By Jennifer Gondek, Director of Exceptional Education, TST BOCES
District administrators and TST BOCES leaders shared a growing concern: an increasing number of young students with autism required highly structured classroom environments with embedded sensory and communication supports. Not only were there no elementary autism-specific special class options on our TST Campus, but the region also lacked a variety of inclusive special education programming that allowed students to receive this type of specialized support while gaining meaningful access to their general education peers. As referrals grew, it became clear that the region faced a significant service gap and we needed to reimagine our regional continuum of special education.
Last spring, a team of district and BOCES leaders conducted a review of comparable programs at neighboring BOCES and districts. Through site visits, consultations, and research, one model repeatedly surfaced as both effective and sustainable: classrooms grounded in TEACCH (Treatment and Education of Autistic and Related Communication-Handicapped Children) principles. The team was particularly drawn to TEACCH’s emphasis on structured, visually-supported environments and predictable routines, all of which aligned with the student profiles emerging in district referrals. Recognizing the potential fit, we decided to move forward with designing a classroom that incorporated these structures while tailoring the program to meet the individual needs of the students.
Once the vision was established, the work moved quickly as we explored several viable options for the classroom. In partnership with several district leaders, we secured leased space within a local elementary school, ensuring the program could be embedded in a setting that supported both specialized instruction and opportunities for inclusion. As student intakes were completed, the team designed the physical classroom space, ordered specialized teaching materials, and refined the instructional framework rooted in structured teaching. By the time students arrived at RC Buckley Elementary School in Lansing, NY on October 14th, the classroom stood as both a response to a pressing problem of practice and a proactive investment in a more inclusive, supportive continuum of services.
This classroom launch is one example of the work happening across our region. To explore more stories connected to the TST BOCES Blueprint for Excellence, please visit tstboces.org/blueprint.
