Should My Child Do ABA or School?

Jul 10

5 min read

When parenting your autistic child, you might have to make a difficult decision. The question “Should my child do ABA or school?” is one that many parents face, and can feel overwhelming. ABA therapy may be helping your child build communication, behavior, independence, and daily living skills, while school provides academic instruction and opportunities to learn alongside others.

The good news is that the decision does not always have to be either ABA or school. For some children, the right solution may be a program that allows them to receive intensive treatment while continuing to work toward meaningful academic goals.

What Is the Difference Between ABA and School?

ABA therapy and school serve different purposes, each bvery important in their own right.

ABA therapy is a healthcare service guided by an individualized treatment plan, typically for children with autism. Depending on the child, ABA goals may focus on communication, self-advocacy, emotional regulation, social skills, daily living skills, safety, and independence.

Obviously, school is important, and often mandatory. School focuses on education. Academic instruction may include reading, writing, mathematics, classroom participation, and practical skills that help students function more independently at home, at school, and in the community.

Although ABA can help a child develop skills that support learning, it is not a replacement for academic instruction. It can actually be unethical for an ABA company to work on homework or teach academics beyond basic letters, numbers, and other play-based learning. (Insurance companies do not like it!)

So how do we make sure kids get both ABA and school?

When Might a Child Need More ABA?

A child may benefit from intensive ABA therapy when behavioral, communication, or developmental needs make it difficult to participate meaningfully in a traditional classroom.

For example, a child may need additional support learning to:

Communicate their needs
Tolerate changes or transitions
Participate in structured activities
Follow everyday routines
Manage behaviors that interfere with learning or safety
Complete daily living tasks more independently

In some situations, temporarily placing a greater emphasis on treatment can help a child develop the skills needed to be more successful in a future school environment.

However, families may worry that their child will lose academic progress while spending much of the week in therapy.

When Might School Be the Priority?

School may be the best primary setting when a child can access instruction, participate in the classroom, and make meaningful academic progress with appropriate support.

A traditional or specialized school environment can also provide opportunities to practice:

Learning in a group
Following classroom routines
Completing academic assignments
Working with different adults
Participating alongside peers
Using skills in a natural community setting

Every child is different. A student may perform well academically but still require behavioral support, while another may need more foundational preparation before a traditional classroom becomes productive.

"I'm Worried About Burnout"

It can be difficult to find a good ABA option when your child is going to school full-time, struggling, and then your ABA company demands a minimum of 30 or 40 clinical hours. There just isn't enough time in the week for that! Burnout is so real with some kids in this situation.

Mission Ready Academy has a unique opportunity to provide school instruction during ABA hours. Your child will "check out" of ABA and into school time, where they will receive personalized instruction from a teacher. This all happens in the same clinic/building, so there's no extra travelling for you to do as a parent.

Does My Child Really Have to Choose Between ABA or School?

Not necessarily.

Mission Ready Academy was created for students with disabilities who are receiving center-based ABA therapy but also need consistent academic instruction. Students continue participating in their existing ABA program while receiving separate, individualized academic services.

Academic instruction takes place at the same Nova Supports clinic, so families do not have to transport their child back and forth between a therapy center and a separate school location.

This model allows each service to maintain its own purpose:

The ABA team addresses clinical treatment goals.
The academic team addresses educational goals.
Both teams can communicate and support the child’s broader progress.

What Does Academic Instruction Alongside ABA Look Like?

Mission Ready Academy begins with the student’s current abilities rather than assuming every child of the same age should be learning the same material at the same pace.

Depending on the student, instruction may include:

Individualized or Small-Group Instruction

Students may learn one-on-one or in a small group with peers working on similar goals. This allows instruction to match the child’s pace, communication style, and support needs.

Reading, Writing, and Mathematics

Instruction may address early literacy and numeracy, grade-level concepts, or practical academic skills. Lessons begin with what the student can currently do and build toward the next meaningful skill.

Foundational and Functional Academics

Foundational academics include skills such as recognizing letters and numbers, counting, matching, sorting, and following directions.

Functional academics help students use reading, writing, and math in everyday life, such as understanding money, schedules, signs, forms, and written instructions.

A Personalized Academic Plan

Each student’s plan is based on their current skills, learning needs, and future goals. A child may be preparing to enter school for the first time, return after a period of treatment, or develop skills for greater independence and community participation.

Progress Monitoring and Family Updates

Teachers regularly review student performance and adjust instruction when needed. Parents and caregivers receive updates about goals, progress, challenges, and changes to the student’s academic plan.

How Do I Know What Is Right for My Child?

When asking, “Should my child do ABA or school?”, it may help to consider a few broader questions:

Is my child currently able to participate in classroom instruction?
Are behavioral or communication needs preventing meaningful learning?
Is my child making progress in their current school placement?
Does my child need intensive treatment that cannot reasonably occur during a typical school day?
How will my child continue working on academic skills while receiving treatment?
What environment are we preparing my child to enter next?

The answer may also change over time. A child who currently needs intensive center-based support may later be ready to return to a public or private school setting.

Mission Ready Academy is designed to help students prepare for that next step. It is a transitional academic program and does not currently award high school credits or diplomas.

ABA and Education Can Work Together

Families should not have to feel that supporting one area of their child’s development means completely abandoning another.

For some students, traditional school remains the best environment. For others, intensive ABA may need to take priority for a period of time. And for some children, receiving ABA and individualized academic instruction in the same supportive location may offer the right balance.

The goal is not simply to keep a child busy during the day. It is to help them build the clinical, academic, and functional skills they need for school, community life, greater independence, and whatever comes next.