CARLSBAD: Group plans to start Carlsbad autism school
Project would be in conjunction with a private, Christian high school
By BARBARA HENRY - Staff Writer | ∞
CARLSBAD ---- A nonprofit group is moving forward with plans for a special school in Carlsbad that would serve children with autism.
"This tugged my heart strings," said Randy Hickman, one of the leaders of the group and a long-time San Marcos resident. Hickman had already announced plans to open a private Christian high school in Carlsbad, but is delaying that project to get the autism program under way.
He said his family provided the initial funding to form the National Center for Autism Research and Education, the nonprofit group proposing the school.
Autism ---- a developmental disability that's usually diagnosed before a child turns 3 ---- affects a person's ability to communicate and interact with others. Its cause hasn't been identified, but researchers suspect that genetics plays a part.
The federal Center for Disease Control recently estimated that 1 in 150 U.S. children has autism, and the prevalence autism appears to be rising, the Autism Society of America notes on its Web site.
The proposed Carlsbad school could be the start of a series of centers that combine traditional classroom education with medical therapy and research, he said. The center would focused on the needs of older children ---- those age 8 to 22 ---- because there are already lots of services available for younger kids, he said.
People involved in the project say it may be unique ---- typically, older autistic children go to public schools and combine that with private therapy. Some of the medical therapy is covered by the school systems, the remainder is paid by parents.
Initially, Hickman planned to make the center a small part of his proposed Mission Pacific High School. The center was to have 25 children. Now, plans call for 200 children and he's putting the high school opening on hold until 2009, he said.
Both the center and the high school will share a single property, and that land is now in escrow, Hickman said, declining to give details on its location until the purchase deal is final.
Class sizes at the autism center typically would be one teacher to three students, sometimes less for children with severe autism, center president Keith Bergland said. Yearly tuition would be $50,000 and enrollment would begin this fall.
The tuition is very costly ---- far more than that charged by even the most exclusive private schools locally ---- but it covers all of the medical therapy work as well as the classroom instruction, Bergland added.
La Costa resident Jessica Bickford, who has two children with an autism spectrum disorder, said Thursday that the cost will be worth it. In fact, she added, parents with autistic children won't be surprised by the price tag.
She's currently spending $135 for each session of behavioral therapy, and one of her boys goes five times a week, she said.
"I'm very, very excited about it," she said of the plans for the new center. "What they're offering is very comprehensive. Being able to have everything all in one location is great. I drive all over right now."
Bickford said she is particularly interested in the center's plans to involve the entire family in therapy and counseling. Her husband also has Asperger's ---- he was diagnosed just after their eldest son, she said.
Living with autism-related issues isn't easy, Bickford added. Both her boys have sensory issues ---- they don't usually notice when they badly injure themselves and they have a hard time moving around without knocking into things.
"My little guy, I can't tell you how often he runs into the tables and the chairs," she said.
Bickford said her children are extremely bright ---- her eldest son knows enough about ocean currents and plate tectonics that he sounds like scientist. But he can't tell her how he feels about things, she said.
For information on the school, call (760) 438-8600.
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Best wishes wrote on Apr 5, 2008 1:21 PM:
This sounds like a great plan for a school that is badly needed in the North County. The North County is void of any true and meaningful special educational services for disabled students.
I am willing to bet that the public school in the North County will oppose the opening if this school. Because they love the money that is attached to the special educational services but they hate providing these said services.
Ariel wrote on Apr 6, 2008 8:19 PM:I'm really excited for this school and I would gladly donate money towards something like this. I hope to see this happen.
Peri wrote on Apr 7, 2008 11:07 AM:I live in La Costa and my 8 year old daughter has ADHD and Aspergers. It's wonderful that finally there is a school provided for these children in this area, but it's a shame that it has been made completely unaccessable to people like my daughter who's family cannot afford a 50,000.00 yearly tuition. I finally had to take her out of school and home school her, still through the public school system though.
NCARE wrote on Apr 7, 2008 3:30 PM:Hi Peri! We understand that the cost of tuition is expensive. Please know that tuition covers many services in addition to the education including case management, family counseling and occupational therapy just to name a few. Please feel free to contact our office for more information. ... . We look forward to answering any questions you may have!
misscee wrote on Apr 7, 2008 8:22 PM:Is there a website to investigate? And, how should be contacted for possible employment?
Out of reach for most wrote on Apr 7, 2008 9:56 PM:Bless the families with autistic children (and other dis-abilities). Public Schools ahave blatantly failed these families and their precious children. Perfectly proportioned, popular, spoiled kids (families) are totally out of the loop here. Children don't ask to be born (or develop) autism, nor do parents expect it to 'happen to them' either. Our system stinks as far as addressing the needs of the most deserving; the ones that can'tspeak for themselves. Forget the $50K fee - make the government pay. It's every child's right to a free and APPROPRIATE education.
Autistic parents are constantly attacked by public school officials wrote on Apr 8, 2008 8:46 AM:Out of reach for most- Oh sure the Government will not pay for these kids to be educated why should they. After all spending TRILLIONS of dollars on a war that over 80% of Americans do NOT want is much more important. While we criticize third world countries and have massive Hollywood fundraisers for third world kids, our own children are invisible and will remain neglected.
Our very own Republican as well as Democratic federal representatives are hostile when we call and ask them to keep our kids in mind in their congressional events. They are indigent and their representatives treat us like leaches.
