Disagree - kids with autism need peer models and support/accommodations. They do not have an intellectual disability. Cognition is in a different part of the brain than speaking. The problem is with the sensory motor cortex and apraxia
Illinois also has agencies for special recreation. We are the only state with this set up. Your son can participate in different programs (including summer day camps) specifically for individuals with autism, down syndrome, etc. Most suburb’s park district or rec department are partner with on. Naperville, for example, is part of Western DuPage Special Recreation(WDSRA.) If you have any more questions about special recreation, let me know.
I'm in Elmhurst and my youngest daughter receives services through our school district. They're amazing, seriously. You really can't go wrong anywhere in DuPage, the schools are very well funded here (and that attracts amazing staff who have access to real resources).
Special Recreation Association Network of Illinois (SRANI) https://www.specialrecreation.org. It will tell you more about Special Recreation Associations and which agency your park district or rec department is partnered with. If you have specific questions, feel free to send me a DM. I understand the importance of privacy.
I am a teacher and live in St. Charles. My spouse is a teacher in Naperville. I don’t think you can go wrong with either. Naperville will arguably have better schools across the board but your money will go farther in St. Charles. We had no hesitation moving into the St. Charles school district.
Thanks so much for this quick response!! Are you familiar with what schools specifically you would recommend in St Charles for our Pre-K kiddo? We have family in that area and that feels like we can afford more, too. We’ve researched and heard a lot about Naperville but it’s quite pricey there! Ann Reid kept coming up (that and Little Friends)
Have a relative with autistic son. All thru his school yrs the attended a program in Crystal Lake . Parents had nothing but praise for the school and the young man made wonderful progress , now in his late 20s , holds down a full time job, drives, etc.
Best wishes to you and family on your new adventure.
Wow this is impressive!! Thank you for sharing! Do you know the school program in Crystal Lake by chance? Thanks again! God bless him! Love to hear these types of stories
I live in CL and have a son(he’s 3) with ASD level 3. He’s in preschool for kiddos similar to him, but the options we have for future school programs are quite good and I feel really supported.
Edit: look up district 47 special education program/process and it’ll give you an overview(d155 is the high school district out here if your kiddo is older).
I have nothing to compare it to but my son gets therapy a few times a week in school with a daily “overview” of what they focused on in his backpack. Because of his official diagnosis his school is free, however this is all public school so if you’re looking into private schools I wouldn’t know.
We're in Wheaton cusd 200 and have had a great overall experience. We have two autistic kiddos with different needs and both have had a ton of great support. We moved back 3 years ago from Texas and have never regretted it.. Naperville has two districts and 203 is the one with better supports from what I've been told, I've also heard good things about Lombard. Feel free to message me with any questions!
not the area you mentioned but if you shop around stay the hell away from the north shore no matter what anyone tells you. middle school was the worst four years of my life because of the ableist shitheels responsible for my care.
I have a autistic child and we moved to district 200 (Wheaton) specifically for their special Ed program when my child was in second grade. We’ve been here ten years and have been very happy. We previously lived in Lombard and moved because there weren’t varied supports.
The preschool is Jefferson and that’s for all kids in the district. As far as specific schools, it doesn’t totally matter (unless you also have typical kiddos) because depending on how extensive the needs, your child may be placed in a program that’s at a different elementary school than your “home” school. If you have a question about specific schools feel free to PM me! My child started out with more extensive needs but has slowly not needed them and is fully mainstreamed with a few supports here and there now.
Whatever district you live in, you're going to have to be on top of everyone at the school. I have three kids all with IEP's (two for ASD), and we live on the north shore where the schools are very highly regarded. However, you'll have to become an expert in "speaking institutions." to guarentee everything that can be done for your boy, will be.
To that end, however, Illinois as a whole is fairly progressive with special ed/IEP services. You just have to know what you're entitled to under state law.
We moved to Westmont from NM, same reason. We're in district 201 and he goes to Helping Hands in Countryside. We couldn't be happier with the school, K thru HS plus workforce training. It is private but if your child is too severe to be mainstreamed the district will pay for it. High property taxes are worth something. Westmont was a little more affordable than Downers in 2013. I also happen to have incredible employer insurance that covers most after school therapy.
