This review is long overdue, but I wanted to share our experience with Gateway Academy for other parents who may be searching for the right school for a child with high-functioning autism, or what Gateway refers to as twice-exceptional students. My son started at Gateway in 7th grade after attending public school since kindergarten. We were actually very fortunate to have had a pretty good experience in public school, especially with the other kids. He had attended the same school since kindergarten and had grown up with many of his classmates, most of whom were still with him in 6th grade. But as he got older, I could see the writing on the wall. Class sizes were getting larger, the kids were growing up, and there had been a few run-ins with bullies. I also didn't love the idea of moving him to a middle school for only two years and then making another major transition to high school. Kids on the spectrum often thrive on routine and familiarity, and my son is certainly no exception. When we found Gateway, it truly felt like a Godsend. The small class sizes were exactly what he needed, and one of the biggest advantages for us was that Gateway goes all the way through 12th grade. He could attend middle school and high school in the same familiar, supportive environment. Many of the teachers have special education backgrounds, but what makes Gateway so special goes far beyond academics. There is a genuinely loving, welcoming culture there. At Gateway, these kids aren't singled out for being different. They're surrounded by other students who understand them. They can be themselves. They have friends. They belong. The teachers are wonderful, as is the office staff. Ms. Robin, Gateway's founder and principal, truly cares about her students, and that caring is reflected throughout the school. Gateway gives students an environment where they can learn at their own pace while also developing friendships, confidence, independence, and a sense of belonging. As a parent, I cannot imagine my son having had the same high school experience in a large traditional high school surrounded primarily by neurotypical students. Those teenage years can be difficult enough, and Gateway gave him a safe place where he was accepted for exactly who he is. My son graduated from Gateway in 2025 and now attends community college. I asked him recently if he misses Gateway. He said yes. So I asked him what, specifically, he misses about it. His answer was simply, "Everything." That answer was both a little sad and incredibly heartwarming for me. More than anything I could write in this review, it confirmed what I had known all along: my son had a wonderful middle and high school experience. He made memories, built friendships, felt accepted, and genuinely enjoyed going to school. As a parent of a child on the spectrum, I don't think you can ask for much more than that. Gateway was also a tremendous resource for our entire family. Through the school, we learned about services and resources available to our son that we otherwise may never have known about. They even connected us with an excellent professional who helped us navigate guardianship and establish a special needs trust as he approached adulthood. Gateway didn't just educate our son--they helped us navigate the journey of raising and preparing a twice-exceptional child for adulthood. For any parent looking for a school for a child on the spectrum, I would recommend Gateway Academy without hesitation. Ms. Robin, Mr. Bloom, Mr. Curt, Mr. Anthony, Mr. Richard, and so many others have made Gateway the special place that it is. We will always be grateful that our son had the opportunity to grow up there. Thank you, Gateway, for giving our son a place where he wasn't simply accommodated, but truly belonged. read more

I started at Gateway when I was in seventh grade. I just graduated from there in May. I came to Gateway because I was struggling with staying on top of assignments due to the heavy workload at my old school--leading me to start failing my classes. When I first came to Gateway, I was scared and alone. Little did I know that I would make friends that were as precious to me as my life there. It's a small school, so everyone knows everyone. Some might think this is bad, but in reality it's great because we get to form a tight-knit community within our grade level (and sometimes other grades too). There are therapy animals there, which absolutely helps students who are stressed out or who are going through something in their lives. You can always find Apollo and Athena (the therapy dogs) out during passing period, saying hello to the students. Talking about therapy animals, Gateway also does an equine therapy program for both middle school and high school. I was in this equine therapy program for eighth grade and part of high school. This program helped me so much through my struggle with mental health. Being with the horses quieted my brain. The teachers are absolutely amazing. I have never had a single bad teacher there at Gateway. They were all so kind and patient. You could tell that they knew what they were talking about. The English program they have there is absolutely fantastic. Both middle school and high school. The books that we read are actually interesting. Examples of this include The Boy in Striped Pajamas, Flowers for Algernon, To Kill a Mockingbird, and Animal Farm. The lunch program that they have is great as well. They bring in food from different places, and it's covered by your tuition, so you don't have to pay for the food. Some lunches that they brought in were from Panera, Venezia's, Potbelly, and Jimmy John's. Just remember to bring a couple snacks with you because sometimes the lunches can be a little bit on the smaller side. Every Friday, they have clubs. We can pick what club we want to be in, and there are a variety of them. Such as gaming, art, and board game club. It helps give us a break from our classes and gives us some time to hang out with our friends before the weekend hits. They also have programs that help build great resumes--along with helping to make your college and scholarship applications stronger. I was in the National Honor's Society and the Student Council for two years. Those were some of the best decisions I've made in my life. I got to meet new people through volunteering and even host a school drive for a non-profit that I volunteered at. The headmistress, Mrs. Robin, is very sweet and genuinely cares about all of her students. She was the one who set me up with my (then) future externship opportunity. Mr. Curt is amazing. He is the person in charge of the National Honor's Society, and he also helped with setting out flyers among the school about my school drive. Mr. Anthony is fabulous. He is also part of the admin. He helped me a lot with my dual enrollment last year. The admin are wonderful and won't shy away from any questions and/or concerns. Gateway Academy changed my life in the best way possible. I started getting good grades again. I made friends that I thought I never would have made. I would 100% recommend you go to this school if you have high-functioning autism. Once a warrior, always a warrior. read more

