Legislation would help autistic students

Fran Pavley, Assembly member for the 41st District, said she will author legislation to create a statewide clearing house on issues regarding autism.

If passed, Assembly Bill 2513, or the California Autism Information and Professional Development Center, will operate under the state Department of Education. The center would ensure that the most current research and training is available to parents, public and private schools, regional support centers and other people or groups focusing on children with autism.

"The legislation will improve instruction for students with autism by providing parents and educators with up-to-date research and teaching methods," Pavley said.

Terilyn Finders, a Las Virgenes Unified School District Board of Education member, initiated the legislation in response to the dramatic rise in autism among California children.

Autism is not a rare disorder. In fact, autism is the fastest growing section of special education in California and the nation, according to the information sheet provided by Pavley's office.

Between 1998 and 2002, the number of students receiving special education services in California nearly doubled, from 10,360 to 20,377, according to the fact sheet distributed by Pavley's office to garner support for the legislation.

In 2004, an additional 4,427 students were added to the state's special education school rosters, representing an 18 percent increase in one year alone. Pavley notes the 2004 figure follows three years of rapid increases- 18, 20 and 25 percent-in school-aged children diagnosed with a special education need.

Pavley believes these numbers could actually be higher since the state currently has two reporting systems, the Department of Developmental Services and the California Department of Education.

Currently, California law requires that every child with special needs is eligible to receive educational instruction and services that address their condition at no cost to parents.

The new law goes further and specifically helps children with autism. Information will be shared, and the disseminated data will be research-based, current and considered the "best practice" by autism researchers, educators and other established professionals with expertise in this field.

Support for the legislation is growing. The California Association of Suburban School Districts and the Association of California School Administrators support the idea. Three local unified school districts-Las Virgenes, Los Angeles and Long Beach-officially support the measure.

Finders previously said that establishing a clearinghouse on autism would be an efficient use of time and money for all schools.

Finders championed the legislation when she became aware of the inequities between school districts on how children with autism are being served. After attending a workshop in Compton, she became convinced that children are falling through the cracks of the state school system, often because parents didn't speak English and didn't understand their rights. In economically disadvantaged neighborhoods, she said, some children have not been properly diagnosed with the disorder, or if diagnosed, they may not have been properly assessed, which would prohibit them from receiving proper treatment.

"The goal is to ensure that California provides the best instruction possible to children affected by autism," Pavley said.