The first day of school is around the corner. Students are feeling excited and little bit nervous to meet new friends and new teachers. For children with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) in particular, the first day of school may feel overwhelming, but with the right preparation it can set the tone for a fantastic school year. In the US it is estimated that the prevalence of ASD has gone up significantly since 2000 and is now 1 in 54 children (Knopf, 2020). The number of students with ASD attending schools in inclusive settings has also increased each school year (Laushey & Heflin, 2000). This increase underscored a prominent challenge for mainstream schools: providing appropriate student-centered pedagogy based on individual student need.

Studies indicate that students with ASD are not receiving adequate school support and often fail to successfully participate in both school and postschool settings (Anderson, 2020; Kerns et al., 2017). Students with ASD therefore experience high rates of exclusion (Brede et al., 2017). They are also more likely to experience school avoidance or withdrawal from school (Schroeder et al., 2014; Sciutto et al., 2012). Given these challenges, parents often express their frustration with the quality of support their children are receiving at school. Parents report frequent difficulties with poor school-parent communication, exclusion of parents from decision-making processes and lack of awareness and use of strategies that address the specific needs of students with ASD (Emam & Farrell, 2009).

Effective school programs and strategies for students with ASD have the potential to mitigate these challenges for students and parents. Some characteristics of effective school programs include family involvement and collaboration; adaptations and modifications to meet student needs; availability of resources and administrative, attitudinal and social support; functional approaches to challenging behavior; systematic instruction; and assessment evaluation and review (Anderson & Romanczyk, 1999; Iovannone et al., 2003; Roberts & Webster, 2022; Simpson et al., 2003). When students, parents, teachers, and administrators work together to identify individualized supports and accommodations, students excel academically and socially.

By Sharbari Ganguly, Graduate Assistant at Center for Social Development and Education