Note: I wrote this in the past and am posting it now) ---- I am a past student that attended Gateway academy for one year , and god! I would not recommend you go here if you or your child is gifted or at least grade level. You ask for harder work, and are dismissed by teachers that wish they could actually teach you more, but as per the dictators policy (Mrs. Robin) they can't give me actual challenges. I have had 2 tests maybe, and I'm more than halfway through the year. To add to this, these tests were the easiest tests I've ever taken in my life! Do not send your child here! Also, here's a list that I took at the begining of the year (when I still had hopes of leaving) which doesn't include a lot of the new stuff. Here's a summary of the information because the school would probably kick me out (not that I would mind) Version to my parents My classes this year aren't challenging me or giving me the resources I need to learn. In math, we're a month behind because the online curriculum still isn't fixed, and we're stuck reviewing topics I mastered in sixth grade. Science work is so easy and drawn-out that deadlines mean nothing, and tests are recycled to the point where grades don't reflect real understanding. Language class is almost entirely Duolingo, which doesn't teach grammar or real communication skills, and even "enrichment" work takes weeks for something I could finish in days. History is just fill-in-the-blank notes and shallow projects instead of meaningful, in-depth learning like I had before. I'm not being pushed to grow, and staying here is holding me back academically. Version for administration In math, we are already a month behind because the Savaas curriculum still isn't fixed, despite my teacher contacting Mr. Anthony 1-2 weeks ago. My teacher wasn't given proper resources and had to reuse slides from a previous school, so the pace is slow. We've spent over a week reviewing order of operations and negative numbers, which I mastered in sixth grade. In science, deadlines are stretched far beyond what's needed--two weeks to take notes that should take 2-3 days, and tests are meaningless because, after taking them, we just redo the same questions for credit. Even when I ask for harder work, I'm told I still have to do the same easy assignments, which wastes time. Language class is almost entirely Duolingo, which doesn't teach grammar or sentence structure, and enrichment work is stretched over three weeks for tasks I could finish in days. History is mostly fill-in-the-blank notes and shallow projects, like spending a week on domestication with no deeper exploration, compared to last year when I created in-depth presentations on world history topics. I'm not being challenged, my time is being wasted, and staying here will hold me back academically. read more

Gateway Academy is a WONDERFUL school!! We feel SO LUCKY to have found this school! Our son is on the Autism Spectrum and Gateway Academy is the PERFECT fit! Our son is safe and free to be himself in the most nurturing environment. He is HAPPY heading into school everyday and as parents that is all we have hoped for! The entire staff and all of the teachers are simply AMAZING! We can't recommend this school enough!! A+++++++++ =) read more

This school has been the biggest lifesaver for my daughter. She started in 7th grade and is now in 8th grade. She actually looks forward to being at school! It's amazing for my kid to actually WANT to go to school! We drive 30-45min to and from but it is so worth the sacrifice for our child to go here. The support and care they provide for every student is beyond words!! Highly recommend if you're child has high functioning ASD! read more