Autistic parents are not the crack heads, drug users and negligent parents like we are portrayed as by the general public and the so-called medical experts. We are victims of our OWN FEDRAL GOVERNMENT and the PHARMACEUTICAL COMPANIES. So their actions should not be surprising and neither the IMMUNITY that has been given to these PHARMACEUTICAL COMPANIES by our own FEDRAL GOVERNMENT why else would the federal government protect these companies if they were not guilty and if they had not lied and defamed us.
What surprises me is the lack of public support and awareness;
we are viewed as invisible at best, but generally as contaminant and hazardous materials.
Terri wrote on Apr 8, 2008 10:13 AM:This sounds like a wonderful new school to serve this rapidly growing population of students diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder. I do know that there are currently two North County schools: The Learning Academy, serving children with moderate to severe autism in Oceanside; and The Country School, serving children with mild to moderate autism spectrum disorder in San Marcos. Both are programs of TERI (Training, Education & Research Institute).
Laura wrote on Apr 8, 2008 10:56 AM:What a great idea and option for these families. I am also familiar with TERI, it's in Oceanside. They work with high behavioral autistic children, also 8-22. The school districts place them in this school and pays for the program. It's a 1-1 program, which is wonderful. But there is room for more programs for these kids (and really families!) who need it.
NCARE wrote on Apr 8, 2008 1:58 PM:The difference is in the comprehensive services we will offer. Most programs are just school based and focus on many different diagnosis. Our model of conducting research, education and family services only for individuals with autism under one roof is unlike any program anywhere else in the country!
We are currently accepting enrollment now for the fall. Our number is listed at the bottom the article for those seeking additional information about the program. Please feel free to contact us as we are excited about the opportunity to make a difference in the lives of autistic individuals and their families in our community!
Sam wrote on Apr 8, 2008 4:39 PM: Hum, "high behavioral," what does this mean? I hate to use labels like the word, “behavioral” it sounds really negative. I have heard about TERI but usually connected with low function autism.
“High behavioral and 1-1” sounds like a program we hope our kids never get into, particularly if the local school districts places them there. I am hoping that NCCARE offers something different like POSITVE reinforcement, family support, deep understanding of autistics characteristics, acceptance, unity, and appreciation. As with programs like TERI the school districts do pay for private placement (rarely) but they drive the parents crazy in the process. I also think a lot of the special education programs provided by the school districts amount to nothing more than babysitting.
NCCARE is probably another placement that will be paid for partially by school districts, Medicare, parents and some insurance companies. It sounds like a really good program.
A program that will be very popular with parents of autistic chidren.
Stephanie wrote on Apr 9, 2008 7:29 AM:I have met with the founders of NCare and am excited with their plans and visions. This school will be a tremendous boost for the autistic community here in San Diego and I admire the heart and soul that has been gone into this project. God bless them!
Lynn wrote on Apr 20, 2008 11:12 AM:We look at NCARE as a God send, but with a huge price tag, which can not be addressed by we parents of children on the spectrum to our public school districts, until NCARE get their NPS status. Until then, we can not approach our school district with the requests to place our children THERE who desparately need this intervention and education and approach in this school. Prayer goes out to all of the men/women involved in creating this miracle!!!! We support you 100%!!! NCARE, Please reconsider the COST, as it does not compare with other private schools for our kids,it is double, and we parents, have all spend 1,000's of dollars already in their short lives,whether it be medically, biomedically, educationally, alternative therapies, but can only do so much!! Considering whether to sell a house our car getting 2 or 3 jobs to qualify to enter this school because of $4000/mo is not quality of life for anyone, including our young son with Autism, we also have a typical developing sibling, who needs a life and education too! God bless you in your efforts! Maybe you can locate a vacant school, etc that would make it more "child friendly" than the industrial park area in Carlsbad!!! We will keep in touch.
LISA wrote on Jul 18, 2008 11:30 PM:I CAN'T WAIT TO SEE WHAT WONDERFUL THINGS NCARE WILL BRING.
I AM SO GREATFUL FOR A WONDERFUL SCHOOL TO BE IN MY COMMUNITY.
FINALLY A PROGRAM THAT CAN REALLY HELP OUR CHILDREN WITH AUTISM.
THANKYOU
sue wrote on Jul 22, 2008 3:49 PM:Parents, PLEASE make sure in your enthusiasm for a new school opening that you thoroughly check out the qualifications of the leadership team. There is nothing on the website that indicates any of them have any signficant experience with autistic children. Where is this so-called school building? Who are the teachers and what is their experience? Why don't they have NPS status? Having been involved in special education my entire life(my older brother is autistic and I currently teach autistic children), I am an advocate for families looking for quality programming. That tuition is way too high for families to be investing in, especially when it has no reputation for being a high quality program. Heck, I can start a school and make the same claims! As they say, the "proof is in the pudding". Give it some time, to see if it even gets off the ground(I can't seem to get an address of where the school is), and then to see if it truly is worth the tuition they charge.
karen wrote on Aug 19, 2008 4:15 PM:I know of two people that have recieved $50,000 sholorships for thier children to attend this school. They just have to come up with $4,000.00 of it with in the month they signed up. Which was in may.
Now neither of these parents have been able to get ahold of anyone with this school. They have gone by there office, they have tried calling and emailing. No contact back. They have been trying for the last 3 weeks.
This is all a big SCAM. These people have taken advantage of people that need help like no one else and have screwed them.
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