Re. NJ STATE DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION: AUTISM PROGRAM- QUALITY INDICATORS

[Guest guest]

Dear fellow Massachusetts Parents,

It's been on my mind for a couple of months now since seeing the below

posting by Cate

and a following posting that the State of New York has done the same sort of

thing as to why we shouldn't be entitled to the same thing here in

Massachusetts.

Fellow parents, please write to me or the ME-LIST and make suggestions as to

how we can go about achieving this. Our kids deserve it. My first thoughts

would be to put a petition together petitioning the Massachusetts Department of

Education to provide this . The commissioner's name is P. Driscoll.

Please see Cate's post below- I have a post re. the New York one also

somewhere I believe.

Thanks,

Larry

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Date: Mon, 13 Dec 2004 09:19:51 -0500

From: Geoffrey Kurowsky <g.kurowsky@...>

Subject: " new publication " from NJ STATE DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION-Autism

program quality indicators

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Hi,

This is totally new news to me and I am wondering when and where this

publication came from and how I am soooooooo out of the loop regarding

publications being put together in my home state that deal with my child's

right to and involvement in special education.

This publication actually effects all of the United States in terms of it's

comprehensiveness and I am bit perplexed as to the when, where's and hows

of it's compilation and distribution.

The title is " AUTISM PROGRAM QUALITY INDICATORS " ------- This is the first

publication of its kind ???????that I personally have set my eyes upon and

I received it surprisingly from my school district. That's a bit

backwards but I am happy to have it.

The summation is: A self-review and quality improvement guide for programs

serving young students with autism spectrum disorders.

This is issued from the New Jersey State Department of Education, Fall 2004

(so I assume it's brand new). Some of the individuals involved in its

compilation:

Suzanne Buchanan - COSAC

Fenske - PCDI''

Jan Handleman - Developmental

- Rutgers

These are the names that I am familiar with and would be familiar to many

on our list as not only autism experts but also ABA supporters. There are

many other names most I am not familiar with and the names of several parents.

This 30 page booklet has many subchapters that include PROGRAM

CHARACTERISTICS, CURRICULUM, PERSONNEL, EFFECTIVE INSTRUCTIONAL METHODS,

COMMUNITY COLLABORATION, PROGRAM EVALUATION, FAMILY INVOLVEMENT AND

SUPPORT, STUDENT CONSIDERATIONS, DEVELOPING AN IEP, INDIVIDUAL STUDENT

CONSIDERATION, CHALLENGING BEHAVIORS, PROGRAM OPTIONS, INDIVIDUAL PROGRESS

REVIEW AND MONITORING, TRANSITION.

APPENDIX DOCUMENTS - ABA and GREENSPAN METHODOLOGY.

I am surprised that this document was developed and taken completely by

surprise that it was in the process of development, since I do try to keep

my ear to the ground on upcoming events/publications regarding autism

in-state and knew nothing about it.

It is in my opinion and exposure the FIRST document of its kind and it is

an attempt to put in writing what we in the autism community have wanted

all along, a comprehensive guide to what students with autism need when

involved in the educational process.

Is it as specific as I would have liked? No, BUT to me it is a wonderful

collaboration between ABA and the legal machine of the public education

system. It leaves some room for educators to fool around with and I am

certain the ABA experts had to make room for the public school system to

build in loop holes and evasive techniques. BUT it is as good as it gets.

Some areas are purposely vague: Program characteristics and personnel

training for instance. Leaves the door open for the schools to define each,

and manipulate these areas. For instance:

1. Staff are knowledgeable and skilled in these areas of expertise specific

to autism spectrum disorders; Familiarity with assessment methods,

Developing IEP's to meet the unique needs of each student/

Curriculum, environmental adaptations and accommodations and

instructional methods;

Strategies to improve communication and social interaction skills

etc. etc.

2. Personnel with expertise in autism, e.g. Program Specialist in Autism,

supervise the program to ensure that all of the knowledge and skills areas

listed above are achieved.

There is no documentation indicating the level of education OR type of

education of the Program Specialist in Autism for instance, BUT in the

back of the document ABA is mentioned and defined and listed as a

methodology and described. I think these areas are purposely left with

some levity as a nod to the individual school districts.

There is a lot of vagueness in terms of " " persons highly knowledgeable and

experienced in the education of children with autism " etc, but there is no

definition per se of what highly knowledgeable means.

I do think though that by adding the documentation and explanation in the

back of the booklet about ABA the " good guys " got their say.

I personally think this document is an incredible first step in defining

what education should look like for children with autism, and I am

extremely extremely pleased with its emergence.

Where it came from, how it originated I don';t know.

Anyone else aware of this document??

Cate