that they offer. They are opening an autism class in Sept. '09. Carle Place has a great program too as does Lawrence. Little Village and Variety are both excellent. Syossett-Woodbury does not have inclusion.

[yeaitsme]

As the person who stared this thread I am sad to say things are so much worse at Sachem. More parents have had to hire attorneys to fight for an appropriate education for their children. Administrators still direct staff on what to say and recommend at CSE predetermining the outcomes instead of allowing the CSE to make up the IEP. There are limits placed on OT PT ST etc telling staff they are not allow to recommend more that 2OT sessions per child after 2nd grade and try to whittle it down to one. Kids who are nonverbal are still being placed into groups to learn "pragmatics" and parents are convinced that 5 kids in a 30 minute session is beneficial to their speech impaired child. Sachem only contracts with certain therapy agencies who will do whatever Sachem dictates because the contract is so big. The Directors of said agencies (not all but some) will tell their therapists what to write in evaluations and reports so the child will not "qualify" for additional services or services at all in some cases. It is disgusting! And now we have a SUPERINTENDANT who says he doesn;t know that asbestos removal is happening while their are children in the school!!! WTH!!!! So avoid Sachem like the plague. We are moving if things don't change. Supposedly the Super is going to Nassau county to another district. Good riddance! Hopefully that will be the change we need.

From what I hear from other parents Half Hollow Hills and a new program at Eastport are the better options if your child has special needs/learning issues.

[NRSMom1]

Does anyone have any information or opinion about special ed services at the middle school level in either the Garden City or Great Neck School District? My son has Asperger's and will be in 6th grade next year. I have not found Garden City to be particularly helpful and was interested to hear from others. Thanks!

[adamommy]

I'm still looking for school districts that have ALL-Day Collaborative Teaching Teams whereby the Special Education teacher and the Regular Ed. teacher Co-teach side by side in a class of typical and IEP kids. I know that Great Neck has all day, and someone mentioned Levittown. Are you happy with Levittown overall and why? I would like to find a school district on the North Shore in Nassau if possible.

[NRSMom1]

Garden City Schools offer all day colloborative teaching teams beginning in Middle School.

[mymommy]

Hi patrice, thanks for your info. on North shore district. We are in Sachem school district now and thinking of moving closer because my husband and I both work in the city. The commute is getting harder. We are worried that our son's services will not transfer if we decide to move. Also, we are trying to decide which district is the best for him. It looks like you have to fight no matter what. It is such a shame and unfair. Sachem can even label my child correctly. We agreed to change the classification to MR but must put a medical alert that he has a scar on the right side of his brain (frontal lobe). I received a copy of his program and services and of course they labeled his disability MR only. Unbelievable, they make me so angry. Am I the only one?

[mymommy]

Does anyone have any information about the special education services in the North Shore school District? My son is TBI ( traumatic brain injury). He is not a behavioral problem. He has a severe speech delay. We are in the sachem school district. My husband and I both work in the city. The commute is too much. My son receives OT, PT, and speech in Sachem and is in a 6:1:1 classroom. Will it be a problem to transfer to another school district?