What Can School Districts Do?

1. 6.       Parent/family training and support provided by qualified personnel with experience in Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASD) that, for example - • •  A. provides a family with skills necessary for a child to succeed in the home/community setting • •   B. includes information regarding resources - for example, parent support groups, workshops, videos, conferences, and materials designed to increase parent knowledge of specific teaching/ management techniques related to the child's curriculum • •  C. facilitates parental carryover of in-home training, for example: strategies for behavior management and developing structured home environments and/or communication training so that parents are active participants in promoting the continuity of interventions across all settings. • 7.       Suitable staff-to-student ratio appropriate to identified activities and as needed to achieve social/behavioral progress based on the child's developmental and learning level (acquisition, fluency, maintenance, generalization) that encourages work towards individual independence, for example - • •  A. adaptive behavior evaluation results • •   B. behavioral accommodation needs across settings • •  C. transitions within the school day • 8.       Communication interventions, including language forms and functions that enhance effective communication across settings - for example, augmentative, incidental, and naturalistic teaching • 9.       Social skills supports and strategies based on social skills assessment/ curriculum and provided across settings - for example, trained peer facilitators (e.g., circle of friends), video modeling, social stories, and role playing • 10.     Professional educator/staff support - for example, training provided to personnel who work with the student to assure the correct implementation of techniques and strategies described in the IEP • 11.     Teaching strategies based on peer-reviewed, research-based practices for students with ASD - for example, those associated with discrete-trial training, visual supports, applied behavior analysis, structured learning, augmentative communication, or social skills training • What Can Families Do? • •  Become aware of the federal, state, and local laws; policies; and guidelines regarding the education of students with autism including the Commissioner's Rule or Autism Supplement and the eleven strategies. • •  Schedule and attend all necessary meetings (f.e., IEP meetings, staffing, or conferences) • •  Network with others families of students with autism • •  Get involved with local agencies that provide supports and services to students with autism and their families • •  Seek out opportunities for respite services, as available or necessary • •  Keep family-school communication open and positive • What Can School Districts Do? • •  Educate families on the federal, state, and local laws; policies; and guidelines regarding the education of students with autism including the Commissioner's Rule or Autism Supplement and the eleven strategies • •  Follow federal and state requirements in IDEA 2004 with respect to the development of the IEP and the consideration of the eleven strategies in the Commissioner's Rule • •  Keep school-family communication open and positive • Terms to Know • •  Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASD): An umbrella term for students classified under IDEA 2004 or the DSM-IV-TR. • •  Individual Education Program (IEP): Program developed through the ARD/ IEP meeting that determines the services that will be provided based on your child's strengths and needs. In Texas referred to as the ARD meeting • •  Eleven Strategies: Portion of the Commissioner's Rules Concerning Special Education Services §89.1055. Content of the Individualized Education Program (IEP) that outlines eleven additional strategies to consider in the IEP of students with autism in the state of Texas. • Resources • United States Department of Education State/Territory Education Resource Search http://wdcrobcolp01.ed.gov/ Programs/EROD/org_list_by_territory.cfm • Individuals with Disabilities Education Act 2004 - IDEA website http://idea. ed.gov/explore/home • Individuals with Disabilities Education Act 2004 - Regulations http-i/idea. ed.gov/explore/view/p/%2Croot%2Cregs%2C • Texas Education Agency Commissioner's Rules Concerning Special Education Services §89.1055. Content of the Individualized Education Program (IEP) http://www.tea. state.tx.us/rules/commissioner/adopted/1007/89aa-two.pdf Commissioner's Rules Guidance Document Content of the Individualized Education Program (IEP) http://www.tea.state.tx.us/special.ed/guidance/ rules/89.1055.html • Texas Statewide Leadership for Autism http://www.txautism.net/training.html • Centers for Disease Control and Prevention - Autism Information Center http://www.cdc.gov/ncbddd/autism/faq_prevalence.htm • Autism Society of America (ASA) or local chapters http://www.autism-society.org • Association for Science in Autism Treatment Center (ASAT) - http://www. asatonline.org/ • National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke http://www.ninds.nih. gov/disorders/autism/detail_autism.htm • Region 4 Education Service Center • 7145 West Tidwell • Houston, Texas 77092 www.theansweris4.net Creating Solutions that are the worldwide standard for educational excellence1" • Educated Solution • Product ID: 741-1490

2. for • student • success Texas Autism Supplement Important Information to Know For students with autism there are federal and state special education laws that guide districts in providing a free appropriate public education to these students. The federal law is the Individuals with Disabilities Education Improvement Act of 2004 (IDEA 2004), and the state law is the November 2007 Commissioner's Rules Concerning Special Education Services, specifically section §89.1055 and commonly referred to as the Autism Supplement. Additionally, the Texas Education Agency (TEA) has provided a guidance document to further clarify the Commissioner's Rule. The Autism Supplement notes eleven strategies that must be considered in the development of the Individualized Education Program (IEP) for a student with autism. Two of the eleven strategies overlap with federal requirements (Extended School Year and Transition). • The Autism Supplement Specifies: • •  Strategies shall be considered, based on peer-reviewed, research-based, educational programming practices to the extent practicable and, when needed, addressed in the IEP and • •  If the ARD/IEP committee determines that services are not needed in one or more of the areas...the IEP must include a statement to that effect and the basis upon which the determination was made. • NOTE: Decisions regarding each of the eleven strategies must be based on data. • The TEA Guidance Document Specifies: • •  Consideration of these strategies in no way implies a requirement to implement any particular strategy. It is the responsibility of the Admission, Review, and Dismissal (ARD)/IEP committee to determine which of the strategies, if any, should be included in a student's IEP. • •  The emphasis an ARD/IEP committee places on each consideration should be contingent on the needs of the individual student. A student with limited or no functional communication system should have that area addressed as a priority. Addressing vocational and transition needs is likely to be more important for higher functioning individuals entering high school than it is for pre-school age students. • NOTE: ARD/IEP committees will require accurate and detailed evaluations in order to make appropriate decisions regarding the eleven strategies. • Additional Considerations: • The Autism Supplement does: • •  Require discussion and identification of intervention strategies • •  Require qualified personnel and training • •  Raise the bar for initial evaluations and subsequent updates • The Autism Supplement does not: • •  Mandate a specific intervention strategy • •  Require a specific degree or credential in addition to teacher certification • Eleven Strategies for Consideration: • 1.       Extended educational programming - for example, extended day and/or extended school year services that consider the duration of programs/settings based on assessment of behavior, social skills, communication, academics, and self-help skills • 2.       Daily schedules reflecting minimal unstructured time and active engagement in learning activities - for example, lunch, snack, and recess periods that provide flexibility within routines; adapt to individual skill levels; and assist with schedule changes such as changes involving substitute teachers and pep rallies • 3.       In-home and community-based training or viable alternatives that assist the student with acquisition of social/behavioral skills - for example, strategies that facilitate maintenance and generalization of such skills from home to school, school to home, home to community, and school to community • 4.       Positive behavior support strategies based on relevant information -for example, • •  A. antecedent manipulation, replacement behaviors, reinforcement strategies, and data-based decisions; and • •   B. a Behavior Intervention Plan developed from a Functional Behavioral Assessment that uses current data related to target behaviors and addresses behavioral programming across home, school, and community-based settings • 5.       Beginning at any age, futures planning for integrated living, work, community, and educational environments that considers skills necessary to function in current and post-secondary environments