Gateway Academy has been an incredible experience not only for our child but for our entire family. Robin has done an amazing job building a culture of support, diversity and love for our children. Imagine a school where your special needs kids won't get bullied, won't have to lock up their lockers as nothing ever gets stolen on campus, has meaningful after school programs and has an administration that does everything possible to support their community. We are eternally greatful for Gateway Academy. If you have a twice exceptional kiddo, please consider enrolling your child into Gateway Academy. You won't be dissappointed. read more

We are overwhelmingly grateful to have found the Gateway Academy. The journey to get here was long, a little exhausting, but totally worth it ... and our son is finally where he needs to be, a place where he belongs, for his best possible future. We knew from the moment we stepped inside that we had found "home." We've seen our son grow more in his first week of 6th grade than we did his entire 5th grade year at his previous school. Thank you, ALL of you, who supported us along the way. We are so proud to now be a part of the "Gateway Village." CHEERS TO 6TH GRADE! read more

Gateway Academy has been such a blessing to my son and our family. Prior to Gateway, my son was attending a public highschool and was autowithdrawn for attendance issues. It took the school nearly a month to notify us that he was withdrawn. Once I w able to get my son enrolled in Gateway, he went from highschool drop out to a straight A student and has AP classes his senior year! He is graduating on time and with college credit thanks to the amazing and caring staff at Gateway! I am eternally grateful to them and service. Robin and her team are one of a kind!!! read more

Horrible school, my son attended this school, and he wasn't learning. Even the teacher told me that she was quitting, because she was forced to give easy test to the kids to keep an average score, and poof in paper the school was good academically. read more

This school touts valuing the students as individuals--but when my child expressed her right and didn't stand for the pledge of allegiance bc "we don't have liberty and justice for all in America" she was refused the right to call a parent or relative to come get her when she was kept in the office all that school day. Not exactly valuing the individual. read more

Gateway has been a great school for our child. The teachers are kind and helpful and have been very open with communication. For our family staff has been at the central focus because kids come and go for various reasons at all the schools we have encountered. Also staff being able to approach things from various angles is not always a given even at specialized schools. I think this group of teachers have got it right. In addition, the school curriculum is more on par for my child's needs. We have gone to other schools both ASD focused and public and I feel that this is in between both. We are able to communicate with staff if there are questions regarding assignments or concerns. My child has felt comfortable with staff and overall we feel that the school has been a good fit. We appreciate the school offering opportunities for clubs, student council, and equine therapy and peer relationships. They have a wonderful community, their PTA called the GPO, parents who try to create more opportunities for the students to socialize. Students get to enjoy activities put on by them throughout the year. Our child is currently in middle school and this is their second year attending. For the second year the staff have been just as welcoming as they were last year and we continue to see a bright future for our child. read more

We discovered Gateway this year. Upon our "trial day" my son greeted me with both fists in the airs exclaiming, "Finally, we found a great school!" and he was right. After 2 years in the Chandler school district, my son had deteriorated by every measurable standard. The second year I ended up needing to pull him out and homeschool him while he went to therapy to deal with the stress that was seemingly caused on purpose by the staff at the public school. My son had done well generally in a public school setting before moving to Arizona, but the local school here had teachers unaware or unwilling to meet the needs of a high functioning, never aggressive autistic child. Gateway's amazing teachers, therapy programs, and constant communication with the parents allowed my son to recover and begin to thrive. It is no wonder the school received the highest level of accreditation. I have an hour and a half commute (one way), but that is a small price to pay to have my child begin to work independently, to become comfortable around others, to learn to self-advocate for his needs, and to learn to self-regulate. When I asked my son this year why he loves Gateway he said, "Because I just be myself." If you have an autistic child, you know what that meant to me. He can now focus on the business of learning because he is not panicked and overwhelmed by the class itself. The staff are professional, knowledgable, and genuinely care about each child. They create groups of students with similar abilities so the group to work together. They foster independence, confidence, and teach the child how to manage their autism. They empower each student with successful experts in all walks of life on the spectrum, and bring therapy to the group where the teachers can model and encourage what is learned throughout the week. No more driving from one therapist and then another--the school creates a holistic approach to the child's life. The horse therapy has been the best addition to my boy's regimen. He has discovered a passion for animals and now has new friends in the neighborhood because of that passion. But one of the most important gifts has been to learn from the modeling of the staff and the other students how I can do better at meeting my child's needs. When you are surrounded by other high functioning children on the spectrum, it is easy to see the attributes that common among children on the spectrum and I have become a lot more patient with my working with him. I consider this school a godsend for our family. Thank you Robin, Max, and Matt. You have changed our family for the better. read more

