What High schools are good for special needs kids in the Atlanta area? One of our kids is severely disabled.

Help! We are moving to the Atlanta area and I know the schools for reg. ed. students are generally great in Fulton, Cobb Co., and other areas. But we have two seriously disabled children, one daughter who is extremely shy and academically on the level of a first grader, although she is 14; and a son who is severely disabled, mentally on the level of a 3 yr., but he is 19.

We need to be in an area where the public school(s) will meet their needs, I am not concerned about the ACT scores or how good the sports programs are, I want a school with great teachers for my two youngest children.

Please help, any info would be more than I know now!

Parent Answers to "What High schools are good for special needs kids in the Atlanta area? One of our kids is severely disabled."

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Hey, Healthy11, thanks. I guess I was hoping that someone in the Atlanta area would see my question and have some ideas.

Totally agree with you on the teacher vs. school quotation, that is, a good teacher in a 'bad' school is preferable to a mediocre or bad teacher in a great school.

We have moved many times, husband is past military, and thus, don't just look at the schools' 'scores' b/c often they do NOT apply at all to my children's needs and services, much less their classroom experience.

Our daughter is coming from a private, very small program that doesn't even do standardized testing for their special needs children. Our son is truly incapable of taking any tests of that form....statewide and national testing.

Thanks for your hints and ideas. I will continue to pursue...

Unfortunately, Greatschools is a nationwide forum, and they don't "rate" special ed programs. The chance of finding another poster here from the same town, at the same school, with children the same age who have the same situation is slim.

I have a son with LDs, and my experience has been that an individual teacher has the biggest impact on terms of how my child does. There can be "good" teachers at schools with poor reputations, and teachers that don't understand LDs even at "good" schools. Some schools are better for children with physical handicaps, others handle different LDs...

If I were you, I'd try to join a local parent support group for your child's LDs, and network through them to get recommendations (ie, CHADD is for people with ADHD, IDA for people with dyslexia, and there are different groups for children with Down's or Autism or just about every condition.)
You might also be interested in joining Greatschools Learning and Attention Group at community.greatschools.net/groups/11554

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What High schools are good for special needs kids in the Atlanta area? One of our kids is severely disabled.

Parent Answers to "What High schools are good for special needs kids in the Atlanta area? One of our kids is severely disabled."

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