DepartmentofElementaryand
SecondaryEducation
Overviewofouractivitiesre:students
withautism
IncidenceInfo
A-Autism
B-Communication
C-DevelopmentDelay D-Emotional
E- Health
F-Intellectual
G- MultipleDisabilities H- Neurological
I-Physical
J-Sensory/DeafBlind
K-Sensory/HardofHearing
L-Sensory/VisionImpairment M-SpecificLearningDisability
2
Numberand PercentageofDisabilityCategories
Ages3-21(SY12andSY16)
3
Source:MassachusettsStudentInformationManagementSystem
ChangeDifferencesofSWD EnrollmentPercentages,Ages3-21,
by DisabilityCategory (SY12-16)
4%
3.1%
3%
2%
1%
0%
0.2%
0.7%
3.1%
0.7%
0.0%0.0%0.0%
A-Autism
B-Communication
C-DevelopmentDelay D-Emotional
E- Health
F-Intellectual
G- MultipleDisabilities H- Neurological
I-Physical
J-Sensory/DeafBlind
K-Sensory/HardofHearing
L-Sensory/VisionImpairment M-SpecificLearningDisability
ABCDEFGHIJKLM
-0.1%
-1%
-1.0%
-0.7%
-2%
-1.8%
-3%
-4%
4
-4.2%
-5%
Grade / #AutismperOct2015Enrollment / AutismEnroll%PK / 2,140 / 11.5%
K / 1,270 / 6.8%
1 / 1,198 / 6.5%
2 / 1,233 / 6.6%
3 / 1,276 / 6.9%
4 / 1,270 / 6.8%
5 / 1,279 / 6.9%
6 / 1,336 / 7.2%
7 / 1,323 / 7.1%
8 / 1,251 / 6.7%
9 / 1,196 / 6.4%
10 / 1,093 / 5.9%
11 / 894 / 4.8%
12 / 1,098 / 5.9%
+ / 715 / 3.8%
Total / 18,572 / 100%
5
Performanceof studentswith autism as comparedto other studentswith disabilitiesinthe 10THgrade 2015 testsfor MATH and ENGLISH LANGUAGEARTS
6
45.0%
2015-16EducationalEnvironmentPlacementforStudentswithAutism-Ages3to5
41.1%
40.0%
37.5%
35.0%
30.0%
25.0%
20.0%
15.0%
13.9%
10.0%
5.0%
0.0%
2.6%
3.8%
0.5%0.4%0.0%0.0%0.3%
>=10hrs in
>=10hrs in
10hrs inEC10hrs inEC
Substantially
Public DayPrivateDayPrivate
HomeService
ECprogram NOTreceiving
50%
services in inclusive setting
ECprogram receiving
50%services
ininclusive setting
program NOT receiving
50%services
ininclusive setting
program receiving
50%services
ininclusive setting
Separate Classroom
Residential
Provider
7
45.0%
2015-16EducationalEnvironmentPlacementforStudentswithAutism-Ages6to21
40.0%
40.4%
35.0%
30.0%
30.0%
25.0%
20.0%
15.0%
14.4%
10.0%
5.0%
0.0%
4.5%
7.7%
2.6%
0.0%0.0%
FullInclusionPartialInclusion
SubstantiallySeparate
PublicDayPrivateDayPrivate
Residentialtotal
HomeboundorHospital
CorrectionalFacilities
Autism–Adevelopmental disabilitysignificantly affectingverbaland nonverbalcommunication andsocialinteraction. The termshall havethe meaning givenitinfederal law at 34 CFR300.7.
Key words from the federal definition: Adevelopmentaldisability significantlyaffectingverbal andnonverbalcommunication andsocialinteraction, generallyevidentbeforeage 3…adverselyaffects
…educationalperformance… engagementinrepetitive activitiesand stereotyped movements,resistanceto environmentalchangeor changeindailyroutines,and unusualresponsestosensory experiences.
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POSSIBLEASSESSMENTS& ASSESSMENTFACTORS
Autism-specificratingscales
Assessmentof social maturityandskills
CommunicationSampleandassessmentof student’slanguage skillsincluding pragmaticlanguageskills
Observations–noteif studentengagesinrepetitiveor stereotypedmovementsandthe student’sresponsetochangein dailyroutinesor environment
Assessmentof studentresponseto sensoryexperiences
Assessmentof student’semotionalstatus(seealsoemotional
impairment)
Assessmentin multipleenvironmentswitha varietyof tasks
Note:Assessorsshouldhaveexperienceandknowledge related to appropriateassessmenttools
10
Adisablingconditionischaracterizedbysignificantdelays,impairments,or limitationsin the student’s capacity(ies). Tomakethisdetermination,theTeam shouldconsiderallofthefollowingasindicesof limited,impaired,ordelayedcapacity:
a patternofdifficultythatpersistsbeyondage
expectations;
apatternofdifficultyacrosssettings;
apatternofdifficultythatisnotsolelytheresultof cultural,linguistic,orsocioeconomicdifferences;and
apatternofdifficultythatpersistsdespiteinstructionalsupportactivities.
