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TimeSlipperWHOOPS t1_j0np7c8 wrote

It's going to be more school specific than town/district, I'm afraid.

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[deleted] OP t1_j0nsrwn wrote

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TimeSlipperWHOOPS t1_j0ntvru wrote

It comes down to the quality of their support team, how much admin will fight for services, teacher ability to follow best practices, etc.

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ekj0926 t1_j0o0smm wrote

This. A district might be a “bad” one, but if you have the right support team, that makes all the difference. I have heard of family’s having extremely varying experiences within districts/schools, and it might just come down to their teams/supports that are available.

Edit to add: work in a related special Ed field

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reddit_beats_chive t1_j0ngnou wrote

Getting more difficult in all cities. Every parent is getting their child an IEP, so half the class is IEP’s and it cripples the whole learning experience for everyone.

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TimeSlipperWHOOPS t1_j0np21w wrote

Teacher here. The issue is when the sheer variety of accommodations makes it difficult to manage everything compounded by your likely understaffed student support team. If I have the right support every kid can easily have an IEP and it won't affect the "learning experience"

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[deleted] OP t1_j0niek3 wrote

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Mountain_Bill5743 t1_j0ohg3s wrote

The best answer is MA. Seriously (even if its just into Attleboro or Seekonk). The schools are far better run, overall, and MA doesn't mismanage them nearly as much (along with every other service at the state level). There's a reason that MA ranks highest and RI rank drops massively despite the proximity. The disparity also makes it to where many talented teachers flee for job openings in MA (just like everyone else who commutes out of state) because the state is just overall less combative and has a functioning pension system.

I am the first to argue that the schools here are more than fine for an average kid, but it sounds like you've identified very specific needs in your child and you're far more likely to get good policy decisions if you don't cross the border.

The one exception I will say is that there are some extremely specialized private schools for IEPs in state, but they are going to be 50k+.

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bungocheese t1_j0pf7ra wrote

The schools in attleboro are rated well below the top 10-20 in RI, maybe not specifically with iep kids though

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[deleted] OP t1_j0pxwle wrote

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Mountain_Bill5743 t1_j0q2aor wrote

Yeah, if the savings help you pay for private services that's a whole other situation. I misunderstood your post as looking for a stronger service in Warwick/Cranston etc. I'm just trying to be honest that you're likely to continue to be frustrated down here with the likes of RIDE. There are some extremely highly regarded programs in EP, i think, and near Pt Judith that are private and designed for IEP students. Out of the districts you mentioned, Cranston West has the best reputation for gen ed by far.

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SharpCookie232 t1_j0o9aim wrote

Knowing what supports a child needs doesn't cripple the learning experience. Underfunding and the resulting understaffing cripple the system.

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reddit_beats_chive t1_j0obz9v wrote

Problem is that every parent wants an IEP as soon as little Suzy doesn’t get an A. Therefore half the class gets one…CRIPPLING. Not talking about the actual children who need one.

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SharpCookie232 t1_j0olp38 wrote

My experience with parents is that they avoid having their child put on an IEP if at all possible, even when it's not in the child's best interest. They don't want their child labeled and they don't want to admit there's a problem.

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owsleythehunter t1_j0pbl78 wrote

Accommodations under a 504 Plan are not the same as services provided under an IEP. Though there could be accommodations provided for in an IEP. IEPs are not given out, and no parent wants their kid to have an IEP, but it’s what the child needs to access the curriculum.

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reddit_beats_chive t1_j0pjre6 wrote

No parents want their kids to have an IEP ???? They may be your experience, but mine is completely different.

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owsleythehunter t1_j0pmhxm wrote

I should say, in the absence of a clear need, no rational parent should want their kid to have an IEP.

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TimeSlipperWHOOPS t1_j0pbaur wrote

So that almost never happens and when it does, we're giving that child what... extra time? Graphical organizers? Are these things that help them get an A? Then clearly they help the student.

If a student needs an accommodation to get an A, then the accommodation is justified.

