Best area in Spokane to raise a family (Everett, South Hill: renters, pre-school)

[Bakergirl]

Okay-I have to join in! My family is also planning a move to Spokane because of my husband's job. We live in the Woodinville, WA area. My daughter is almost 5 and is non verbal and on the autism spectrum and has an IEP. My 2 1/2 year old will also have an IEP when he turns three. I am very stressed out about choosing the right school district. My aunt has a friend who is a special ed teacher in the Reardon district and suggested that we avoid Central Valley SD. I didn't personally talk to her so I don't quite know her reasoning. I'm a little disappointed because I wanted to live in the Veradale area. She actually suggested the Nine Mile Falls district. My concern is that enrollment there is around 2,000 kids. That is so small! I'm concerned about a small district not having ample speech and occupational therapists. I looked on their website and found only two speech therapists for the whole district. I'm worried about such a small district having really limited choices for the parents. My daughter is in the Northshore school district and there are 8 special ed teachers in preschool alone. I've looked at Mead's website and all I can find out about preschool is that special ed preschool is mixed with daycare kids with a special ed teacher that is in the classroom 1x a week. That doesn't seem right. I know I need to make some calls. I sent an email message to the Northwest Autism Center several weeks ago and never got a reply. I'm wondering if there is an unwritten rule about not suggesting one district over the other. Anyway, Deena, I'll be anxiously awaiting any info you get! District 81-spokane public schools isn't an option for me. I don't want to risk my kids being sent to a school way on the other side of the district. Even if we lived in the vicinity of Moran Praire, doesn't mean that my kids with special needs would go to that school. And, I don't want to live near downtown, either.

[mkeller]

Having taught school for over 32 years before doing home sales, I can tell you that Baker Girl is nearly right on all her issues on the post. If I had to rank CV it would not be one of the top districts, but Mead would be. There again you run into problems with the bus situation since it is one of the largest districts in the State of Washington. The best way is to interview just like you would if you were hiring them as an employee.

[Deena160]

Bummer! I like the Central Valley area, too. I have gotten some responses back on my therapist info request and they said that they do have some contacts that they can try and get some candid answers from. So, keep your fingers crossed.
We're in the Everett School District. I know it's probably not the best, but I've never had to fight for my kids IEP stuff(Individual Education Plan for you laymen) or my 16 year old's 504. We're lucky that our local elementary school houses one of the self contained classrooms where my son went 1st-5th grade. Even though my youngest is in a mainstream class, she gets the benefit of having an OT, and two SLP's on staff. She also has a district SLP that comes in once a week to work with her with her communication tech stuff(Dynavox). I have to admit to being spoiled.
I've read horror stories in parent chatrooms about people nationally not being able to get services for their kids and having to fight tooth and nail. That scares me. I don't really have the personality to do that. I'm a wuss, I'll admit it. I would hope that I could be an affective advocate for my children, but I think I'd have to reach deep to find the confrontational, mamma bear side of me.
Problem: If we all get the same info, we might all move to the same area and then they will be overwhelmed! lol. Although with the autism rate the way it is, I'm sure it isn't anything they're not used to. When my son was diagnosed 9 years ago, they were still saying 1 in 500 kids. Now they are advertising it as 1 in 150. eek. :~/ D

[Bakergirl]

Deena160, I'm also going to ask people at my daughter's school if they have any words of wisdom for me. Yeah, I was disappointed to hear from a special ed teacher to avoid Central Valley. But, I know a woman who moved to Idaho from Spokane and she was in the CV district and had a good experience with the special education dept. So, who's opinion should I take more seriously. I don't know! Ugh! My husband is moving over in February and the kids and I aren't moving until school is out in June. I haven't completely crossed CV off of my list but if more people tell me to avoid it, then I probably will. I'll share any additional school info I get!

