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The Road to Independence:

Providing High Quality

Instruction for Students with

Autism Spectrum Disorder Charlotte Mecklenburg Schools

Caroline Stewart, Ed S- Program Specialist for Autism

Teri Moffett- Itinerant Coordinating Teacher for Autism

Alana Iannello- Itinerant Coordinating Teacher for Autism

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Objectives:

• General District Overview

• Levels of Programming for Students

with Autism

• Support for Students with Autism

• Community Connections

• Transitions

• Challenges

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General District Overview • 144,011 Students Total

• 14,266 Students on IEPs

• 174 Schools

• 59 Self-Contained Programs for Students with

Autism

• 72 Self-Contained Programs for Students who

Require Specialized Academic Curriculum

(SAC)

• 32 Self-Contained Programs for Students who

Require Specialized Behavioral Support (SBS)

• 2 Public Separate Schools

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AU District Overview

• 1065 Students eligible for services

under the category of Autism (AU)

• Also serve students eligible for service

under Developmentally Delayed (DD)

and Other Health Impaired (OH)

• Close to 70% of students eligible as

AU educated in their home school

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Inclusive Practices

Inclusion is the practice of

providing ALL students with the

knowledge, skills and values

necessary to live productive

lives.

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Programming for Students

with Autism

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Pre-K Services

• Drive In Services

• Community Based Preschool and/or

Day Care Program

• Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools Pre-K

Programs

• Exceptional Children Preschool

Classroom

• Metro School

• Developmental Day Programs

• Homebound Services

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School Age Services Program Types

• Regular

• Resource

• Separate

• Separate School

Level of Service

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Regular

• 80% or more of the day with non-

disabled peers

• May be pull-out services or push-in

services

• Takes place at home school

Approximate number of students with

autism served= 407

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Resource

• 40%-79% of the day with non-

disabled peers

• May be pull-out services or push-in

services

• Takes place at home school

Approximate number of students with

autism served= 155

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Modifications in Resource

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Modifications in Resource

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Separate

• 39% or less of the day with non-

disabled peers

• Can take place at home school

• If separate setting is required= Self-

contained program

Approximate number of students with

autism served= 10

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Separate-

Self-Contained

• 39% or less of the day with non-

disabled peers

• 59 Programs for Children with Autism

District Wide

Approximate number of students with

autism served=395

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Self Contained Program for

Students with Autism Description

• A self-contained class for Autism is for students

who need sustained levels of support to respond

consistently and with intent to instruction that is

specially designed.

• Students receive instruction on the NC Extensions

of the Common Core and are assessed on the NC

EXTEND1.

• Because students are measured against modified

achievement standards, they are no longer on any

of the North Carolina diploma pathways.

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Sustained Levels of

Support?

Severe Deficits:

• Communication

• Social

• Sensory

• Academic

• Behavior management to include

repetitive behaviors

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Physical Structure

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Schedules

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Academics

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Communication

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Behavior

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Separate School

• Metro School

• Lincoln Heights Academy (LHA)

• 100% of population on an IEP

• Intensive level of support

Approximate number of students with autism

served at Metro= 60

Approximate number of students with autism

served at LHA= 2

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Two Separate Schools

Metro School Lincoln Heights Academy

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Support for Students with

Autism

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How does CMS support

students with Autism? Elementary

• Elementary Instructional

Support Team

• EC Elementary

Specialist

• 5 Instructional

Coordinating Teachers

(ICT’s)

• Kindergarten Support

Team

Secondary

• Secondary Instructional

Support Team

• EC Secondary Specialist

• 6 Instructional

Coordinating Teachers

• EC Graduation Coach

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Kindergarten Support

Team • Who:

– 4 Part-time EC teachers/ICTs

• What:

– Support rising Kindergarteners

• Develop behavior plans or academic accommodations

• Assist with scheduling

• Provide tools and resources (and cube chairs!)

• When:

– First 6 months of the school year

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Specialized Autism Support

Team • Specialist for Autism

• 2 Itinerant Coordinating Teachers for

Autism

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How do Teachers Get Support?

• AU File Box provided in schools

• Teachers submit a request for support

• A member of one of the teams conducts an

observation/consultation and makes

recommendations for additional strategies to put

in place.

