START Project

When schools evaluate a child for ASD, it is not considered a diagnosis. School evaluation teams are determining whether eligibility requirements are met under the Individuals with Disabilities in Education Act (IDEA) for special education services, supports, or accommodations. If the student is found eligible, it becomes the school's obligation to provide a Free Appropriate Public Education (FAPE) in the Least Restrictive Environment according to the law. This will involve setting up an Individualized Education Program (IEP) with an IEP team, which includes the family.

The Michigan Alliance for Families (MAF) is a state-based agency that provides parent mentors by region across Michigan. They have an informative website about special education and they provide presentations to families through in-person, virtual, and recorded sessions Additionally, you will find short, easy to read fact sheets on the Family Matters website, which provide parents and families with information about special education law and practices.

Training conducted through the START Project is focused on using evidence-based practices in the school setting to help students be successful learners and interact with their peers. START helps educators understand how the characteristics of autism might affect learning, social interactions, and behavior. A wide array of trainings are offered that include: providing function-based behavior support, setting up a peer to peer program, writing effective IEP goals, self-management, collecting data, and differentiating instruction. Families are welcome to attend open registration START training events and the annual START Conference. We especially encourage families to partner with their school team and participate in training events together.

The benefits of participation in school, and inclusion with other children, is supported by numerous research studies and anecdotal reports from families and students. School is the place where children learn academic curriculum, and they learn routines, social interaction skills, responding to group instruction, and how to navigate through the many activities of a school day. School is also a place to make friends, especially when there is a peer to peer program in the school. The school community is the natural environment for children and helps them be successful as adults in work and leisure settings with their peers. Research shows that students who experience an inclusive education have the most positive post-school outcomes, regardless of disability. 

Families have a right to consider home schooling for any child. We encourage you to talk with your local school district, the Michigan Alliance for Families, and your support community to make the best decision for your child.

It is important to remember that children with a disability, such as autism, are children first. They often live up to the expectations you have. When working with children with autism, we don't lower expectations but we increase the assistance needed to meet expectations. Instead of thinking "my child is not going to be able to help with jobs around the house," get creative and figure out what you can do to help your child learn to complete those jobs. This is what will lead your child toward independence and more opportunities as an adult. You can start with small steps and build on success. It is often easier to start with tasks that your child will enjoy so they are a willing participant. For example, can we set up bins to make it easier to sort laundry, can we practice putting away the silverware from the dishwasher, can my child used a lidded pitcher to fill the dog bowl, or can I use a picture sequence to help my child put items in a lunch box. The effort will have big pay-offs for your child's confidence and independence. Talk with your school team to share ideas for visual supports and teaching strategies that may be used across both settings.

First, talk to your child's teacher(s). Make sure that you have clearly communicated your goals and expectations to each other – listen and share. This might also involve talking to your child's school team. If you and the teacher are not able to resolve differences, talk to the building principal. Work on coming to a shared understanding of the issues and how you can solve the differences. If you are not able to resolve the concerns at the building level, then talk to the district special education director. Please consider communicating with all of these people before you contact a superintendent or ISD level administrator since the building and district staff will know your child the best and ultimately, that is where you will need to resolve any issues. If you need assistance mediating conversations with your school team, you can also pursue mediation through the Special Education Mediation Services (SEMS). Finally, if you have followed this progression for escalating your concern and it is still not resolved, contact the Michigan Department of Education (MDE) Office of Special Education (OSE) help desk: (888) 320-8384, [email protected]. For information on complaint procedures, review the Resolving Differences process.

The START iQuest is not a part of the formal IEP process. However, it helps define what children at different grade levels are usually doing at home and in the community. This can help raise expectations and make sure a child has opportunities similar to peers. Examples of goals are: picking up toys, independently brushing teeth, spending time at a friend's house, and getting a part-time job. The school team and family can discuss appropriate goals and how to set up opportunities and teaching to reach those goals. Sometimes the goals might seem lofty but the aim is to build independence, which only comes with opportunities. Ultimately, the idea is to connect home and schools in a collaborative way to help children be successful across settings.

Depending on the needs of your child, certain therapies and interventions can be done after school hours in your home, community, or a clinic. This includes Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA), speech therapy, occupational therapy, and physical therapy. Social skills groups may be helpful to work on social communication and building friendships with peers. Check with your insurance company to see what services are covered.

