The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) estimates that the current rate of autism diagnosis is one in every 36 children. This increase in the number of children diagnosed with autism is frequently a focus of autism acceptance in K-12 schools. However, this also means autistic children are increasingly present in local communities and…
What do you remember most about your relationship with teachers in kindergarten or the early school grades? Some people have fond memories—learning to read, making new friends, becoming attached to the teacher. Autistic children and other neurodivergent students, however, may have quite different experiences. While the literature based on non-autistic student-teacher relationships has established that…
The Report on the Condition of Education 2024, recently released by the U.S. Department of Education’s National Center for Education Statistics, found that, in 2023, a record number of students with disabilities were enrolled in an educational institution. As noted in the report, “the number of U.S. students ages 3–21 served under IDEA increased from…
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), one out of 36 students has autism spectrum disorder (ASD). OAR’s Kit for Kids peer education program is designed to support the growing population of autistic students by teaching elementary and middle school students about autism, empathy, diversity, and friendship. The cornerstone of the program…
Back-to-school season brings the excitement of new beginnings. For parents who have a child entering special education or whose child is starting a new year in special education, it can be stressful as well as exciting. Many teachers, administrators, and school support staff lack the background and training to meet the unique needs of autistic…
“Your child has autism.” These words mark the beginning of a complex and often overwhelming journey for many parents. For me, they were not only a call to understand my son Josiah’s unique needs but also a call to navigate the intricate world of special education (SPED) law. As both a parent of an autistic…
In November, OAR’s Board of Directors authorized funding for eight applied autism research studies in 2024. These new grants, totaling $297,569, bring OAR’s total research funding to more than $5 million since 2002. This article is seventh of eight previews to be featured in The OARacle this year. The rise in prevalence of people diagnosed…
Your child’s individualized education program (IEP) comes with a team of school-based experts, including a special education teacher, school representative (often termed the local educational agency or LEA representative), and in many cases, related service providers, such as speech-language pathologists, occupational therapists, and physical therapists. Importantly, your child’s IEP team also includes you, the child’s…
This spring, OAR teamed up with several experts from its Scientific Council to deliver a three-part webinar series about autism education. This series included presentations on connection and community building, the development of confidence in mathematics, and wellbeing integration for teachers and students. Each webinar provided extensive information and practical strategies for special education teachers, self-advocates,…
OAR has helped educate more than 194,000 children through the Peer Education program since 2012. With the second cycle of grants, which opened on April 15, OAR continues its commitment to fund peer education and the promotion of autism awareness and acceptance in grades K-8 using the Kit for Kids program materials. Starting this year,…
