ALACHUA COUNTY – Teachers and administrators in Alachua County Public Schools will have access to free autism-specific training through a new partnership with the University of Florida College of Education aimed at helping educators better support students with autism in the classroom.
The initiative follows a new Florida law requiring school districts to provide at least one autism-specific professional learning opportunity each year for instructional personnel and school-based administrators.
House Bill 851, which became law as Chapter 2026-109 and took effect July 1, requires the training to be developed in consultation with each district’s assigned Center for Autism and Related Disabilities, or CARD. The training must address evidence-based practices for students across varying levels of need, including academic instruction, behavioral supports, communication strategies and inclusive practices.
“Every student deserves a learning environment where they have the opportunity to thrive, and that starts with ensuring educators have the knowledge and tools to meet diverse learning needs,” Alachua County Public Schools Deputy Superintendent Catherine Atria said.
UF’s College of Education is partnering with the school district and the University of Florida Center for Autism and Related Disabilities, or UF CARD, to develop the training. UF CARD serves Alachua County and 13 other Florida school districts.
The new training requirement comes as the number of children identified with autism has risen substantially over the past two decades.
The latest data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s Autism and Developmental Disabilities Monitoring Network found that about 1 in 31, or 3.2%, of 8-year-olds in 16 monitored U.S. communities were identified with autism in 2022. That compares with 1 in 36 in 2020, 1 in 44 in 2018 and approximately 1 in 150 in 2000.
The CDC cautions that the monitoring sites are not necessarily representative of all children in the United States and that autism prevalence and identification practices vary among communities.
The Florida Department of Education defines autism spectrum disorder as a range of pervasive developmental disorders that adversely affect a student’s functioning, resulting in the need for specially designed instruction and related services.
Ann-Marie Orlando, director of UF CARD, said schools play an important role in the lives of students with autism and educators need strategies they can put into practice.
“CARD’s mission is to provide training, consultation, resources and support that improve outcomes for individuals with autism and related disabilities across the lifespan,” Orlando said. “Because schools play such a critical role in the daily lives of students with autism, we see it as our responsibility to help educators have access to evidence-based strategies and practical tools that can be implemented in the classroom.”
Although state law requires at least one autism-specific professional learning opportunity annually, districts can provide additional training based on local needs and demand.
Orlando said continued professional development is important because evidence-based practices for autism and related disabilities continue to evolve.
“Updated training on these approaches helps teachers and administrators better understand the various strengths and needs of students with autism, create more supportive learning environments, and implement strategies that promote engagement, communication, inclusion and academic success,” Orlando said.
Macy Geiger, project manager with the College of Education’s E-Learning, Technology and Communications department, is leading development of the professional coursework. The effort is designed to translate research into strategies educators can use in their classrooms.
“This collaboration with Alachua County Public Schools and UF CARD gave us the opportunity to do exactly that,” Geiger said, “creating evidence-based training that helps educators support students with autism and strengthen inclusive practices across schools in Florida.”
For Alachua County schools, the partnership provides a way to meet the state’s new annual training requirement while drawing on UF CARD’s autism expertise and the College of Education’s experience developing professional learning programs.
The training will be available to educators at no cost.
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