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First off, your child is still in EI so a lot of changes can still happen. I have a sibling with significant needs into adulthood, so that's my frame of reference.
I assume you'll want your child in a preschool with special education teachers and speech services, at a minimum, beginning at your son's 3rd birthday. I don't think it would be weird if you went to the district offices for Syosset and HHH, explained your situation, and asked for an overview of what they offer. I doubt they'd have their own special ed preschool program (though I could be wrong!) so I'm sure they will refer you preschools they'd prefer to send your child to. But it wouldn't hurt to hear what they say about kindergarten. Once you buy the house, definitely make your presence known down at the district.
Life lesson I tell every parent- line yourself up with a special education advocate, and have them come to all official meetings with the county/district, just in case. They'll help argue that the district programs aren't meeting your child's needs (if you feel that's the case) and insist the district explore placement in schools of your choice. Education Help
By the way, I'm partial to the Little Village School. I don't work there but I wish I did. https://www.littlevillage.org/ Start researching preschools now... visiting, interviews, screenings, paperwork all takes time.
This is great advice - thanks! Are there special preschools for children with special needs, or are they just the elementary schools in each district?
For special services, HHH was very good. I have no complaints on that side of things.
As a school district for non-special, I found it highly overrated. A lot of favoritism by teachers/administrators. An obsessive worship of test scores. Many kids graduate with an average higher than 100% (not sure how you get more than 100% - seems like Spinal Tap's "11" amplifier.) I'm going back a few years, but I was told by two separate college admissions departments that they don't take HHH GPA's seriously because they are known to be highly overinflated. Using a 4.0 GPA system, you shouldn't have a 4.5 GPA - yet many do.
I had several run-ins with the administration over ridiculous things when I had to intervene on my kid's behalf. There were some real loonies running the high-school at the time.
My kids all did well there and seemed happy. It blew me away when one of my kids told me at graduation that she was thrilled to be out of there. None of my kids liked the district, but all made the best of it. I'm glad to be done with it (although I still get slammed with the outrageous tax bill).
It's the emperor's new clothes - the people touting the district as "all that" are the people living there and screaming it from the top of their lungs. (These are the same people constantly talking the teachers into changing their kid's grade from a B to and A.)
The reason that GPAs can be higher is that some kids are taking Advanced Placement courses and a 100 average is those classes should carry more weight than a 100 average in the same course that is not AP and therefore easier. They are trying not to penalize GPAs for taking harder, advanced classes. That is fair. My kids love the district and all it has to offer, so different people will have different experiences, I suppose. And as far as college admissions boards not taking the grades seriously, that conflicts with the number of students that get into very good universities.
The reason that GPAs can be higher is that some kids are taking Advanced Placement courses and a 100 average is those classes should carry more weight than a 100 average in the same course that is not AP and therefore easier. They are trying not to penalize GPAs for taking harder, advanced classes. That is fair. My kids love the district and all it has to offer, so different people will have different experiences, I suppose. And as far as college admissions boards not taking the grades seriously, that conflicts with the number of students that get into very good universities.
Don't get me wrong. I'm not trying to trash the district. I simply think HHH is over-rated, especially when one considers the tax rate.
I fully understand about AP courses. It's just that I find a tremendous irony in the system - mathematically, you cannot have more than 100% - 100% is the maximum. Just like 4.0 is the max on a 4.0 scale. Ten questions on a test - get all correct, you have 100%. It is mathematically impossible to get more than 100% of the answers correct, regardless of the difficulty level. Awarding scores higher than the scale allows for only shows a misunderstanding of math, which is ironic in this situation.
There are MANY intelligent students from HHH that get into very good schools. These students have earned it and I would never belittle their accomplishments. From what I have been told by admissions people, these kids probably earned it _more_ than those in some other districts because the HHH scores are known to be over-inflated. All those parents buttering-up teachers to change grades doesn't really help anyone. It's like the 4.5 at HHH equals a 4.0 anywhere else. Your point on AP classes is noted, but it causes kids with a 4.0 (a 3.5 somewhere else) to be misled as to their academic status. (GPA numbers not necessarily accurate - just used as an example).
I had three kids graduate that district. They certainly weren't miserable, but none liked it. I'm sure that we are probably in the minority opinion. There is a very cliquish "snob" culture in the district which really turned me off. (That, and the overabundance of plastic surgery). . Certainly not everyone, but enough of it to be unavoidable.
My biggest complaint was the obsession with test scores. Everything to the administration was a number. They weren't educating kids, they were producing high test scores.
The district does have much to offer and, as I already pointed out, the special services are excellent.
Don't get me wrong. I'm not trying to trash the district. I simply think HHH is over-rated, especially when one considers the tax rate.
I fully understand about AP courses. It's just that I find a tremendous irony in the system - mathematically, you cannot have more than 100% - 100% is the maximum. Just like 4.0 is the max on a 4.0 scale. Ten questions on a test - get all correct, you have 100%. It is mathematically impossible to get more than 100% of the answers correct, regardless of the difficulty level. Awarding scores higher than the scale allows for only shows a misunderstanding of math, which is ironic in this situation.
