Private Schools for Autism: What to Know

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.

This article discusses private schools for autism, the various educational options, and the pros and cons of each.

Traditional Private Schools

Private schools that largely serve neurotypical kids 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 with low support needs (level 1 autism) and then decide that they can't accommodate the child after all.

Private Schools for Children With Disabilities

The majority of private schools for children with disabilities serve children diagnosed with dyslexia, executive-functioning issues like attention 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:

• Smaller, uncluttered classes with fewer distractions
• Structure and routine
• Goal setting and reward systems
• Opportunities for movement while learning
• Ongoing social and emotional needs support
• Alternative seating and "fidgets" to increase concentration
• Hands-on, experiential learning experiences

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.

Private Schools Specializing in Autism

Private schools for autistic children build in full-day therapeutic interventions that include speech, occupational, and physical therapy modalities. These therapeutic interventions include:

Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA)

Applied behavior analysis is 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:

• Improve language and communication skills
• Improve attention, focus, social skills, memory, and academics
• Decrease problem behaviors
• Teach skills that are useful for everyday life

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.

ABA is widely used, but not without criticism. Critics say that ABA can be too tough on children, and aims to eliminate differences that make them unique. Some critics even see ABA as an attempt to erase autism completely, for example, by teaching them that behaviors like stimming (i.e., rocking or flapping hands) are fundamentally wrong.

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.

RDI involves training caregivers in activities that target developmental skills. One such skill is known as "gaze monitoring," in which the child is taught to follow their caregiver's gaze. This, in turn, may improve the child's ability to recognize emotions. Gaze monitoring can even be used to improve the child's vocabulary by helping them name objects based on what their caregiver is looking at.

Other skills that can be developed through RDI include:

• Matching emotions to actions in other people
• Anticipating others' actions
• Problem solving

RDI skill-building may start in the home and continue to be honed throughout the school day.

Floortime

Floortime is 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:

• Self-regulation
• Engagement
• Communication
• Shared social problem-solving
• Creativity
• Organization
• Reflective thinking
• Reasoning

As an example, a child wants to spin in a chair, so the caregiver engages them by spinning them around. As the chair stops, the caregiver waits for a signal from the child that they would like to spin more. This signal may take the form of eye contact or the child reaching out their hand.

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:

• Communication and social skills
• Independence
• Coping skills
• Daily life skills, such as dressing and teeth brushing

TEACCH involves:

• Individualized schedules that make daily life predictable
• A highly physical learning environment with specific stations for different types of activities
• Boundaries that help students reach different stations without distraction or anxiety
• Explicit visual cues for tasks to be done and materials to be used
• Calming spaces where kids can take breaks when needed
• Positive reinforcement and rewards to encourage desired behaviors

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.

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:

• Social integration: Look for schools that have socialization opportunities both in and outside the classroom. Peer support groups and extracurricular activities, such as music, art, and sports, give kids a chance to socialize and communicate with their neurotypical peers.
• After-school programs: Search for after-school programs where kids can socialize, learn, and continue to practice skill development. After-school programs should coordinate with teachers to continue building on skills learned during school hours.
• Specialized programs: Look for specific programs that suit your child's individual skills and needs, like speech therapy, emotional learning programs, or specialty STEAM classes for students interested in skills like coding or robotics.
• Pet therapy: More and more schools are including pet therapy programs to support the mental health of students. These can help children who are soothed by the presence of animals.
• Multi-sensory environments: Some schools offer multi-sensory environments or "sensory rooms" to help develop motor skills, hand-eye coordination, and communication skills.
• Community involvement: Private autism schools can be a bit more isolating than public schools, so some schools offer community involvement opportunities, such as public food drives and recreational activities at assisted living facilities.

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.