Lee Stickle has had a front-row seat witnessing how Kansas children with autism have received services in the state’s education system for the past several decades. 

“When I started this work more than 30 years ago, evidence-based practices were still up for debate,” she said. “Now, we have a substantial body of research and evidence identifying effective interventions. However, a challenge remains in ensuring educators are familiar with these practices.” 

Stickle is the director of the Kansas Technical Assistance System Network’s (TASN) Autism and Tertiary Behavior Supports (ABTS) program which is supported by the Kansas State Department of Education (KSDE). She said the ABTS program provides not only the training but also the necessary coaching to special education professionals in the field because “training without coaching rarely impacts professional practice,” she said. 

Stickle said the work ATBS does with districts and their students with autism has evolved as the evidence-based practices used have changed since she has been working in the field with autistic children and their families. She said while emphasis remains on the academic skills of a student with autism, social engagement and communication skills are equally important. 

“In reality, those areas are more challenging to teach and certainly have an equal, if not greater, influence on the quality of life the individual will enjoy,” she said. “Our task remains to improve outcomes for students, which means addressing those areas that support their success.” 

According to the U.S. Department of Education’s Office of Special Education Programs (OSEP), 7.54% of Kansas students receiving Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) services were identified as having autism during the 2022-23 school year while the national average was 12.81% for that school year. Those percentages are an increase from the 2018-19 school year when there was 6.73% of Kansas IDEA students with autism and the national average was 11%.  

The Kansas Administrative Regulations (K.A.R.) 91-40-1 states, in part, “(f) ‘Autism’ means a developmental disability significantly affecting verbal and nonverbal communication and social interaction, generally evident before age three but not necessarily so, that adversely affects a child's educational performance.“ 

Bert Moore, director of KSDE’s Special Education and Title Services (SETS) team, said the determination as to whether a child has autism doesn’t require a medical or clinical diagnosis for the child to qualify for IDEA services. He said a child can have Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) by displaying one or more of the following behaviors:  

• Lack of eye contact. 
• Communication difficulties. 
• Lack of or difficulty with social interactions; inability to relate to others. 
• Difficulty in adapting to a change in routine and will either withdraw or get agitated or aggressive. 
• Repetitive patterns of behavior. 
   

Moore said no two children with autism are alike, something that has inspired his strengths-based approach during his decades-long career in special education. 

“I think the one thing I respect about students with autism is their uniqueness,” Moore continued, adding that he’s always looked for the strengths that children with autism have and not their weaknesses. “I know that students learn better when you’re working with their strengths.” 

In addition to training and coaching, Stickle said ATBS staff provide in-person consultation with school teams to identify what specific supports and resources the child with autism requires to thrive in their school environment.  

“Often, our onsite coaching is requested to address immediate needs, typically when the team isn't feeling successful in meeting the student's needs,” she said. “We come onsite to the school, complete an observation, and then meet with the entire IEP team, including parents, to develop a plan to support the team and the student. This work is often credited with helping the district serve the student successfully without having to move them to a more restrictive setting.” One way to access those services can be as simple as using TASN’s “blue button,” a web-based “Request Assistance Form” found here.  

“I used it many times when I worked in the field,” Moore said. “I would have some of the best consultations.”     

For more information about the work of the TASN ATBS, go to https://ksdetasn.org/atbs.