BOULDER CO, May 15 –- The Boulder campus of the Joshua School for students with autism and other developmental disabilities has been named a “Model Autism Site” by the Colorado Department of Education (CDE). The school is the only Facility School in the state to hold this designation from CDE. All others in Colorado are public schools.
CDE periodically evaluates schools and programs that provide services to children with autism at the school’s request. This review is voluntary unlike the mandatory evaluations for Facility Schools. As a result of the CDE’s most recent review, The Joshua School has been named a Model Autism Site by the CDE.
"We are so proud of this designation from CDE," said Martha Muth, Joshua Education Director. "It's a testament to the hard work and dedication of our Boulder team.”
There has been a significant rise in the number of students being identified with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD), not only in Colorado, but across the country. Special education and general education teachers and related service professionals are increasingly seeing students with ASD in their classrooms. Because ASD is a disorder with such a broad spectrum the experiences and needs of students with autism will vary, depending on how autism impacts their learning.
As the need has increased, CDE has developed a reference guide as well as training opportunities across the state in order to build capacity and help teachers best serve this population of students.
To learn more about the Model Autism School designation or the Joshua School visit us at www.joshuaschool.org
About the Joshua School
The Joshua School serves students aged 2 to 21 on three campuses: Denver, Boulder and Centennial. TJS is an accredited, Colorado Department of Education approved facility school and partners closely with over 20 local school districts to provide the intensive services many of its students need. TJS is nationally recognized for its approach that consistently achieves superior results through its structured environments, teaching strategies based on behavioral intervention, and data collection. Using Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA), an evidence-based science, TJS identifies, the needs of each student to create an independent and fulfilling life.