The pandemic continues to drive both education and related legislation. In February, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and federal Department of Education released documents intended to provide guidance for reopening schools safely, noting evidence that shows it is possible to do so with precautions. President Biden signed the American Rescue Plan into…
OAR is currently accepting applications for the 2021 OAR Scholarship Program. Applicants can apply to either the Schwallie Family Scholarship or the Lisa Higgins Hussman Scholarship until Monday, May 3, 2021, at 11:59 p.m. ET. Each offers $3,000 scholarships to students diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder (DSM-IV/5 criteria) pursuing full-time, post-secondary, undergraduate education in the United…
OAR has expanded its commitment to peer education by awarding grants ranging from $500 to $5,000 to support projects that promote autism awareness and acceptance. When non-autistic children understand autism, they develop better relationships with their autistic peers. OAR has helped educate more than 135,000 children through the Kit for Kids Peer Education Program since…
OAR is excited to announce that ONEHOPE Wine has contributed $25,000 to OAR. The generous donation will fund three ONEHOPE awards of $5,000 each and Platinum level sponsorship of the 2021 Active for Autism 5K & Kids Dash, the first at that level in the three-year history of the event. OAR introduced the ONEHOPE awards in…
In 2020, daily living as we knew it, such as work, school, and volunteer activities, either came to a standstill or changed substantially. Gradually, we have adapted, mostly by making use of virtual platforms and tools. A survey done by the Atlanta Federal Reserve and the University of Chicago found that the number of people…
April Autism Awareness Month is the perfect time to foster peer acceptance and inclusion in schools. Widespread misunderstanding of autism is a common issue in schools across the country, which can, in turn, lead to a host of larger discriminatory issues like social isolation and even bullying. Level Up the Lesson Autism Tuned In is an…
This blog post has been adapted from OAR’s resource “An Educator’s Guide to Autism”. The right learning environment can make a huge difference to any young learner. But a sensory-friendly environment with minimal distractions can be particularly important for an autistic student, especially if they are joining the general education classroom for the first time. …
As school closures and other public health measures due to the pandemic continue across the country, so too do the effects on special education. A ParentTogether Action survey found that in the spring, more than half (59%) of students with disabilities were receiving only some or none of the services to which they were entitled,…
OAR has expanded its commitment to peer education by awarding grants ranging from $500 to $5,000 to support projects that promote autism awareness and acceptance. When children understand autism, they develop better relationships with their autistic peers. OAR has helped educate more than 135,000 children through the Kit for Kids Peer Education Program since 2012…
As classrooms, organizations, and individuals around the country gear up for National Autism Awareness and Acceptance Month in April, they now have access to a high-quality resource: OAR’s Friendship Tip Sheets, released in December. Available online or in hard copy through our store, the tip sheets can help typical kids be understanding, supportive friends to…