[Deena160]

Every other house I look at on-line is in District 81 or CV! The problem is that we need a ranch style that can be handicap accessible and that style, in our price range, pretty much was built in those areas from the mid-50's-70's. Also, my husband's work would be out near the airport so I've been looking South of the freeway and West of Division street and 90% of that is in those districts. I don't need the perfect house, but I do need my kids to be in the perfect area in order for this move not to be too traumatic. It's hard enough to move a family, let alone an autistic child.
The lady that I posted about a while ago lived in the CV district, too. She loved it, but she had "normal" kids! :~) D

[Vera_ewash]

We've lived in Spokane for several years....my DH since 1987 and I myself since 1994. I can't comment on schools because we have no children, but I can say that Spokane has one of the highest populations of Sex offenders! My DH has worked for the Indian Child Welfare-Luthern Services dept. as well as other youth associated organizations within the social work field, chemical dependency, ect. and he can attest to that as well.
We preferred to go back to Nebraska, but settled for Rosalia 33 miles south. We have been here since Aug. 2003. It's a small town (pop. about 650) and very few to no crimes...very petty crimes really if anything. Also the Rosalia School District was voted no. 1 in Eastern WA this year but I'm not sure how their special need student system is? We have a post office and small store which has dvd rentals and a laundry mat next door, a pool/park and 2 bars. Both places serve food, one of which is a diner on one side and we have another lunch deli/pizza and espresso shoppe. We have a garden club here too
The drawback is the Hwy 195 commute to Spokane or Colfax for work, shopping and entertainment. But there is a Tidyman's Grocery (actually the Trading Post now) on the highway before hitting Spokane. We are just about half way between both cities, but we do everything in Spokane...about a 35 minute drive to downtown.

Good luck on your move!

[Shiggity]

Originally Posted by kena

Wow, a linked article from the year 2000 about meth. Good thing the P-I keeps its articles archived for such a long time. Sadly, almost no area of the country is free from the problems of meth (including Spokane and much of the west side of the state) but the implication that Spokane has a particularly acute meth problem at this point in time is nonsense.

I know, a whole seven years is practically from a different era. Don't like that one? How about this one?

Or this one?

Or this one?

Or this one?

Or is September 2007 too out of date for you?

[Shiggity]

Originally Posted by gettingmarried

Does anyone have anything good to say?

Haha yeah I do! Denver is a great city! Stay there!

[kena]

Originally Posted by Vera_ewash

We've lived in Spokane for several years....my DH since 1987 and I myself since 1994. I can't comment on schools because we have no children, but I can say that Spokane has one of the highest populations of Sex offenders! My DH has worked for the Indian Child Welfare-Luthern Services dept. as well as other youth associated organizations within the social work field, chemical dependency, ect. and he can attest to that as well.

I'm just not sure where this sex offender stuff comes from. Although Spokane isn't the community with the least amount of sex offenders, to suggest it has some inordinate number isn't supported by the data (from this very site). Comparing Spokane to other comprable cities, Spokane actually looks pretty good:

Spokane sex offender ratio 938-1 Spokane, Washington (WA) Detailed Profile - relocation, real estate, travel, jobs, hospitals, schools, crime, news, sex offenders

Boise: 439-1 Boise, Idaho (ID) Detailed Profile - relocation, real estate, travel, jobs, hospitals, schools, crime, news, sex offenders

Tacoma: 786-1 Tacoma, Washington (WA) Detailed Profile - relocation, real estate, travel, jobs, hospitals, schools, crime, news, sex offenders

Omaha: 1068-1 Omaha, Nebraska (NE) Detailed Profile - relocation, real estate, travel, jobs, hospitals, schools, crime, news, sex offenders

Colorado Springs: 474-1 Colorado Springs, Colorado (CO) Detailed Profile - relocation, real estate, travel, jobs, hospitals, schools, crime, news, sex offenders

[Shiggity]

Originally Posted by kena

I'm just not sure where this sex offender stuff comes from.

It's probably just a myth.

Yes folks, the citizens of Spokane elected this man mayor.