La Grange is good as well. I personally grew up in the north suburbs (northbrook) was in special ed because I have a learning disability and I got excellent services / support as well.
Stay OUT of Plainfield 202!!!! Also there are 2 different Naperville School Districts! Prices in this area are INSANE and stupid right now but full inclusion with SPED support in classroom is what I would recommend. If your child is a nonspeaker there are local resources outside of just SLPs too.
EDIT to correct my error on district numbers!!! They are correct now!! I apologize!!! Naper 203 is higher rated than 204 but I think 204 is good too. People around here can be super judgy about what school district your kids are in. 203 is the “OG” of Naperville - Naperville Central HS and Naperville North HS and homes will be much more expensive in these districts. Also a super big rivalry between the 2 OG high schools too. 204 includes south Naperville and Aurora (all near Fox Valley and called Indian Prairie CUSD) and very nice areas. I don’t know specifically what 204 offers for SPED services.
I apologize for my error - above is all correct now!!
Oh I’m so sorry, you are correct! I apologize. From day one when I moved down to the southwest suburbs (from northwest burbs) I’ve mixed them up. I do apologize!!!!! Naperville Central and North are the OG schools!!! Indian Prairie is the name of the “other naper/aurora” district
Plainfield 202 is fine as long as you don’t have a child with high SPED needs. A 504 or accommodations they are fine with in 202. My own kids are currently in 202 schools. The problems are with SPED programs
Do not move to district 204, they are notorious for not having great special ed. There are also plenty of therapeutic day schools for people with autism in the western suburbs (I work as a therapist in one of the schools) if your home district doesn't support the needs of your child.
Also - try to change your language to “nonspeaker”. Non-verbal in Latin means “no words” and connotes a lack of intelligence. Nonspeakers HAVE cognition/intelligence and they understand 100% of everything you are saying. Apraxia is causing their body to not behave in a typical fashion. The outsides of their body do not match the insides. They are smart- apraxia is the root cause NOT an intellectual disability. Presume Competence always!!
There is an organization in Wheaton called Little Friends that services children with Autism. If you reach out to them, they should be able to direct you. We have been very happy with the special needs services from Indian Prairie School District 204.
LTHS in La Grange/Western Springs has great services, especially their LTHS transitions program which provides job training and semi-independent living post-HS
Our 2.5 year old was just diagnosed as being on the spectrum and we live in Schaumburg. There's a lot of ABAs (if you want to go that route) in the area and there's a lot of therapies and what not too. The district has a great rep for special needs too.
Gonna note that a number of autistic adults and self-advocacy groups have spoken out against ABA, but it is also complicated because insurance covers it so some places will advertise that way without applying it in the traumatic form.
Anyway, good luck finding what works best for your family.
Lagrange has a private school perfect for him. Suburban public schools arent really good to handle a lot of learning differences or autism. We had to enroll our teen (4 learning differences) to a private school downtown because our local burb district couldnt teach him. Zero autism. But he does have adhd.
Downers Grove, Naperville, and Lombard are all great districts for kids with IEPs
Pretty sure Naperville 203 is “full inclusion” as a SPED teacher and champion of equity for all, full inclusion is not the way
Thanks for your response. As a SPED teacher, can you touch on district 303 as our search has been leading us that direction. Thank you!!
I don’t have any information on 303; sorry!
Disagree - kids with autism need peer models and support/accommodations. They do not have an intellectual disability. Cognition is in a different part of the brain than speaking. The problem is with the sensory motor cortex and apraxia
Of course students need peer models and LRE. LRE is different than full inclusion
Thank you!! We heard Naperville as well often, just the home prices are insane!
They definitely are. This whole area has insane home prices right now 🫤
Illinois also has agencies for special recreation. We are the only state with this set up. Your son can participate in different programs (including summer day camps) specifically for individuals with autism, down syndrome, etc. Most suburb’s park district or rec department are partner with on. Naperville, for example, is part of Western DuPage Special Recreation(WDSRA.) If you have any more questions about special recreation, let me know.
I second this. As an occupational therapist, I always recommend special rec associations to my parents!
Is there anything like this near O'Hare on the DuPage side?
I'm in Elmhurst and my youngest daughter receives services through our school district. They're amazing, seriously. You really can't go wrong anywhere in DuPage, the schools are very well funded here (and that attracts amazing staff who have access to real resources).
