CAMBRIA COUNTY, Pa. -- One in 150 children are diagnosed with autism, and their parents soon learn that a regular classroom isn't always the best place when it comes to their child's educational and emotional needs. Now there's a new school that can help.

"I kind of knew in the back of my head there was something wrong,"said parent Heidi Yoder. "They kept trying to force the medicine on my son. I wanted to do more research."

Yoder knows the struggles of autism well. Her son, Brandon, was misdiagnosed for years. Teachers thought he had Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, or ADHD. He spent year after year failing almost all of his assignments, and his behavior was widely unpredictable, at times even violent.

"We've been through a lot with Brandon," said Yoder. "To finally come to this point and know what's wrong is a big relief."

When Yoder found out about Pressley Ridge, a day school in Richland Township for special needs children, she said it not only changed her son, but also her entire life.

"His grades have improved," said Yoder. "He went from straight F's to straight A's. His attitude and socializing is also a lot better."

Brandon is not the only child who is succeeding at Pressley Ridge. With only 60 students in the whole school, and a full staff of special education teachers and behavior specialists, students who were once thought to be lost causes are finding new potential.

"Our goal is for every kid to leave here and not be upset and for them to feel they have had a good day at school and that people really care about them," said Pressley Ridge Director Kathy Adams.

The one-on-one teaching style, experts claim, builds trust which is vital to the success of the students. The ultimate goal is getting them back into their original schools. However, it's not always an easy road getting there.

"They would attack me, pull my hair and spit at me," said teacher Annette Sendzik. "Then when they start to trust you and stop doing those things, that's what is the most rewarding."

The school keeps track of all the progress being made and even the missteps, so parents are always in the loop. Parents said it's a weight off their shoulders knowing their kids are getting the help they need.