MomOfABunch Posted August 2, 2015 Share Posted August 2, 2015 I'm considering Arizona as a possible location for us to move to. Can you tell me about it? Specifically, I'm interested in: 1. Homeschooling 2. Dual enrollment for high schoolers 3. Special needs (autism) services, waivers, etc. 4. Private day schools for autism 5. Where to and where not to live 6. Anything else I should know Thanks! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MomOfABunch Posted August 3, 2015 Author Share Posted August 3, 2015 Anyone in AZ? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JenneinCA Posted August 3, 2015 Share Posted August 3, 2015 I did live in Arizona, but don't now. Homeschooling is easy. You fill out one form and sent it and a birth certificate for anyone over a certain age and you are good until you move. If you change addresses you have to fill out the form and send the birth certificate again. But my kids were little when we lived there. I don't know about dual enrollment policies. Usually you would have to ask each school directly. No idea on anything related to autism. Sorry. We lived in Gilbert, a suburb of Phoenix. It was a nice enough place. We moved because of my husband's job. We missed our music teacher for a long time. She was in Chandler, another suburb of Phoenix. You should know it is hot. Really really hot. People aren't outside very much from about May to October because of the heat. This can make finding friends difficult. People are friendly, just inside or in a pool. I hope that helps. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
5wolfcubs Posted August 3, 2015 Share Posted August 3, 2015 I will hopefully be moving back to Arizona soon (sell, house, sell!). If we were not going back for dh's job, we would not move to the Phoenix area because it is HOT and quite a bit more expensive than when we originally moved there about 15 years ago. But alas, back to the East Valley we go. As Jenne said, homeschooling is easy – register w/ the county once and you’re done! Here is a state organization with lots of details: AFHE When I was there most homeschoolers did not dual enroll – they just started taking community college classes around age 14-15. I just looked at the Chandler-Gilbert CC website and found a couple pages that might be useful (to me as well, as I have a 15yo): Can I take college classes before I finish highschool? http://www.cgc.maricopa.edu/Students/Admissions/Pages/FAQ.aspx 12-15yo class policy http://www.cgc.maricopa.edu/Students/Admissions/Pages/Underage.aspx Mesa CC looks a little different and I’ll have to look at it more closely because I might end up near there – Qualifications to become a student https://www.mesacc.edu/admissions-records/become-student-mcc Anyway, if you’re not looking at the Phoenix area, then the above info is isn’t helpful at all. AFHE’s website has a list of support groups by county if you’re considering other areas: http://afhe.org/resources_support_groups.html I have no experience to give you for autism – did you check on the Special Needs board yet? I have loved living in Virginia. LOVED the seasons and the forests and the creeks. But I will not miss the TRAFFIC or the cost of living here. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Desert Strawberry Posted August 3, 2015 Share Posted August 3, 2015 We have only been here 3 weeks. We are halfway between Phoenix and Tucson. People are friendly, but respect our privacy and differences. Where we are there are a LOT of families with children, and larger families don't seem to be so unusual. No comments about that so far. There is a ton for the kids to do. Lots of pools, sports, classes, library events, parks, free or cheap. Phoenix is a major city with a ton of amenities. I didn't expect that. I remember Phoenix in the 80s and 90s as kind of a dusty desert town. Not so. It has grown. Standard of living is very high. Life is good here. Very good. We are coming from an impoverished area, and are living in a "poor" town. Night and day. It's beautiful. This is the view from my back porch. It is hot. Unrelentingly hot. It doesn't feel unpleasant. I still sit out on my porch at noon and it's nice enough. But I'm not doing much running. I went out for a walk at 5pm yesterday and it was 106 degrees and full, blazing sun. My dh says that it's the sun that he had a hard time adjusting to. It's very, very bright. Coming from a dark place, with very few sunny days, this was a huge change for us. We have not yet searched out help with our special needs. I have 3 that qualify for services, but I'm unsure what that will be out here. I know that the local charter school has an outreach program that we will be looking into. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Miss Tick Posted August 3, 2015 Share Posted August 3, 2015 When I lived there I laughed to hear a guy say he was from "Apache Junction, home of the unemployed, the newly wed, and the nearly dead." I know nothing about homeschooling there, but there are a few people on the boards from there, someone will chime in. AZ is a state with huge variety. Are you thinking of the greater Phoenix area? Tucson has more of a small-town feel, but a similar climate. Flagstaff, however, is a higher elevation with mountains, snow and pine trees. Ah, Arizona, I miss it. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MomOfABunch Posted August 3, 2015 Author Share Posted August 3, 2015 I'm not sure yet which area. DD can get the ID waiver in a matter of months there and there are lots of work optioons for me across the state. Real estate looks to be much cheaper than suburban DC and I would love to have a pool. Free/cheap kids activities sounds wonderful. I'm looking to make a move from DC. I hate it here. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
5wolfcubs Posted August 4, 2015 Share Posted August 4, 2015 I'm not sure yet which area. DD can get the ID waiver in a matter of months there and there are lots of work optioons for me across the state. Real estate looks to be much cheaper than suburban DC and I would love to have a pool. Free/cheap kids activities sounds wonderful. I'm looking to make a move from DC. I hate it here. I'm not actually in DC but am also leaving the metro area, so I can relate! I hate the traffic, and the license plates like I HT RT28 and H8 U 66 don't even make me laugh anymore. Okay, they still do...a little. I'm also hating this humid weather. Standing in front of an open oven and Desert Strawberry's unrelentingly hot are accurate statements about Arizona weather -- but I'd rather have that then this humidity!! 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Desert Strawberry Posted August 4, 2015 Share Posted August 4, 2015 It is a blessed relief from humidity, for sure. It's the difference between a toaster and a stew pot. It helps that we have AC here and didn't in Louisiana. D has a 65 mile commute-each way. It takes him an hour. He works at Sky Harbor, right in the heart of the city. There is traffic, but it's not terrible. The city is sprawling, not dense at all. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Desert Strawberry Posted August 4, 2015 Share Posted August 4, 2015 One more thing. A large portion of the population is from somewhere else. Even here in our tiny town. Ime that makes for a much more accepting community. Where we came f from, we were outsiders. All of the families had been there for 200 years. We couldn't get in. Not so here. We've been welcomed with open arms. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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