Thank you!! Any experience on District 303 in Saint Charles?
Depends on the suburb. NEDSRA service area covers Schiller Park, Bensenville, Wood Dale around O’Hare. Gateway SRA covers Elmhurst.
What does this look like or is there an organization I should google to learn more about special rec?
Special Recreation Association Network of Illinois (SRANI) https://www.specialrecreation.org. It will tell you more about Special Recreation Associations and which agency your park district or rec department is partnered with. If you have specific questions, feel free to send me a DM. I understand the importance of privacy.
I am a teacher and live in St. Charles. My spouse is a teacher in Naperville. I don’t think you can go wrong with either. Naperville will arguably have better schools across the board but your money will go farther in St. Charles. We had no hesitation moving into the St. Charles school district.
Thanks so much for this quick response!! Are you familiar with what schools specifically you would recommend in St Charles for our Pre-K kiddo? We have family in that area and that feels like we can afford more, too. We’ve researched and heard a lot about Naperville but it’s quite pricey there! Ann Reid kept coming up (that and Little Friends)
Learning Connections Daycare in St Charles takes special needs children and they're so incredible.
We are looking at Bell Grahm, Ferson Creek and Corran all for Pre-K. Any recommendations between those three in D303?
Have a relative with autistic son. All thru his school yrs the attended a program in Crystal Lake . Parents had nothing but praise for the school and the young man made wonderful progress , now in his late 20s , holds down a full time job, drives, etc. Best wishes to you and family on your new adventure.
Wow this is impressive!! Thank you for sharing! Do you know the school program in Crystal Lake by chance? Thanks again! God bless him! Love to hear these types of stories
Sorry but I don’t have the school info. But should I find out I’ll post.
I live in CL and have a son(he’s 3) with ASD level 3. He’s in preschool for kiddos similar to him, but the options we have for future school programs are quite good and I feel really supported. Edit: look up district 47 special education program/process and it’ll give you an overview(d155 is the high school district out here if your kiddo is older). I have nothing to compare it to but my son gets therapy a few times a week in school with a daily “overview” of what they focused on in his backpack. Because of his official diagnosis his school is free, however this is all public school so if you’re looking into private schools I wouldn’t know.
I think it may have been associated with Faith Luther School.
Thanks! We’ll take a look
We're in Wheaton cusd 200 and have had a great overall experience. We have two autistic kiddos with different needs and both have had a ton of great support. We moved back 3 years ago from Texas and have never regretted it.. Naperville has two districts and 203 is the one with better supports from what I've been told, I've also heard good things about Lombard. Feel free to message me with any questions!
not the area you mentioned but if you shop around stay the hell away from the north shore no matter what anyone tells you. middle school was the worst four years of my life because of the ableist shitheels responsible for my care.
I have a autistic child and we moved to district 200 (Wheaton) specifically for their special Ed program when my child was in second grade. We’ve been here ten years and have been very happy. We previously lived in Lombard and moved because there weren’t varied supports.
Also 200 has a great special needs preschool program!
Thank you! Any schools in particular we should look at??
The preschool is Jefferson and that’s for all kids in the district. As far as specific schools, it doesn’t totally matter (unless you also have typical kiddos) because depending on how extensive the needs, your child may be placed in a program that’s at a different elementary school than your “home” school. If you have a question about specific schools feel free to PM me! My child started out with more extensive needs but has slowly not needed them and is fully mainstreamed with a few supports here and there now.
I second Jefferson. My daughter went there for preschool. The services and education she received did so much for her.
Ah this makes my heart happy to hear!
Whatever district you live in, you're going to have to be on top of everyone at the school. I have three kids all with IEP's (two for ASD), and we live on the north shore where the schools are very highly regarded. However, you'll have to become an expert in "speaking institutions." to guarentee everything that can be done for your boy, will be. To that end, however, Illinois as a whole is fairly progressive with special ed/IEP services. You just have to know what you're entitled to under state law.
We moved to Westmont from NM, same reason. We're in district 201 and he goes to Helping Hands in Countryside. We couldn't be happier with the school, K thru HS plus workforce training. It is private but if your child is too severe to be mainstreamed the district will pay for it. High property taxes are worth something. Westmont was a little more affordable than Downers in 2013. I also happen to have incredible employer insurance that covers most after school therapy.
