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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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