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.

We came to Rise Educational Advocacy after a difficult IEP process and weren't sure where to turn…read morenext. April's file review was thorough and genuinely eye-opening, she helped us understand exactly where the IEP fell short and what questions we should be asking. She was warm, knowledgeable, and never made us feel rushed or judged for not knowing the system. Her insights gave us the clarity and confidence to take the next step in advocating for our family. We'd recommend Rise to any family navigating special education and feeling overwhelmed.

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?"

Thank you for all of your work over the years. Parker has come so far under your care. Not only…read morehas his behavior greatly improved, but he learned to tie his shoes with Sarah, learned to ride a bicycle with Sarah and Kody, expanded his use of cursive writing with Olu and has improved in many other ways under your supervision. Parker is now a model camper after Kody and Olu spent time with him at camp after we were made aware of ongoing problems. In addition, Parker improved significantly at school because of the efforts of Kody, Diego and Shirin, who met with his teachers and other professionals on two occasions.

From the owner: Behavior and Education Inc provides in-home, school, and community-based Applied Behavior Analysis…read more(ABA) services to children and young adults with Autism Spectrum Disorder and other developmental differences. We serve communities across Southern California. Our headquarters are in Manhattan Beach, CA. We are currently hiring in all locations at all levels (Behavior Therapist, Behavior Consultant, Supervisors, Program Managers, BCBAs). Please visit our website for information on the opportunities to join our team.

Awesome, School love that it is a small school. My kid has definitely done better with his reading…read moreand writing. Thanks to wonderful teachers. We love the large field for him to play. Definitely recommend the school.

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.

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.

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.

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.