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ReggeMtyouN t1_j0pn3iv wrote

I would offer that there are an exploding number of 504 referrals and plans

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TimeSlipperWHOOPS t1_j0poas4 wrote

And I would offer that this is because we are learning more about how to make education more accessible for a larger number of students.

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Hdale803 t1_j0nlynq wrote

Reach out to RIPIN

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Lokelanid t1_j0numm8 wrote

I agree. RIPIN stands for Rhode Island Parent Information Network. 4012700101. They are an organization that helps parents, especially those who have children with any kind of special needs. They would be the best resource to figure out which town/city has a better Special Education Department. Good luck.

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happy2beme4 t1_j0perol wrote

My son had an IEP and we were in Warwick. I was shocked at how responsive they were and offered us more than he needed. Warwick is huge and has a ton of schools. While I can’t speak for all of them, we did great with Toll Gate High, Winman Middle School, and Greenwood Elementary.

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BingBong022 t1_j0o1h2q wrote

Barrington, the wheeler school

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AdIll6974 t1_j0nqt23 wrote

I am not going to give specifics here but stay away from Warwick. I would choose Cranston. Your best bet is to meet with school admins in those cities and ask how they would handle the specifics of the IEP if possible.

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[deleted] OP t1_j0ntwep wrote

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AdIll6974 t1_j0nus8a wrote

I think both east and west have good schools! Of course, it depends on teachers and students, and schools. there are certain schools I’d stay away from including Eden Park (in east district, elementary). But students in the east side tend to be more understanding/caring as they come from diverse backgrounds compared to west where it’s not as much.

East Greenwich has great school systems along with Lincoln, Cumberland, and North Providence which may be near the same price point. I’d also stay away from Scituate.

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[deleted] OP t1_j0nvzwc wrote

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deadl0ckx2 t1_j0o0mz6 wrote

Both are too small to effectively accommodate IEPs. Smithfield’s IEP and learning support consists of dumping all of the IEP kids into the same room and having the support staff do the assignments when the kids give up. The kids know this (at least in high school), and easily take advantage. North Smithfield won’t be much better, as they’re around half the size of Smithfield, and thus have half the resources.

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Capecole t1_j0podza wrote

We’re in south Kingstown and it’s pretty good. The special educators have been really excellent but, like everywhere, there aren’t enough resources. It’s also tough to differentiate for everyone when class sizes are so large and they’re lacking resources. There is also a correlation between how much time and energy you can spend putting pressure on the school in a non-adversarial way and the level of support you get. Our son has been successful here and we love the town.

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knight8654 t1_j0q1hvg wrote

Expensive but Barrington Public Schools

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[deleted] OP t1_j0q714o wrote

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knight8654 t1_j0qny30 wrote

I went there my whole life and was in special education with an IEP. It’s very good and one of the best school systems in the state. But the most expensive town also

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Rhody1964 t1_j0r7il0 wrote

I live in Warwick with a senior in high school on the Autism Spectrum so I've been dealing with the schools for 12 years. The teachers are hands down amazing. I am still friends with most of the special ed teachers. My daughter has been in general ed classes with support and is now getting college acceptances. That's the good news. The bad news is the schools themselves are awful. They're building 2 new high schools so that's a plus, but the elementary schools are in horrific shape. Bathrooms have no hot water, stall doors don't lock, etc. Again, the teachers are the best. I've also had to fight tooth and nail with the director of special ed to get my daughter the services she needed. That woman is gone thank God, but they still make you jump through hoops. The schools I've heard amazing things about are in North Kingstown and Ponagansett. Feel free to send me a PM if you have any questions. I've been through it all!

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unculturedwalnut t1_j0pawyn wrote

RI is iffy. Foxborough, MA has a great school system and the staff in the special education department are wonderful.

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rhodeislandnurse t1_j0pgyr9 wrote

East Providence school district is hit or miss, but Whiteknact has been great and responsive to my son's needs and making modifications.