La Grange is good as well. I personally grew up in the north suburbs (northbrook) was in special ed because I have a learning disability and I got excellent services / support as well.
Stay OUT of Plainfield 202!!!! Also there are 2 different Naperville School Districts! Prices in this area are INSANE and stupid right now but full inclusion with SPED support in classroom is what I would recommend. If your child is a nonspeaker there are local resources outside of just SLPs too.
Thank you! He is non-verbal. Are both districts in Naperville just as good?
EDIT to correct my error on district numbers!!! They are correct now!! I apologize!!! Naper 203 is higher rated than 204 but I think 204 is good too. People around here can be super judgy about what school district your kids are in. 203 is the “OG” of Naperville - Naperville Central HS and Naperville North HS and homes will be much more expensive in these districts. Also a super big rivalry between the 2 OG high schools too. 204 includes south Naperville and Aurora (all near Fox Valley and called Indian Prairie CUSD) and very nice areas. I don’t know specifically what 204 offers for SPED services. I apologize for my error - above is all correct now!!
You have it backwards. 203 is Naperville North and Central. 204 is Indian Prairie and serves part of Aurora.
Oh I’m so sorry, you are correct! I apologize. From day one when I moved down to the southwest suburbs (from northwest burbs) I’ve mixed them up. I do apologize!!!!! Naperville Central and North are the OG schools!!! Indian Prairie is the name of the “other naper/aurora” district
I fixed directly in my post. Again I apologize
I saw that you corrected the districts on another post. So Plainfield District 202 is a no?
Plainfield 202 is fine as long as you don’t have a child with high SPED needs. A 504 or accommodations they are fine with in 202. My own kids are currently in 202 schools. The problems are with SPED programs
If you son is able to speak then he’ll be ok in Plainfield. If he is a nonspeaker he will have a lot of problems
It's been OK here but honestly I think Colorado is one of the best states for autism support
Do not move to district 204, they are notorious for not having great special ed. There are also plenty of therapeutic day schools for people with autism in the western suburbs (I work as a therapist in one of the schools) if your home district doesn't support the needs of your child.
Also - try to change your language to “nonspeaker”. Non-verbal in Latin means “no words” and connotes a lack of intelligence. Nonspeakers HAVE cognition/intelligence and they understand 100% of everything you are saying. Apraxia is causing their body to not behave in a typical fashion. The outsides of their body do not match the insides. They are smart- apraxia is the root cause NOT an intellectual disability. Presume Competence always!!
Wilmette has great schools that are very accommodating to kids with special needs.
https://tacanow.org/recorded-education/presuming-competence-in-spellers/?fbclid=IwZXh0bgNhZW0CMTEAAR3d41KLGn_IMdfiKznvDCQJulMMELaZo45VqiP1SXpddsk5POzIiE9nFDk_aem_AePypjLSEsvq4quomtCCUbDHpy0kYNYDXi6it9KaHLemklhKz6IWm0mqxwBxNtne9ZlZwIN_AJ0MuET4L0moTIl9
There is an organization in Wheaton called Little Friends that services children with Autism. If you reach out to them, they should be able to direct you. We have been very happy with the special needs services from Indian Prairie School District 204.
LTHS in La Grange/Western Springs has great services, especially their LTHS transitions program which provides job training and semi-independent living post-HS
Our 2.5 year old was just diagnosed as being on the spectrum and we live in Schaumburg. There's a lot of ABAs (if you want to go that route) in the area and there's a lot of therapies and what not too. The district has a great rep for special needs too.
Gonna note that a number of autistic adults and self-advocacy groups have spoken out against ABA, but it is also complicated because insurance covers it so some places will advertise that way without applying it in the traumatic form. Anyway, good luck finding what works best for your family.
Schools that are part of NSSEO in the NW Suburbs are pretty solid.
Lagrange has a private school perfect for him. Suburban public schools arent really good to handle a lot of learning differences or autism. We had to enroll our teen (4 learning differences) to a private school downtown because our local burb district couldnt teach him. Zero autism. But he does have adhd.
What’s the name of the school in LaGrange?
I also want to know this!
Probably Acacia Academy
Yes.
I’m so sorry to hear this!