Autism
School-Based Classes
The goal of the classroom-based School-Age Autistic Support Program at IU13 is to provide individualized and rigorous programming in order for students to make meaningful progress in a school-based setting. To meet this goal, the instruction provided within our classrooms is well-structured and differentiated to meet the needs of each student.
A Braided Use of Research-based Programs
“One size does not fit all.” Every child served by our program is unique and learns differently than his/her peers. Some students are working on language and communication skills, while others are focused more on behavior management. This is why our team of educational experts creates an individualized plan for each child. They draw from a variety of proven research-based instructional strategies rooted in the PA Core Standards and Alternate Eligible Content used in conjunction with the 14 established practices identified by the National Standards Project for students with Autism.
- Learn more about IU13 School-Age Autistic Support Classrooms here.
Itinerant Services
IU13 provides itinerant services for students on the Autism Spectrum with needs in:
- Social cognition
- Emotional regulation
- Problem solving
- Executive functioning
The services are a combination of direct instruction for the student and consultation services for the school team.
- View or download more information about IU13 Autistic Support Services here.
Center-Based Classes
Autistic Support at Central Education Center (CEC) focuses on meeting students’ behavioral needs while providing individualized academic instruction at the students’ ability levels. With a low student-to-staff ratio (class size ranges from 4-6 students/classroom), this program serves Lancaster and Lebanon county students from kindergarten through age 21 who have struggled in a traditional Autistic Support classroom in the regular public school setting. We have recently opened a hybrid classroom to support those students who benefit from both Autistic Support programming to increase communication and Emotional Support programming to teach and reinforce social skills.
- Learn more about IU13 Autistic Support Program at CEC here.
Support/Related Services
IU13 provides a range of support services for children with disabilities to meet their needs as identified in their individualized education programs (IEP). Learn more here.
Family Supports
A variety of supports are available for families of students who receive Autistic Support services, including:
- Daily communication logs from school to support the home/school connection
- IEP progress reports
- Evening training opportunities about Applied Behavior Analysis and how it is implemented within our programs
- Scholarship opportunities for parents to attend the Annual National Autism Conference at Penn State University