Elementary Schools Oak park , north/north W Chicago suburbs (Buffalo Grove: low income, day care)

[kp99]

Hello Every one,
We are relocating to the Chicago area. We are going to work at down town .so we are looking to the north and north west suburbs

We have a 3 year old son who was dx'd with high functioning autism. The draws to the move are as a part of further career in our medical profession


My son is making an amazing progress with therapies he is getting now and also he is in day care 2 days a week and able to integrate with children too. if he continues the progress will be mainstream KG when he turns 5 ,with minimal if any supports. If I can recreate the environment he is in here, somewhere in the Chicagoland area - dh and I can soundly discuss whether this opportunity is something we want to pursue.

My questions are these:

Are there any resources that provide data specifically on Sp Ed programs at the El Ed level? I've been on the state website and am calling specific schools and districts. I want to make sure I'm not missing any valuable information.

Second - do any school districts stick out at 'Sp Ed friendly' versus those who make service implementation a nightmare?

Are there any districts that are absolute nightmares and I should just black out that area of my map?

We are looking to pay some one as hourly basis who can work for us in providing all these information and work with us until we find a good school and also helping in finding therapy providers.
If any play therapist/speech therapist/any one who knows little bit of autism is preferable.

Thanks SO much in advance.

[chet everett]

I have a close friend whose daughter has an autism spectrum disorder. His mom is a superintendent in a western state and he choose Butler D53 which serves Oak Brook in eastern DuPage Co specifically for the philosophy and services they offer for children with autism specturm disorders.

Although the median home in Oak Brook is quite pricey there are many medical professionals in the area and the overall level of both convenience to many hospitals and excellent communty amenities are much appreciated.

As schools in Illinois face increasing pressures due to fiscal strain from the state's mismanagement of pension funds I would strongly encourage anyone with children needed special attention to only consider the most well funded districts.

[Lookout Kid]

I have a friend who has a child with a learning disorder in an Oak Park elementary school, and he has been very unhappy with the level of attention. His take is that you either need to be gifted or low income to get any attention in the Oak Park school system (that's his impression, not mine). He feels that kids in the middle of the pack or with special needs are sort of hung out to dry. He is ready to leave Oak Park over this, even though he loves his neighborhood and his friends there.

[dogluvr2012]

I agree, you have to look to districts that have a lot of money. My son is in Spec ed and it has been soooooo easy! I am in the Buffalo Grove district and they did many hours of testing, and got him what he needed right away. He has SE for all his academics, but still attends specials with his class.

I have been soooo spoiled with this district though. He got FREE preschool (early childhood) for 2 years with FREE bus service. For the older kids, there are actually 2 busses home. They can go right after school or attend after school activities and catch the second bus home. They are both FREE! Yes, there are high property taxes in this area but it's so worth it. I can't say enough good things. People here take it for granted but I don't know any other districts that offer what they have here even in richer neighborhoods.

[kindrakindra]

Originally Posted by Lookout Kid

I have a friend who has a child with a learning disorder in an Oak Park elementary school, and he has been very unhappy with the level of attention. His take is that you either need to be gifted or low income to get any attention in the Oak Park school system (that's his impression, not mine). He feels that kids in the middle of the pack or with special needs are sort of hung out to dry. He is ready to leave Oak Park over this, even though he loves his neighborhood and his friends there.

I'd be interested in what school? My ds has received speech services through D97. Our private SLP graduated my kid well before D97's therapist did. I even had to ask her to stop services because the private SLP thought it was a waste (she wouldn't).

[Lookout Kid]

Originally Posted by kindrakindra

I'd be interested in what school? My ds has received speech services through D97. Our private SLP graduated my kid well before D97's therapist did. I even had to ask her to stop services because the private SLP thought it was a waste (she wouldn't).

Well, I don't want to post it online since there are probably only a handful of kids at each school with these issues... But I can tell you in a PM.

[kindrakindra]

Originally Posted by dogluvr2012

I have been soooo spoiled with this district though. He got FREE preschool (early childhood) for 2 years with FREE bus service. For the older kids, there are actually 2 busses home. They can go right after school or attend after school activities and catch the second bus home. They are both FREE! Yes, there are high property taxes in this area but it's so worth it. I can't say enough good things. People here take it for granted but I don't know any other districts that offer what they have here even in richer neighborhoods.

Free preschool and busing is actually federal law.

[chitownperson]

Originally Posted by Lookout Kid

I have a friend who has a child with a learning disorder in an Oak Park elementary school, and he has been very unhappy with the level of attention. His take is that you either need to be gifted or low income to get any attention in the Oak Park school system (that's his impression, not mine). He feels that kids in the middle of the pack or with special needs are sort of hung out to dry. He is ready to leave Oak Park over this, even though he loves his neighborhood and his friends there.

That's too bad regarding your friends experience, I'd be frustrated also if my kids had to deal with that. I'd be interested in his specific experience, or maybe the school or teacher that was involved, because a couple of people I know who's special needs kids were sent through Whittier/Brooks/OPRF were very happy with their experiences. I know that Whittier has special needs programs etc... I'm not trying to discount your friends experience, but I don't think it can be used as a measure for all the schools or experiences in D97.

I also don't share his impression that the "middle of the pack" students get short handed with attention. I think it's sometimes natural to see a struggling student and give them a bit more of a push to try to get them up to speed, but I haven't heard or experienced anything in the way of middle of the pack students being left by the waist side. Again, this is my experience, and I'm not discounting your friends experience, but I think it's important to distinguish specific experiences from general trends. I do hope he finds what he's looking for for his kid.

[Lookout Kid]

I just realized I typed "disorder" instead of "disability". Oops.

Valid points. I just figured I would pass on a first-hand account of a child with a learning disability in D97 schools. It is just one family, and I'm sure there are many other viewpoints. I have no first-hand experience with D97 myself, but usually hear positive things from parents who have kids there without learning disabilities.

[Lookout Kid]

To elaborate, my friend feels that tutoring services in his D97 school are mostly allocated towards helping low-income kids, and that there are few resources available for his child. This is his main complaint.