School district for Kids w/ Autism (Huntsville, Madison: home, school districts, place to live)

[fightingirish2321]

We have a 9 your old son w/ high functioning Autism. We have a great support structure currently with his therapy group as well as the school he attends. He currectly attends a public school in a mainstream classroom. He gets some pull our services throughout the week and has an aid as well throughout the day.

There is a chance of our family of relocating to Alabama. I will be working from home so there isn't a concern about a commute. Our budget is around 250-280k give or take.

I am just starting to do leg work in terms of schools/districts that are best in working with Autistic children. We already have an IEP for him. Do you know where I might find information or someone to talk with about services that are offered in those locations (and surrounding areas), how their funding looks, school districts that are better than others for him, etc?

Thanks in advance for all the help/comments/suggestions

[zenjenn]

I do know Huntsville City Schools has an autism advocate. However, I will be blunt and say that the inclusion teachers are NOT always well-equipped to deal with these students. I will not go any details here, but my daughter was a student in the inclusion classroom when she was still in public school (not as a child in need of the services, just a student in the class). The inclusion teacher in that case was young and inexperienced and minimally trained (if at all?) and clearly was trying to prove herself as a new teacher by taking on the inclusion class and trying to utilize the resource specialists minimally. My daughter observed some interactions between the teacher and an autistic student that I found highly disturbing (on the teacher's part, not the child's), and this, among other things, ultimately led to me pulling her from the school.

Most schools have one inclusion classroom per grade, and that is the teacher your son will get. If it is a crummy teacher you are out of luck. However, from what I know the autism advocate through the district is a good resource. I would call the district and ask to speak with the autism advocate. Perhaps they can direct you to a school that has a strong team of inclusion teachers.

[rnc76]

Originally Posted by fightingirish2321

We have a 9 your old son w/ high functioning Autism. We have a great support structure currently with his therapy group as well as the school he attends. He currectly attends a public school in a mainstream classroom. He gets some pull our services throughout the week and has an aid as well throughout the day.

There is a chance of our family of relocating to Alabama. I will be working from home so there isn't a concern about a commute. Our budget is around 250-280k give or take.

I am just starting to do leg work in terms of schools/districts that are best in working with Autistic children. We already have an IEP for him. Do you know where I might find information or someone to talk with about services that are offered in those locations (and surrounding areas), how their funding looks, school districts that are better than others for him, etc?

Thanks in advance for all the help/comments/suggestions

I honestly don't know what district would be best for you. However, and this hurts me to type, I would steer clear of Huntsville City Schools right now with the current budget crisis. I would fear that special needs programs will be some of the things hardest hit with the cutbacks.

[april4jsd]

I have heard Greengate school is supposed to be good. Not sure if this helps.

[hey teach]

Huntsville City Schools has a specialized unit for children with autism. I think it is located at Chapman Middle or Providence Middle. If you child is high functioning he/she would probably be mainstreamed into the regular classroom with the help of a SPED teacher.

I teach in HCS and all SPED students, on the middle school level, are mainstreamed into regular classes and the SPED teacher moves with them from class to class, especially in english and math. SPED students in middle school no longer stay in a class to themselves and go to one inclusion class a day.

As far as HCS budget cuts are concerned, special needs services will probably be the last and most unlikely cuts as these services are protected by federal mandate. Should special needs services be affected by the RIF it would most likely be in the area of gifted and talented, not autism or MR.

[jeallen1055]

Originally Posted by april4jsd

I have heard Greengate school is supposed to be good. Not sure if this helps.

Greengate specializes in dyslexia. For Autism, I suggest The Riley Center
http://www.therileycenter.org/

[friggsdottir]

Madison City is decent but quite frankly I would avoid coming to this state if you can (unless you can afford private schools). Alabama is not exactly known for its great public school system. I think their official motto is "At least we're not Mississippi".

[Traeger]

Have you considered contacting the local support group?

Making Connections ASD Support Group
15029 Collier Dr.
Huntsville, AL 35803
256 885 5959
www.makingconnectionsasd.com
Contact: Debra Bumbicka
bums@knology.net

[hsvasddad]

Hello, and (if you do relocate here) welcome to Huntsville! This is a great place to live, and we have several excellent schools here, in Huntsville, Madison, and Madison County, in addition to some good private school choices as well.

I have a 10-yr old on the spectrum, also high functioning. We moved within town just a few years ago and were asking the very same questions as you. We wanted to find the RIGHT school for our son. As you know this is not necessarily the same as what people may think of as the "BEST" school, which might be a great school to push a young overachiever, but not the most patient and understanding school for kids who think and operate in ways outside the accepted norms.

Based on our research, we chose Weatherly Heights Elementary and have been very happy with how they have worked with us and our son to help him achieve. He started there in K and is now in third grade and doing well.

If you wish to talk more about it, send me a direct message and I'll be happy to tell you all I know. Good luck to you!

Richard

[Dennis Packard]

If you make 280K a year you don't need the public school system. You have an obligation to find a less expensive home and give your child the best education through a privite school. Us that have little money must deal with the inadaquate system because we have too. My grandson is subjected to poorly trained teachers who would rather not deal with his special needs. Do yourself and your child a big favor and find a good private school that won't treat your kid like another BRICK IN THE WALL!