• Resource materials are provided when needed

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Pre-Planning Process • A Request for Support-Pre-Planning

is submitted

• FBA and BIP must be in place for 4-6

weeks and data taken with fidelity

prior to the first of 2 formal

observations

• Fill out the Pre-Planning Form

• 2 Formal observations with 4-6 weeks

of data collection in between

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Team Decision

• Checklist is followed

to complete the Pre-

Planning Process

• Outside LEA is

Requested

• IEP Team meets

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Professional Development

• Dr. Jim Ball

• Dr. Paula Kluth

• 6 Week Courses

• Building Based PD

• Online Moodle

• Classroom Based PD

• Administrator PD

• TEACCH

• Summer Teacher Institute

• Parent Training

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Community • Special Olympics

• Women’s Charity

League

• Autism Society of

North Carolina

• Autism Society of

North Carolina,

Mecklenburg County

Chapter

• Autism Speaks

• UNCC

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Autism Society of North

Carolina, Mecklenburg County

iPads for AU

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Autism Speaks

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Transitions

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Pre-K to Kindergarten

• Kindergarten Crossroads meetings

– K curriculum

– Transition Process

– Inclusive Practices

– Special Ed Services

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Pre-K to Kindergarten

• Needs-Based Ranking:

– Collaboration between Pre-K and AU

support teams

– Facilitate transition to Kindergarten

– Kindergarten support team assigned if

needed

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Pre-K to Kindergarten

• Transition Form Informs K teachers

about:

– Student strengths and needs

– Current interventions

– Communication needs

– Behavioral needs

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IF a Separate Setting is being

considered… • Pre-K teachers start a pre-planning process

• Itinerant Resource teachers support students

• AU support team observes student and makes

recommendations for interventions

• Pre-K team collects data on effectiveness of

interventions

• IEP meeting is held to consider most appropriate

placement

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Transition to Middle School

• District-Wide Transition Meeting held:

– Elementary teachers meet with

Middle School teachers

– Discuss strategies and interventions

in place

– Discuss needs/concerns

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Transition to Middle School

• Transition IEP meetings held within last 30

days of school

– Change EC times to reflect middle

school schedule

– IEP goals are updated as needed

– Special Education service delivery may

look different in middle school

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Transition to Middle School-

Separate Setting

• Middle school teachers may go visit

incoming 6th grader in elementary

school

• Teachers may attend transition IEP

meetings

• Elementary teachers may schedule

field trip to visit middle school

classrooms for following year

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Transition to High School

• District-Wide Transition Meeting held:

– Middle School teachers meet with

High School teachers

– Discuss strategies and

interventions in place

– Discuss needs/concerns

– Discuss Diploma Track

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Transition to High School

• Possible Diploma Tracks

– Future Ready Core: Common Core

Standards

– Occupational Course of Study

– Autism Society of Mecklenburg County

provides transition packets for all

students with autism

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Occupational Course of

Study • Modified Occupational Course of Study

Curriculum

• Students need 24 credit hours and 900 work

hours

– 24 credit hours (classes)

– 300 school based work hours

– 240 hours of Community Based Instruction

(work sites with job coach)

– 360 hours of paid employment

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High School Separate

Setting

• Concentrates on:

– Independent Living skills

– Community Based Instruction

– Choice-maker curriculum

– Transitional Course of Study

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Transition Fair

• Allows students and

families to

collaboratively take

action for their future

by connecting them

with community

resources that

promote

independence

• Started in 2003

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Transition Fair - 2013

• Yearly event for transition age students

• 40 Vendors

• Categories- Higher Ed, Community

Service Providers, Employment,

Transportation, Personal living, Advocacy,

Legal services, etc.)

• 250 Participants this year

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Challenges Legal

• 2010-2013- 6 state Complaints

(all placement decisions

parents disagreed with IEP

Teams decisions for a program

placement change)

• 2010-2013 – 3 due process

cases (all placement decisions

parents disagreed with IEP

Teams decisions for a program

placement change)

• 2012 – One mediation (ESY

decision – IEP team

determined ESY wasn’t

warranted)

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Challenges

Behavior • Determined the type of

data needed

• Analyzed data collected

• Develop an AU Problem

Solving Team

• Develop a plan to

address concerns

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Our Motto!

If you have met one student

with autism then…

You have met ONE student

with autism!

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Remember…

Don’t Judge Too Quickly

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