As a therapist, I work with many families who feel overwhelmed navigating the school system. It…read moreoften shows up as anxiety, frustration, and even self-doubt, parents wondering if they're missing something or not advocating "correctly." Most just aren't given clear guidance on what to ask for or what their child is actually entitled to. What stands out to me about Rise is how parents are supported in really understanding what's happening and how to advocate in a way that feels realistic and manageable. Having a clear plan and next steps takes a process that can feel chaotic and makes it more actionable. Another strength working with Rise is that April has firsthand experience working within the school system, meaning she understands how things actually function behind the scenes and can guide families in a way that's well-informed and practical. If you're feeling stuck or unsure where to begin with the IEP and 504 process, Rise provides the kind of support that can help you feel more confident and less alone in navigating it.

I should've hired April sooner. I consider myself a reasonable, educated parent and a decent…read moreadvocate for my child. But after years of navigating IEPs and constantly feeling like my concerns were never fully heard and being minimized, I was worn down. Over time, I started speaking up less. Even when I knew the legalities of IEP's fairly well, the constant pushback from school made me quieter, exhausted, and more willing to accept decisions. I was tired of fighting for nothing and eventually gave in. But this year, when a simple request to help my child turned into something far bigger than it ever needed to be, I finally realized I needed support. April was incredibly knowledgeable about IEPs and helped identify additional testing my child needed, what was missing from the current IEP, and what should be added moving forward. But beyond her knowledge, what mattered most to me was that she truly listened. She took the time to get to know both me and my child so we could walk into the meeting aligned and prepared as a team. You'll read plenty of reviews about her expertise, which are true. But for me, the most valuable part was having someone who genuinely heard and believed me. April took the time to listen because she knew where I was coming from and genuinely cared. Just having her next to me during our meetings made me trust my own voice again as well. Because she was more than just an advocate, April felt like a true teammate, and that made all the difference.

The autism program they offer here is far from reality. The school looks good on outside but inside…read morehorrible. This school is nothing to write home. My child attended here just 6 months . We have to change his school and the special education teacher and the principal don't seem to know what they are doing. The cleaning standard for the school is zero or nothing to write home about.

As a parent of a former Switzer student I would recommend this school to any parent with a child…read more that struggles with learn issues, socialization problems, or are neurodivergent. This school turned my child's life around and got them through some very tough life lessons. Because of the support they received at Switzer my child is now a college graduate and a well balanced functioning adult. I couldn't be prouder of my child and its all thanks to the staff and teachers at Switzer.

My daughter came to the CLU community three years ago and the experience for her has been nothing…read moreshort of wonderful. We were given a list of non-public schools to choose from during a time when a public school wasn't the right fit for her. After touring several different non-public school options, CLU was honestly the only choice I felt comfortable with. Compared to the other options, it was a smaller, more nurturing environment for her to heal and grow within, which was exactly the type of space I was hoping to find for her. She's made so much positive progress during her time at CLU that she will be transitioning back into a public school setting starting next school year. A huge part of that transition being possible is the safe, loving community that CLU has provided for her over the past few years. As for the negative reviews on this page, it seems like most of them come from families who have never attended CLU, or who interacted with CLU's previous leadership team. My daughter attended CLU under the previous leadership (led by a woman named Ginny), and now attends under the new leadership team, lead by Jen Mize. While I never had an issue with anything under Ginny's leadership, I will say that there have been so many wonderful improvements and expansions that have come from Jen's leadership so far. Everything feels much more organized, and Jen has really excelled at building a warm, mindful space centered around inclusion and care. Every time I go to the school for an event or volunteer opportunity, the space is filled with love from the entire community. As happy as I am for my girl as she moves forward on her path, I'm a little heartbroken at the thought of leaving this community. I'll have to see if she can come back to visit. :)

Great caring staff that are super dedicated to the kids that attend. Very communicative with the…read moreparents. The Director, teachers and support staff are all top-notch. I would highly recommend the school for a kid who may need some extra support.

This review is long overdue but I have nothing but great things to say about this place. They…read morereally do go above and beyond for their clients. I was in need of support for my daughter and had not yet heard of educational therapy. From the first phone call to each session, we are greeted with a smile and warm support. My daughter is always excited as she arrives and even when she leaves; which says a lot about them. Kevin and Nicole have been my contacts and they are both amazing and supportive. If you are in need of any educational support/assistance, this is the place to go.

After going back and forth for the better part of a year now, South Bay educational therapy has for…read morethe lack of better words stolen IEP funding money intended to help my special needs son. First and foremost Kevin Bansley was the point of contact through all of my emails/dealings with South Bay educational therapy. Kevin offered us 1 date and time only to begin my son's therapy and unfortunately we were not able to accept due to our schedules. No big deal right? Scheduling didn't work out so we could just go our different ways and my family could attempt to find help elsewhere. Kevin Bansley had different intentions though. He stated that they were keeping the money(almost $5000) and no refund would be issued. After several back and forth emails, Kevin agreed to refund some of the money, but wanted to be compensated for the time/services that they did actually render, which we agreed upon. He stated "In regard to your request for a refund, I understand that your family's needs and expectations were not fully met, and I do not wish to create further challenges for your son. Therefore, I will be processing a refund for the services that were not rendered, excluding the two intake sessions, and an additional four hours allocated for diagnostics and extensive communication with Harbor Regional Center and your family. These hours reflect the considerable professional time and expertise dedicated to your son's case." Sounded great. That email was received August 21st 2024. Here it is November 12th 2024. Kevin has still not refunded the money and I honestly do not think he has any intention to do so. Do not be fooled. Kevin Bansley tries to put forth a mission of helping children and families but that is clearly not the case. He has cost my son the help he has needed all year by refusing to follow through with his own words. I implore any and all families thinking about using South Bay educational therapy to help their family to simply ask yourself. "Can my child afford to get the help they so desperately need taken from them? Is it worth the risk to trust this company?"