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[deleted] OP t1_j0pz0ua wrote

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rhodeislandnurse t1_j0q09dk wrote

My son had a developmental delay and was getting services at home until 3 which allowed him to get preschool services at the district preschool. So his IEP started in preschool and continued until currently, 3rd grade. Did not have a real diagnosis until last year. He has no academic challenges, his IEP is focused on social emotional behavioral needs.

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FNicole86 t1_j0plsfg wrote

I can attest to Warwick and only specific schools and people however my son is 15 and Warwick has made amazing accommodations for him during his whole school experience since pre k. Also if your child's IEPs needs cannot be met within the District of the school they can go out of District meaning anywhere in the city or town or even outside City and town. RIPIN is a great resource. If your child has any services such as therapeutic outside of school they could help you advocate. Feel free to Pm

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[deleted] OP t1_j0pz38o wrote

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FNicole86 t1_j0pzw2t wrote

We lived in Warwick when he was born so thats where he started. But we had early intervention so he was diagnosed right around 1st grade. Pre K and kindergarten picked up on some things so we started very early.

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[deleted] OP t1_j0q6yq8 wrote

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FNicole86 t1_j0q8nxt wrote

The school is required by law to provide children with services regardless of where they came from in terms of previous placement. The early intervention my son was part of was not part of Warwick's his was private I chose to do it and outpatient home-based.

I think public school as a whole most places are what you were describing as the wait and watch and fall behind before services are offered or suggested. I would suggest having if you don't already some type of home based Services as well as independent testing so you can go to the school with the diagnosis and the potential help of a therapist and say this is what my child needs can you meet these needs? If not what placement within the District can support their needs and then go from there out of District. Another thing to note is the differences between an IEP and a 504 plan. And how that would suit your child's needs. I know with my child's IEP I wanted Transportation included because if he went outside of District I would have to transport him and I couldn't. At one point he was going to a school in Wakefield RI, and we lived in Warwick.

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[deleted] OP t1_j0qd6h6 wrote

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FNicole86 t1_j0qe8h5 wrote

I'm sorry that you are having such difficulties with your child's School and education. A parent's rights and children's rights should always be handed out at these meetings at least I always got them. On more than one occasion I would have an off the record chat with one of the teachers or teacher aids from his class throughout the years. There have been occasions where I have had to have a consultation with a lawyer and the lawyer types up and sends off a letter saying that they are representing the parent and student it's enough to show that you mean business and get things done at least in my experience. The bottom line is every school and every District as a whole gets x amount of federal funds per child with an IEP or 504 if you threaten to take away that funding nine times out of 10 things will be done the way they should. And I know that that shouldn't be the case but working with in reality that may have to be the case.

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Sovereign-State t1_j0pnx8a wrote

It depends on your child's needs. Many districts are great as long as your child does not need significant supports, others are better if you need more. If you need significant supports, you will likely have to be ready to fork over $$$ to live in those towns. Ours has been great with my son, but he is in an integrated classroom with minor support.
Edit: If you have not already joined the RI Special needs group on FB, that is a good place to ask as well. They are boots on the ground so to speak. You will get a lot of folks who are eternally pissed off though.

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SupremeSpicyBoi t1_j0pv5ka wrote

Believe it or not, Pawtucket is really great for students with IEP/special needs. Admin/teachers always fight for those students to get the most support/help.

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alexknits t1_j0qctrh wrote

Check out the RIDE school report cards for any district you are interested in. You can look at the district as a whole or individual school. The assessments tab will break down achievement of IEP vs non IEP students.

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Omega-6-Ashbringer t1_j0rpuzc wrote

Avoid SK at all costs, as someone who personally had an IEP in SK recently it is such a nightmare to get anything you want for yourself/your child

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HairyEyeballz t1_j0ugk4q wrote

Not in SK, but I had a similar experience with my son. And then we hired an educational advocate. She came to one meeting with us, recited a number of legal requirements, and bang, the school was suddenly falling all over themselves to provide reasonable accommodations. Worth every penny.

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