Foreword Today’s public school administrators face an incredible number of challenges. A 2010 survey of these leaders found that 98% serve students with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) on their campuses. However, they may not have been sufficiently prepared to do so. Of the 331 respondents, 56% of administrators had no prior teaching experience with students with ASD. More than 50% had no specific mention of ASD in their college coursework, and most of the remaining responses suggested that autism was only briefly mentioned in their studies.
This publication is designed to provide those of you who are superintendents, principals, and special services directors with an increased understanding of students with autism spectrum disorder and their unique learning needs. Resources will also be provided to help identify evidence-based information, strategies, and resources to support your staff and maximize program effectiveness. When we refer to autism programs in this booklet, the information is not exclusive to self-contained, specialized classrooms but applicable for students with ASD in various placements throughout your school. The term staff is used to represent not just special education teachers, but
general education teachers, related service providers, paraprofessionals, the child study team, and any other involved professionals. [Also, the terms autism and ASD are used interchangeably.] As one administrator recently stated, “An excellent public school program can give the student with ASD the best of both worlds—a specialized program and exposure to peer modeling.” We hope that this material will help you to provide effective educational experiences for these and all students in your district. Please call 800.4.AUTISM if we can be of further assistance in the important work that you do.
• • • • • One administrator wrote, “This booklet gave me a terrific overview of autism–hopes and challenges –as well as a broader scope of the input and expertise necessary to sufficiently contribute to the independence of a student with autism.”
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Autism for Public School Administrators
Autism New Jersey
800.4.AUTISM
www.autismnj.org
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