Natalia is FANTASTIC! She tailors each session to your child's specific needs. She keeps my son…read moreengaged and motivated during each session. She's also extremely knowledgeable :)

Can I give 6 stars?? We have been using Z.E.T.A for about a year and a half and we have seen…read moreamazing changes in fluency and most of all confidence. Natalia is professional and masterful when it comes to reading support. We are so lucky to have found her. I am a School Occupational Therapist and a mom and I cannot day enough wonderful things about Z.E.T.A, except I highly recommend it for kids who need a little extra support with reading or math.

This school is a gem. Several of the faculty have been teaching here for twenty-five years. They're…read moreunquestionably qualified and experienced. Academically, parents don't have a worry. However, where SBCS leaves other schools in the dust is what they manage to achieve OUTSIDE the classroom. Class size allows the faculty to focus on EVERY student and their needs. No one gets lost in the crowd. That means if your child is dealing with any issues, they'll be noticed and get the attention they should get. This school is all about teaching to the whole individual. Learning to handle responsibilities, conflict, impulse control--the faculty have it under control. If you don't just want your child to grow up a competent math student, then this is where they should go to school. They'll learn how to be moral, caring, thoughtful, and self-aware people (who are also good at math or English or ...!). They've also had a new principal for two years now, Kirstin Born, who taught for twenty-five years before assuming the top position. You couldn't ask for a more savvy, sensitive, experienced person to guide the school. She bends over backwards to meet the needs and requests of her students' families. You won't complain about crickets if you approach Mrs. Born with any concerns. SBCS is great for any student, but it is a gift to students who need extra attention and personalized care in the hands of loving, experienced teachers and administrators.

The institution refused to enroll my son citing his placement within the autism spectrum as the…read morereason, despite their attempt to justify the decision with additional explanations that ultimately proved insufficient.

This organization is amazing. They work with children and adults with developmental disabilities…read more There aren't too many adult day programs out there that do what Mychal's does. There after school program has been around for 17 years and is run by excellent staff. There mission is to build self esteem and encourage independence in their students. Keep up the good work!

They have coffee and baked goods set up at the location every Friday morning. What a great…read moreenvironment and the coffee and sweets are incredible! This non-profit is one of the best. Check them out, you won't regret it.

What an amazing organization!! I went to a workshop with my husband put on by Ourtism and Aspergers…read moreExperts a couple of weeks ago entitled, "What I wish my parents knew growing up with Aspergers." I cannot stop telling people about Chole Estelle and the insight provided by her into female aspergers and aspergers in general. We left feeling understood and part of a community. Wish there was one in Westlake Village.

From the owner: Autism Support Created by Autists…read more All services at OurTism were created by autists. We understand the need to feel heard because, as autists, we have lived this ourselves. We value making sure you feel heard, here are just some of the ways we try and make sure that happens. ​ We're different. At OurTism, our values drive everything we do. We listen and honor all individuals and their needs. We collaborate with our clients. We created the support we needed. We hope the services we created for ourselves work just as well for you. This is a place where everyone’s voice is important.

PHS is amazing. There is nothing of its caliber in the area. The staff is awesome. Our children…read morehave been part of the PHS family for many years. We're excited for middle school. We are truly blessed to have found such a safe, loving environment for our children. The campus is beautiful and the equipment is new. Kids can really be just kids. They run around and play. We love watching our kids actually moving their bodies and working out. They plead to go to afterschool camp every day. The class sizes are amazing. There are assistant teachers in each classroom. If a student needs more assistance they can easily get it, instead of struggling alone. Dr. Chun is an amazing Principal and runs the school like a well oiled machine. The character values they instill Caring Attitude Respect Gratitude Perseverance Self Control are amazing. I wish they had a high school too.

This school is probably best for people who have artistic children (think of theater or drama kids)…read moreor kids who have special needs (developmental impediments which require them to need an aide physically with them or need smaller group sizes). This school does not focus on academic rigor. There is no homework or grades until 4th grade. The amount of regression in education we witnessed was sad, anger inducing, and extremely upsetting. We wasted a year of tuition and our child's time and would NEVER recommend this school for children who are not special needs or have other socialization issues.

We have been part of the RHCDS community for 5 years and with multiple children currently attending…read moreor having gone through elementary and middle school, we highly recommend the school to families looking for a quality education and nurturing environment for their children. We have been treated like family over the years - our children feel safe and known by their teachers and any questions or requests to the administration or teachers have been promptly and thoughtfully addressed. Our oldest child and middle school graduate, who now attends public high school, feels like she was well prepared academically and personally by teachers who challenged her to think critically and by expectations to be kind and respectful. There is obviously no perfect school and we are grateful to have found a school that aligns with our values!

I would highly recommend RHCDS to any parent in the South Bay…read more The admin and teachers are dedicated and passionate about their students and their roles as educators. They instill the importance of independence and accountability at an early age. I have three very different students attending RHCDS and each one is thriving in their own way - a true testament to the school. The teachers are approachable and accessible and operate with a purpose to inspire and push students while also maintaining a fun and warm atmosphere. My children feel respected, comfortable and confident in the classroom which is a culture that cultivates growth across all facets of the child's development.