There are MANY intelligent students from HHH that get into very good schools. These students have earned it and I would never belittle their accomplishments. From what I have been told by admissions people, these kids probably earned it _more_ than those in some other districts because the HHH scores are known to be over-inflated. All those parents buttering-up teachers to change grades doesn't really help anyone. It's like the 4.5 at HHH equals a 4.0 anywhere else. Your point on AP classes is noted, but it causes kids with a 4.0 (a 3.5 somewhere else) to be misled as to their academic status. (GPA numbers not necessarily accurate - just used as an example).
I had three kids graduate that district. They certainly weren't miserable, but none liked it. I'm sure that we are probably in the minority opinion. There is a very cliquish "snob" culture in the district which really turned me off. (That, and the overabundance of plastic surgery). . Certainly not everyone, but enough of it to be unavoidable.
My biggest complaint was the obsession with test scores. Everything to the administration was a number. They weren't educating kids, they were producing high test scores.
The district does have much to offer and, as I already pointed out, the special services are excellent.
Sorry to get off topic.
I might be moving into HHH district, I look at the tax rate there and I think its great, defiantly a better value for houses than My current SD that is generally considered to be very good. I am not surprised about the snob culture I assume it will be more so than where I am currently due to the large number of 1.5mm+ homes in the district.
This is great advice - thanks! Are there special preschools for children with special needs, or are they just the elementary schools in each district?
Yes, there are. There is one in Syosset too. However, there is usually a waiting list.
Your child will need to be evaluated first to decide what will be the most appropriate educational environment. If he/she does not qualify for a dedicated special ed preschool (there are several throughout the island and busing is included), then he/she will assigned various services, most likely including a SEIT who can either work with your child at a regular mainstream preschool or come to your home. How many hours per week depends on your child's special ed needs. Always request the "most services." You can always modify/decrease them later.
Yes, there are. There is one in Syosset too. However, there is usually a waiting list.
Your child will need to be evaluated first to decide what will be the most appropriate educational environment. If he/she does not qualify for a dedicated special ed preschool (there are several throughout the island and busing is included), then he/she will assigned various services, most likely including a SEIT who can either work with your child at a regular mainstream preschool or come to your home. How many hours per week depends on your child's special ed needs. Always request the "most services." You can always modify/decrease them later.
We met the county coordinator today, and started the process for the school to evaluate. As you mentioned, majority of the schools don't do anything in the school itself for pre-school children - they usually refer them out to specialized schools for that. And then at school age (5) they determine if they continue in the specialized schools, or go to regular schools with an aide, or mixed-integrated, etc. In which case, it sounds like the district doesn't matter that much before age 5.
Some of these specialized schools are Variety, Little Village, Building Blocks, etc. Does anybody have any personal experience with any of these schools?
Don't get me wrong. I'm not trying to trash the district. I simply think HHH is over-rated, especially when one considers the tax rate.
I fully understand about AP courses. It's just that I find a tremendous irony in the system - mathematically, you cannot have more than 100% - 100% is the maximum. Just like 4.0 is the max on a 4.0 scale. Ten questions on a test - get all correct, you have 100%. It is mathematically impossible to get more than 100% of the answers correct, regardless of the difficulty level. Awarding scores higher than the scale allows for only shows a misunderstanding of math, which is ironic in this situation.
There are MANY intelligent students from HHH that get into very good schools. These students have earned it and I would never belittle their accomplishments. From what I have been told by admissions people, these kids probably earned it _more_ than those in some other districts because the HHH scores are known to be over-inflated. All those parents buttering-up teachers to change grades doesn't really help anyone. It's like the 4.5 at HHH equals a 4.0 anywhere else. Your point on AP classes is noted, but it causes kids with a 4.0 (a 3.5 somewhere else) to be misled as to their academic status. (GPA numbers not necessarily accurate - just used as an example).
I had three kids graduate that district. They certainly weren't miserable, but none liked it. I'm sure that we are probably in the minority opinion. There is a very cliquish "snob" culture in the district which really turned me off. (That, and the overabundance of plastic surgery). . Certainly not everyone, but enough of it to be unavoidable.
My biggest complaint was the obsession with test scores. Everything to the administration was a number. They weren't educating kids, they were producing high test scores.
The district does have much to offer and, as I already pointed out, the special services are excellent.
Sorry to get off topic.
There is a GPA (which cannot be higher than 4.0) and a weighted GPA (which can be for the reasons I mentioned). So I think that it is clear when admissions boards are reviewing these what is driving both. And in terms of your plastic surgery comment - welcome to Long Island.
Little Village and HASC have excellent reputations. Variety was wonderful when I had to deal with them, but I don't know what it's like there now. Few Long Island school districts offer any kind of preschool so most special ed preschool is handled off school district campus. I would say that your home district does matter, even if it's just getting preschool services. Different directors of special education handle things differently, including the allocation of services, frequency, inclusion of services during the summer, and so forth. Some districts are more generous than others and the generous districts are not necessarily wealthy school districts.
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. Certainly not everyone, but enough of it to be unavoidable. 
