Table of ContentsView AllTable of ContentsTraditional SchoolsSpecial Needs SchoolsAutism SchoolsWhat to Look ForCost
Table of ContentsView All
View All
Table of Contents
Traditional Schools
Special Needs Schools
Autism Schools
What to Look For
Cost
The best school for any child depends on their individual needs and learning style. While some children with autism thrive in mainstream or public schools, others perform better in private schools for autism, which tend to offer more structured and specialized classes. These private schools focus on nurturing an autistic child’s strengths while addressing challenges.
Thanks to the Individuals with Disabilities Act (IDEA), public schools are obligated to accept autistic children.Even so, not all schools are able to provide an appropriate curriculum and classroom modifications for kids who need them.
This article discusses private schools for autism, the variouseducational options, and the pros and cons of each.
Traditional Private Schools
Private schools that largely serveneurotypicalkids usually offer smaller class sizes than public schools. Individualized teaching, and some flexibility in terms of curriculum and teaching philosophy, are common. Some, for example, may focus on hands-on learning and child-directed education, which may be better for an autistic child than verbally-based instruction.
However, unlike public schools, these schools are not obligated to accept kids with disabilities and not all hire teachers who have been trained to work with children with disabilities. A traditional private school may accept a kindergartner withlow support needs(level 1 autism) and then decide that they can’t accommodate the child after all.
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Private Schools for Children With Disabilities
The majority of private schools for children with disabilities serve children diagnosed with dyslexia, executive-functioning issues likeattention deficit/hyperactivity disorder(ADHD), or similar disorders. In some cases, these schools accept children with level 1 autism as well.
Private schools for children with ADHD often offer provisions that can be helpful for children with autism, such as:
Furthermore, schools for kids with disabilities are likely to adapt extracurricular activities such as music, theater, and sports to make it possible for students of all abilities to participate in them.
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Private Schools Specializing in Autism
Private schools for autistic children build in full-day therapeutic interventions that includespeech,occupational, andphysical therapymodalities. These therapeutic interventions include:
Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA)
Applied behavior analysisis a therapy that aims to increase behaviors that are helpful for learning, and decrease those that are harmful. In children with autism, ABA is employed to:
ABA takes many forms, but at its core is positive and negative reinforcement. This can look like rewarding a child with praise or a toy when they perform a behavior or skill successfully. It can also entail taking away a toy if it becomes a distraction.
Relationship Development Intervention (RDI)
Relationship development intervention is a treatment for children with autism that focuses on developing the relationship between the child and their parents or caregiver.
Other skills that can be developed through RDI include:
RDI skill-building may start in the home and continue to be honed throughout the school day.
Floortime
Floortimeis another therapy that aims to build the relationship between the autistic child and their parents, caregivers, and teachers. This therapy is a form of structured play that places an emphasis on sharing experiences, rather than teaching.
Floortime encourages caregivers to enter a child’s world, engage in their interests, and challenge them in ways that build skills. The therapy helps kids develop capacities for:
Children with autism often enjoy floortime. However, critics say the therapy can feel vague, unstructured, and lacking in clear goal setting, unlike other forms of therapy like ABA.
TEACCH
TEACCH stands for Treatment and Education of Autistic and related Communication-handicapped Children. It is a method of teaching applied in classroom settings that aims to develop:
TEACCH involves:
As the child becomes more independent, their schedules become less structured. For example, to teach a child to wash dishes, the teacher and child may spend three days learning to sort clothes, three learning to measure soap, and three days folding. Eventually, the child should be able to perform each step together with minimal to no directions or visual cues.
Individualized Education Program (IEP)
Under the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA), children with disabilities are entitled to free appropriate public education (FAPE) in the least restrictive environment (LRE).
As per IDEA, public schools must provide children with disabilities an individualized education program (IEP) that meets the child’s needs. The IEP program should include such services as speech therapy, ABA, or other services your child requires.
You can also request the school district’s IEP team to provide direct, one-on-one assistance to your child throughout the school day in the form of a personal aide or paraprofessional.
If the public school is unable to provide an appropriate IEP program, and you are not able to afford tuition for private school yourself, the school district is required to reimburse you for the cost of tuition at a school that meets your child’s special education needs.
In order to receive reimbursement, you may need to consult with an attorney who specializes in special education law.
Social Skills Therapy for Autistic Children
What to Look for in a School for a Child with Autism
Schools that serve children with autism usually include the following in addition to academics:
Most schools offer parents a tour of the school as part of the admission process. Feel free to tour a variety of schools until you find the right fit for your child.
Cost of Private Education
Typical private schools cost in the vicinity of $20,000 per year, whereas specialized private schools can run $50,000 or more per year.
If expense is a roadblock, it may be possible to have the local school district cover a child’s tuition for a disability or autism-specific private school. In order to qualify for this IDEA provision, you will need to prove to the school district that it is unable to meet your child’s needs.
This can take a lot of time, energy, and dedication, and you may need to consult with an attorney. However, it may be worth it if you feel strongly that your child requires what only a private school for autism can offer.
Finally, keep in mind that because there are comparatively few private schools that cater to autistic children, it is not uncommon to have a long commute back and forth. Private schools typically do not arrange for or cover the costs of school buses, and guardians generally have to pay for bus companies themselves.
Summary
There is no one-size-fits-all school for children with autism, and what’s right for your child will depend on their individual skills and needs. If your public school district cannot meet your child’s needs through an IEP, consider a private school for children with autism and/or other special needs like ADHD. These schools often offer classes based on therapies like ABA and Floortime that are geared towards children who require special education. Many private schools also offer sensory rooms, pet therapy, and extracurricular activities that are adapted for children with autism.
Pros and Cons of Autism-Only Schools
7 Sources
Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.
U.S. Dept. of Education.Individuals with Disabilities Education Act.
The Jones-Gordon School.For kids with ADHD, JGS is a learning environment built for success.
Child Mind Institute.The controversy around ABA.
Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia.Relationship development intervention.
ICDL.What is floortime?.
U.S. Department of Education.About IDEA.
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