Our daughter has has high-functioning autism/Asperger's syndrome. We enrolled her at Gateway in 2014. While the thought behind creating a school specifically for children like our daughter is a good one, the problem with Gateway Academy is its administrator, Robin. Her interpersonal skills are at best rough and at worst abrasive and dictatorial. She actually dictates the foods children can bring for their lunch. We heard through our child as well as other parents the often hurtful things she says to the students themselves and she often treats them in a demeaning way. Recently, there was an email exchange amongst the parents discussing some of these concerns. The email chain was started by a woman who was pulling her child out of Gateway. Because my wife shared some of her concerns with the other parents, Robin immediately expelled our daughter who of course had nothing to do with the discussion. She never contacted the parents who had concerns about her and the school to see if she could address the concerns. She also expelled the students of the other parents participating in the email exchange. This shows and outright disregard of the students' welfare and an almost paranoid need to stifle any criticism. I've never seen anything like this elsewhere. A good leader brings people in to address concerns rather than getting rid of them. There is a definite need for a school like this. Perhaps without Robin, Gateway could succeed. read more

I wish I could give a rating below one star. My son was enrolled for approximately two months having been diagnosed when he was young with high functioning autism/Asperger's. 6 weeks in, while we think he is doing well, my son (6 years old) says to my wife and I "I don't think they (the school, not the kids) like me very much. How heartbreaking is this to hear??? The "owner/Administrator" is the worst. She touts her nursing degree and wants nothing more than to make sure the children are medicated and compliant. After 2 months there, my son's neuro-psyachiatrist wanted to take him off meds (one of the most respected Atuism practices in all of AZ). After informing the school about this, which we could have decided not to do, we were told by the Administrator that he would not be welcome back until he was back on meds. ARE YOU KIDDING ME??? We immediately pulled him out and got him into another program. The results, even in the first few months, have been startling. Our son is thriving and is more talkative and engaged socially than we have ever seen. It has almost been miraculous. I recommend that you stay away from this place at all costs. The facilities are nice, but that is where it ends. The Administrator is the worst character of person, as many others have said in reviews. She is the biggest detriment to the program, which otherwise might be fantastic. There are many Autistic programs in AZ, depending on your child's spectrum diagnosis. Many of them are fantastic. This one is not. read more

I used to go to spectrum as a client and I hated it there. Robin sweet is a woman that thinks she's all that when she's just shit. My school was paying for my funding and I got 200 dollars from my school every month. The people at spectrum tho never gave me any money from my school to me. Stole 1800 from me. I want this place shut down from money hungry people like ROBIN SWEET. read more

What an amazing school with an excellent staff. Everyone has been so kind to my son. Their service dog always makes him feel better when he is having an off day. They are patient and kind. The staff goes above and beyond to care for the kids and has worked really well at accommodating his needs. I would recommend Gateway Academy to all my friends and families read more

They could provide excellent education. Most of the teachers and staff try. However they are ruled by a dictator. The moment you speak up about your child's care and the ridiculous rules, will be the moment your child is kick out of school. The Dean will target your child because of any opinion that differs from the parents. We try to protect our children from bullies. Do not enlist your child because the school is governed by a bully. It shows by the turn over of staff that cannot endure her dictatorship and the amount of students who are forced to leave because their parents try to have what's best for their child. read more

After 3 years at Gateway Academy where they made many promises to us and told us they were the best school for our son, they decided to drop him from the school giving us only 2 days notice! 2 days before the end of school we were told that he would not be welcome back the following year, leaving us only 45 days DURING SUMMER to find him placement. Their ONLY reason? They decided they were only taking at grade level or exceptional students on the spectrum. So if your child has autism and is not at least at grade level, they are no longer welcome! 3 YEARS they have NEVER mentioned that we should look into other placement. 3 years they took district money to pay his tuition promising he would progress and do well. NOT ONLY DID HE MEET HIS GOALS BUT HIS WONDERFUL NATURE MADE HIM A FAVORITE AT THE SCHOOL. YET THAT WAS NOT GOOD ENOUGH. DO NOT TRUST THEM, DO NOT SEND YOUR CHILD HERE! read more