The regulatorydefinitionsofdisability includeimpact11
onlearning.
Performancemaybeinconsistentandmaynotbe consistentwithdevelopmentalnorms.
Environmentalstructureandpresentationofmaterials maysignificantlyaffectperformance.
High anxiety isfrequentlyamajorcomponentand
mayaffectperformancemeasures.
Studentsmaymanifestdifficultywithincidental
learning.
Theimpactofthisdisabilityispervasive.
Studentsmaymanifestattentionalissuesandissues
withorganizinginformationandunderstanding12
abstractconcepts.
InJuly2006,Chapter57oftheActsof2006,entitledAnActToAddressTheSpecialEducationNeedsOfChildrenWithAutismSpectrumDisorders,tookeffect.
Wheneveranevaluationindicatesthatachildhasadisabilityonthe autismspectrum,whichincludesautisticdisorder[autism],Asperger's disorder,pervasivedevelopmentaldisordernototherwisespecified, childhood disintegrativedisorder,and Rhett'sSyndromeas definedinthe DiagnosticandStatisticalManualofMentalDisorders,fourthedition(DSM-IV,2000),theIEPTeamshallconsiderandshallspecificallyaddressthefollowing:theverbalandnonverbalcommunicationneedsof thechild;theneedtodevelopsocialinteractionskillsandproficiencies; theneedsresultingfromthechild'sunusualresponsestosensory experiences; the needs resulting fromresistance toenvironmental changeorchangeindaily routines;theneedsresultingfromengagementinrepetitiveactivitiesandstereotypedmovements;the needforanypositivebehavioralinterventions,strategies,andsupports toaddressanybehavioraldifficultiesresultingfromautismspectrum
disorder;andotherneedsresultingfromthechild'sdisability thatimpact13progressinthegeneralcurriculum,includingsocialandemotionaldevelopment.
TechnicalAssistanceAdvisorySPED2007-1:
AutismSpectrumDisorder
Date:August25,2006
Thisadvisoryrepresents"bestpractice"guidance…toaddressachangetothespecialeducationlaw…Thepurposeofthisadvisoryistoassistschooldistrictsandotherinterestedpartiesinunderstandingthesenew requirementsandinimplementingbestpracticesformeetingtheneedsofthesestudentsasschoolsresumeinstructionforthe2006-2007schoolyear.
a.html14
Thebullyingpreventionandinterventionlaw,section8states: Forstudentsidentifiedwithadisabilityontheautismspectrum,theIEPTeammustconsiderandspecificallyaddresstheskillsandproficienciesneededtoavoidandrespondtobullying,harassment,orteasing.(G.L.c.71B,§3,asamendedbyChapter92oftheActsof2010.)
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TheAutism OmnibusLaw:Section24ofChapter236oftheActsof2014providesforateacherendorsementinautism.
Status:
TheBoardofElementaryandSecondaryEducationhaspromulgatedlicensingregulationstothateffectonJune23,2015in603CMR7.14(5).
Theendorsementwillbeavailabletospecialeducation
teachersandisvalidforfiveyears(similartoalicense).
TheBoardaskedtheDepartmenttocomebackwithmorecommentandthinkingregardingmakingtheendorsement availabletoallteachers. Wehavebeen
workingwithaninterest groupandhopetohavea16
follow-uprecommendationfortheBoardbynextFallon
thistopic.
(Statuscontinued)WehaveadraftoftheGuidelinesfortheAutismEndorsement(therequiredsubjectmatterknowledge),andarecurrentlyreceivingandconsideringpublicinputontheseguidelines. Oncetheyarefinal(anticipatedbysummer),theDepartmentwillacceptHigherEducationproposalstoapprovetheircourseofstudyfortheendorsementandwewillbeginawardingtheendorsement.
Individualswithatleast3yearsexperienceworkingwithstudentswithautism;candemonstratesubjectmatterknowledge;andhaveaspecialeducationteacherlicensecangodirectlytoreceivingtheendorsementifthey
applypriorto12/31/16.Wecurrentlyhave4617
applicantsforthis.
Advisories
TheAutismInsuranceLaw:AdministrativeAdvisory
SPED 2012-1:
AutismSpectrumDisorder:TechnicalAssistance AdvisorySPED2007-1:
BullyingPreventionandIntervention:TechnicalAssistanceAdvisorySPED2011-2:
DSM-5ChangesandtheImpactonStudentswithAutismSpectrumDisorders(ASD): TechnicalAssistanceAdvisorySPED2014-1:
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