Hey Wendy! Sorry I didn't reply earlier, I don't get here as often as I used to!
My daughter will start kindergarden this fall. I think the schools are hit or miss, some good some bad. I'm excited about the school that N will be attending even though the district doesn't do real well on the state test scores. We chose our house based on the elementary school and are happy with our choice so far. When we left RO we had EI services. A vision person would come out monthly I think (Sharon and then Julie) and we were in a playgroup at the local school 2 or 3 times per week. She was 2 when we left RO. When we moved to Fresno we got nearly identical services although we loved our vision person so much. When she transitioned out of EI she was placed in a fantastic preschool at Fresno State with visits from the vision person every 2 weeks. We were very happy with the preschool program there. I was very happy with the IEP experience, everyone seemed very focused on Natalie. Although to be honest her vision limitations seem to be minimal at this point so its probably pretty easy to be excited about an IEP for a VI kid who tests at 20/40. However, there was no functionial vision test done and no talk of the expanded core curriclium...all things I learned of in Vegas.
How old are your kids? Where are you at in Oakland County? I wonder if we may have met already...there was a NOAH picnic back in 2004(ish), were you there by chance? We are currently visiting family in Lenewee county but will be back in Oakland county the 28th through the 3rd. I've been trying to get together with some of our old NOAH friends but don't have a firm date yet. Most of the kids there will be under 8. Let me know if you're interested in getting together then. You can send me an e-mail by clicking on my profile.
I'd be happy to discuss CA life in general although I can't think of two more removed places than Fresno and Orange County...really its like night and day, but still I'd be happy to let you know my experiences.
Hoping to hear from you,
Kelly