Very bad school, please stay away at all costs. I attended Gateway from the end of my 7th grade year all the way through my 8th. Worst decision of my life. They do not respect boundaries I may have as someone on the spectrum, and their honor code is filled with terrible rules. Most teachers tried to give a normal education, although most quit because they hated their job so much. Robin Sweet is a terrible person to run Gateway. All she cares about is money has has no care for all of the kids there. I struggled to learn anything, since the teachers tried to make everything simple so it was "easy" enough for some kids to do. I had probably around 3 tests in a whole year at the school. They give no homework, which may seem nice, but does not prepare you for later in life when you go to college and eventually have a job. They have said before 100% of our students go to college, which is not believable at all. If you are thinking of sending your child here, please don't! read more

We have finally found a school that fits my son's needs. He had a lot of behavior problems at his old school because they would not challenge him academically. Now he can advance at his pace and he is engaged in the activities. They have so many activities and therapies offered at the school. The broad range of exposure to new experiences is vital for his growth and he has so much fun. He has improved so much while in this school that he has been discharged from his ABA services. The best part of this school is the feeling of self worth my son gets here and the good friends he has developed. The teachers, staff and Robin are all extremely invested in the kids and their well being. I couldn't ask for a better school. read more

Gateway Academy has been a Godsend for our Daughter. Great blend of teaching core studies, field trips and great environment for following honor codes. Thank you Gateway Academy and Robin Sweet for your great leadership. read more

We went to our scheduled tour at gateway but didn't make it past the office. The CEO greeted us and would not allow us to tour with my daughter's service dog. I explained he needs to be with her and he would attend school with her. She said it's not possible because they have a school service dog that wouldn't get along with my child's dog. We left and tried to educate them over the phone because they broke 3 laws. They had no interest in learning. I will not send my child to a school with an uneducated director that discriminated against a child with a disability. She had the same disability the school was created for-autism. read more

Gateway Academy was there when my son needed him most. After being in the public school system through 7th grade, it became apparent that public schools are not educated on helping children with Autism and Spectrum diagnoses. After years of being bullied, and getting detention for perceived "issues" in the public school, and being told that bullying was not tolerated, or that my son was not to blame, he continued to be punished by the school and fall through the cracks. His self-esteem was poor, his grades were falling and he became depressed. My son made friends at Gateway and looked forward to going to school. The teachers and the staff care and they put the kids first. They emphasize structure and routine so the children know what to expect, and are held to high expectations when it comes to behavior and socialization. They are aiding children with Autism in learning how to be appropriate in social setting and teaching the difficult concepts of idioms, metaphors and inferences. Gateway identifies and accommodates each child's uniqueness, and accepts the "different learner" as just that: learning differently. There is no bullying, there are small classrooms, and the children are taught to advocate for themselves, while the teachers work with the kids on executive functioning and daily living skills. My son felt comfortable, wanted, and cared for by the staff and teachers. The teachers will go the extra mile if the parent will, and parent participation is crucial if your child is to succeed. I have never been to a school who cares more about the kids and their success. As a parent with a special needs child who is smart, funny, and tenacious. This was the place for him to be. I recommend Gateway Academy to all parents who feel lost in their decision on where their child "fits in" and where they will be cared for the way that you would if you could be home schooling your child. Gateway is involved, and the kids are happy. The staff and teachers are involved, and you will not find a better administration where the parents are partnered alongside the school to help your child succeed. read more

After touring the school we have decided we will not be back. During our time together on the tour Robin showed very little patience for our children, so much so that at the end our tour she had enough and was extremely dismissive. I cannot believe that anyone lacking such compassion, patience, and communications skills would be working in a school like this! We had such high hopes about this school after talking with Max on the phone but after meeting Robin we are thankful that she did give us the tour and gave us glimpse of culture at this school! read more

Gateway has come along way, and is growing along with the growing need for alternative education programs for kids on the spectrum. The teachers are engaged and truly I believe on the cusp of evolving education for our super smart kids. We have seen our son grow at Gateway in ways we never anticipated and are glad we made the change from a traditional high school read more