Look into your local community offerings through the recreation department, YMCA, nature centers, summer camp programs, and any other classes and activities for children and youth. You may also check with your local autism support group to see fi they have a list of opportunities. Some programs will specifically offer support for children with disabilities, however many programs will need your help to learn about your child's needs and how to support them in a class or program.

This can be challenging for many families! You can try using a reward system or high interest areas as part of the homework routine. For example, if your child loves to play Xbox 360, make that a reward for doing his homework. It might look like this: “You have this worksheet to do for math. Let's do half together and you can play Xbox for 10 minutes. Then we will do the other half and you can play Xbox for 15 minutes.” (it would be best to write this down and show it to your child). Let him play as soon as he finishes it and set a timer for 9 minutes and then give a one minute notice. Give verbal acknowledgement for the effort and the completion when you are giving the reward. Follow similar steps for completing the second half of the worksheet. *Notice that he gets extra time for completing the second half. This may help to make leaving the game after the first 10 minutes a little easier.

Another idea is to build their interests into the homework. If your child needs to write a story, develop an idea around an interest or if he is working on math, and he loves sports statistics, try to work that into the practice. It also helps to offer choices. Do you want to work on math or writing first? Do you want to do your homework at the table or at mom's work desk? Make it a positive experience and reduce the amount of tension and high emotion related to homework. Small steps and positive experiences are more likely to build into a habit of homework completion.

Check in with your teacher and see if you can come up with ideas together based on what has been successful at school.

You can explain that it is a developmental disability that affects the way a person thinks, acts, perceives the world around them, and communicates. Most important, tell others about how autism presents in your child. You want people to know that all people with ASD are different. If you get into a situation where people have a negative view of your child's behavior, explain that behavior is communication and help them understand what your child is trying to say. Tell them in what ways your child is working on new ways to communicate. For example, a child who has limited language might get frustrated and tantrum when he can't get what he wants. As part of his communication plan, he is learning to use a picture system to tell others what he wants and needs. Help others understand that this takes time, practice, and the support of the people around him.

Many people with autism have sensory over-sensitivity or under-sensitivity. This differs greatly from person to person. A sensory assessment by your school's occupational therapist (OT) can help define the sensory concerns and ways to help. Some problematic behaviors may come from too much sensory stimulation such as bright lights, strong smells, loud or irritating noises, or uncomfortable clothing. This may be addressed with changes to the environment, accommodations for the child, or gradually teaching the child to tolerate the sensory input. Alternatively, children may be looking to get more sensory input and engage in behaviors like jumping, spinning, finger flicking, pacing, rocking, banging, or other behaviors that give sensory stimulation. It is important to work with your school team to identify ways to help a child regulate and get the input they need in a safe way that minimizes interference with learning and social interactions. For sensory issues at home, you may consult an outside provider, such as an OT, to assist with a plan.

You may also find that sensory reactivity escalate during times of stress or excitement and helping your child manage these situations is also a part of the plan. If the function of a behavior is not clear and problems are escalating, a functional behavior assessment (FBA) may be needed to better determine what is triggering a problematic behavior. By understanding what is causing the behavior, support strategies can be put in place to assist the student.

First, respect that all people are different in their desire for social interaction vs alone time. Second, children with autism often do not know how to engage with other people and it is easier to be alone. We need to make sure a child has the opportunities to spend time with others in a way that is positive and successful. Getting peers involved can be an important part of helping children with autism learn how to engage with others. In a formal peer to peer program, peers learn about the child with autism and accompany them during certain activities like academic classes, recess, transitioning between classes, and even extracurricular activities. Many schools have Peer to Peer programs and START has training and resources to help get a new program started. For more information, go to: START Peer to Peer Program. Consider other opportunities such as Unified Champion Schools (UCS) to help children and youth get involved in sports or explore school clubs and extracurricular activities.

It is okay for your child to have down time. Just be sure your child does not become isolated and they have opportunities to interact with others.

If you meet the qualifications for Medicaid, and your child is under 21 years and is assessed by your local Community Mental Health (CMH) agency as eligible for services, you may be able to receive additional services. Contact your local CMH office, or go to: Autism Medicaid Services.

Contact the school district special education director or the building principal in the district where you are planning to move. Ask such as: Are students with disabilities integrated into general education classes? Does your building have a START trained team? Does your district have peer to peer support programs and in what buildings? How do you support students that have challenging behavior? How do you involve parents in their child's education? Can I come to visit the school and meet the principal and teachers? Important features of a classroom for a student with autism or another developmental disability can be found on the START Classroom Environment and Teaching Assessment (CETA).