Laura McKenna, PhD, is the CEO and Founder of The Autism College Connection. She writes regularly about politics, education and disability issues for publications, like the Atlantic and HuffPost. She also writes a weekly newsletter, Apt. 11D. 

New Jersey has one of the highest rates of autism in the country. About 1 in 35 children is diagnosed with autism. Among boys, 1 in 25 is now diagnosed with autism. As we catch up with data collection and evaluations after the pandemic, those numbers will certainly increase in the next few years.

Recently, researchers began to group autism, ADHD, ADD, anxiety disorders, and even dyslexia into one larger bucket, called neurodivergent. Researchers estimate that 15 to 20 percent of the world’s population is Neurodivergent. 

With 1 in 35 students with autism and 1 in 5 students as neurodivergent, every classroom in our schools has at least one student with autism or a related issue. Every classroom in our schools – from the AP classes to our self-contained rooms — needs a strategy for dealing with our kiddos whose brains are wired differently. 

People are diagnosed with autism if they have social/communications differences, fixate on particular topics, and have sensitivities. However, those characteristics present differently in every child. Some kids are “Little Professors” who will chew your ear off about Pearl Harbor or Mario Kart. Others need a communications device to express basic needs. Some seek out sensations, and others avoid them. Some have a strong interest in math, others love Pixar movies. 

There’s a saying in our circles – If you’ve met one kid with autism, you’ve met one kid with autism. 

Because every autistic child is unique, researchers no longer assign different names to the varieties of autism.  Now, it’s simply Autism Level 1, Autism Level 2, and Autism Level 3, based on functioning level. Schools must tailor their educational strategies for each level.

In New Jersey, 60 percent of children diagnosed with autism do not have an intellectual disability. With a normal to above normal IQ and the lightest needs, these children are described as Level 1 Autistic. 

Level 1 students should be educated in mainstream classes with their peers and be supported, academically and socially, with trained aides. They should have access to certified learning specialists, rather than getting all their help from their paraprofessionals, who are not required to have a college degree. While able to manage the typical curriculum, Level 1 kids still need IEPs to gain access to related services. New Jersey is currently ranked last for inclusion in our nation, so we have a long way to go to support these smart quirky kids.   

In addition, some of these Level 1 students have superior cognitive abilities, while still struggling with other autistic symptoms. These dual exceptional kids need the opportunities to academically soar, while getting help for their autistic issues, like anxiety and social deficits. 

Autism Level 2 kids — our medium functioning kids — can be educated in a self-contained setting. However, no child should be confined in one room all day. They should have access to the cafeteria, music room, library, playground, art room, where they work with staff that are trained in autism. They should learn alongside students with similar disabilities. 

Autism Level 3 kids have very high needs and require specialized and safe educational environments that are free from restraints and seclusion. Twenty-one states in our country have made restraints and seclusion illegal, but, sadly, these practices still exist in New Jersey. 

To truly meet the needs of our autistic and neurodivergent students in New Jersey, we need to examine all our practices, expand professional development, and look for opportunities for collaboration. 

Because every classroom has autistic and neurodivergent students, all staff needs professional development to support these students. Autism is not just a “special education problem.” It’s an issue that impacts an entire school district. 

Districts should form a committee of administrators, teachers, parents, and community members to do a thorough examination of district practices. Questions should include: Are we restraining and secluding kids? Are all Level 1 kids in mainstream classrooms, while retaining their IEPs for their weaknesses? Are Level 1 kids being included in every club and activity in the high school? Do all students have access to the entire school? Is there a clear chain of oversight for special education classrooms with daily check-ins from supervisors? 

Schools should collaborate with other districts to provide specialized programs for students, who can’t fit into standard classrooms. Northern Valley’s Valley Program, for example, attracts Level 1 students from all over Bergen County. My own son attended this school when he was in elementary school. Collaborative programs work because they create specialized environments for the truly unique kids. They also eliminate under-enrolled programs and reduce wasteful spending. 

Given the scope of neurodiversity, we need to rethink educational practices to make sure that all our kids are supported.