I highly do NOT recommend this school. The Exec. Director has lost focus of what this school is supposed to be about, and instead is focused on the mighty dollar. The point of a specialty school for kids on the spectrum is supposed to be about community and support. You will not find that at this school. Questioning any aspect of her authority is not allowed. Medication is pushed. Students and parents are not treated with respect. PLEASE do your research. Ask why there is such a high teacher turnover rate. Why most who work there don't last much longer than a year. It's her way or the highway..and I am so glad we got the highway. There are MANY other schools that offer the support and respect you and your student deserve. Go find them. It's not here. read more

I cannot express how wonderful this school and the entire team has been for my son they have as a staff has been for my son we have been here for 7+ years now and I cannot even begin to imagine where my son would be without gateway truly life changing for him I have read these comments and in my opinion as often happens when we have special needs situation some size does not fit all and when that happens many parents feel the need to lash out having dealt with the public system having three autism children and 2 Nero typical this school is extremely considerate and caring but also very honest and structured often children with autism or spectrum challenges are key to run wild with excuses (public school) not here !!!! they learn to excel in spite of and over come their challenges with in the end isn't that what we all want for our children I advise parents to form their own opinions and try the school. Oh also review from student sorry public school doesn't provide cash funding to the students that's laughable read more

This school has the potential and most of the pieces in place to be the perfect landing place for kids with autism that have struggled in a general education setting. There are great teachers, a nice facility, and good therapists. The one thing holding it back, is the owner. She is irrational, narcissistic, and close minded. A know it all and its her way or the highway. As a parent, it is heartbreaking to inform your child they cannot return to the school where they have FINALLY made friends because they've been kicked out without any reasonable explanation. read more

We absolutely love this school and everyone associated with it! The teachers and administrators really care about the kids and their education. Our son just graduated in May and he is on his way to a bright future thanks to all of their efforts. Our son attended all through high school and had an amazing experience. He has friends, self confidence and ways of coping and learning that he never would have received through a different school. He has grown so much in his time with this school, doing things that we never thought possible. His quality of life has been enriched (ours too) and I would recommend this school to any parent! read more

Their education director thinks it is okay to humiliate students in front of their peers. When attempting to talk to Robin about the incident was blown off and told that the director was justified in embarrasing my student in front of her class in an attempt to stop an undesired behavior. Robin does not care about the students only about having perfect little robots. They have a revolving door of staff. My child was there for only three months and say four teachers leave and new ones show up this does not build consistency are routines for our children. read more

DON'T SEND YOUR CHILD HERE! I took care of a boy who attended this school from Dec 2013 to May 2014. He was in a group home that I worked for. Within this time frame I saw three different office managers leave (red flag for any business) upon research I found a whole community of displeased parents and former and/or current students and staff. The program director is a total control freak, her name is Nicki, but I don't believe she is currently there. She sent me multiple e-mails everyday (by request of the president of the school) complaining about petty matters involving the child. Which begs the question, why do the administrators have so much time to notice "a quarter sized hole" on the child's jacket? Why was time taken from their day to e-mail me this? It was almost as if their pride forced them to find any fault so they could have something to complain about. He was the only child from that group home who attended Gateway, the other Autistic boys attended Aces (which currently has a 4.5 star rating on goggle reviews) and there were no problems ever. I believe it is because they actually know how to cater to the needs of Autism. Their therapies and techniques are advanced and legitimate. Gateway's way of controlling the children is to threaten to kick them out if their medication dose isn't raised (yes, for real). I went in once to sign the child out early for a doctor's appointment, and heard the administration bad-mouth other staff members and STUDENTS. It was an appalling experience. About and the "president" Robin, she is all about heavy duty psychotropic for kids, and is filled with hatred and bitterness and lots, and lots of negativity. I never understand why people who hate children pick jobs that involve children. The administrators need to have a sense of discernment versus being so reactionary, especially when working with special needs children. The child in question did have some behaviors, but regardless from my research I discovered that even if your child is the quietest, most well behaved kid, they will find a way to make them feel terrible about themselves. If you send your kid here you are paying more than just tuition, you are also going to have to pay for therapy down the line too. I am unsure if the word disgusting or ridiculous is more appropriate in describing my experience here. DO NOT SEND! read more