Sunbird ABA team serving USD 489 Hays families
ABA therapy and IEP support for USD 489 Hays families
How home and daycare ABA works alongside your child’s IEP — plus every USD 489 Hays school and the neighborhoods they serve.
USD 489 Hays at a glance
USD 489 Hays serves about 3,400 students across 7 schools and 1 ZIP codes, with offices in Hays — part of Ellis County. Federal data lists about 8 school psychologists and about 8 school counselors on staff.
At the CDC's 1-in-31 estimate, roughly 110 USD 489 Hays students may be autistic — so if you're navigating an IEP, an evaluation or a new diagnosis here, you are far from alone.
1 USD 489 Hays schools offer preschool, which matters for families of 3- and 4-year-olds: the district can evaluate children from age 3 for special-education services, before kindergarten.
How ABA works alongside a USD 489 Hays IEP
School and ABA do different jobs. The school's IEP covers what your child needs to learn and take part at school. ABA with Sunbird happens at home and at daycare — the routines, communication and behaviors that make mornings, evenings and weekends hard. They work best when they pull in the same direction.
- Ask for an evaluation in writing. If you think your child needs special-education support, put the request to your school (or the district's special-education office) in writing and keep a copy.
- Share what you have. Outside evaluations and an autism diagnosis help, though the school still runs its own eligibility evaluation.
- Bring the IEP to your BCBA. With your consent, your Sunbird BCBA reads the IEP goals so home goals reinforce them — the same words, the same expectations.
- Review together. IEPs are reviewed at least yearly. Bring progress notes from home; they help the team see the whole child.
ABA therapy for USD 489 Hays families
Our team serves every ZIP code in the district with in-home ABA, daycare-based support and parent training. No diagnosis yet? We'll help you get an evaluation. Wondering what's typical? See signs of autism at age 3 and ABA vs. speech therapy.
Insurance is plan by plan, so we check yours for free — send a photo of your card and we'll call back with a plain-English answer, usually within a business day.
All 7 USD 489 Hays schools
Find your child’s school — the ZIP link goes to that neighborhood’s page, with local numbers and how our team serves it. Source: NCES Common Core of Data, 2022.
| School | Grades | Area | Students |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hays High | 9–12 | Hays 67601 | 959 |
| Hays Middle School | 6–8 | Hays 67601 | 739 |
| Hays Virtual School | K–12 | Hays 67601 | 153 |
| Kathryn O'Loughlin McCarthy Elem | K–5 | Hays 67601 | 384 |
| Lincoln Elem | PK–5 | Hays 67601 | 376 |
| Roosevelt Elem | K–5 | Hays 67601 | 385 |
| Woodrow Wilson Elem | K–5 | Hays 67601 | 384 |
USD 489 Hays: questions parents ask
Does Sunbird provide ABA inside USD 489 Hays schools?
How do I get my child evaluated by USD 489 Hays?
Is a school evaluation the same as an autism diagnosis?
Does insurance cover ABA for USD 489 Hays families?
Start with one short call
Tell us your ZIP code and what you’re seeing. An intake advocate calls back — usually the same business day — with your coverage answer and an honest start timeline.
Neighborhoods USD 489 Hays serves
Ready to talk about your child?
USD 489 Hays families start with one short call. Yours can too.