Autism Supports Project
District Needs Assessment
2011-2012
The Center on Disabilities and Human Development (CDHD) and the Idaho State Department of
Education (ISDE) are working together to provide training and on-site coaching assistance in
Autism Supports to school districts requesting such assistance. Assistance will be provided by
state coaches with expertise in the Autism Supports process.
The purpose of this Needs Assessment is to assist district teams to begin to identify needs in
relation to the essential features of an effective system to support learners with ASD in their
schools. The features include 1) identification of school district participation in other supporting
initiatives, 2) leadership, 3) coordination, 4) funding, 5) visibility, 6) political support, 7)
demonstration, 8) training, and 9) coaching and ASD expertise.
District-Wide Goals
1. Please list (from most to least important) your district’s top five goals from your School
Improvement Plan and Special Education Performance Success Factor Plan (or combination
from the Idaho WISE Tool).
2. Through involvement with the Autism Supports Project over the next three years, what
goals does your district hope to accomplish?
3. Current involvement in Idaho education and educational supports initiatives.
a. Is your district currently involved and receiving active supports from the Positive
Behavioral Interventions and Supports Project? __Yes __No
PBIS Coach Name:
Phone:
Email:
b. Is your district currently receiving support through the Idaho Building Capacity Project?
__Yes __No
Capacity Builder:
Phone:
Email:
c. Is your district currently involved with and receiving active supports via Idaho Response
to Intervention? __Yes __No
Coach Name:
Phone:
Autism Supports Project Manual: Section 5: Paperwork and Timelines: District Needs Assessment: 2011-2012
Email:
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District-Wide Data Systems
4. Has your district adopted a common, district-wide data system for progress monitoring
(e.g., DIBELS, AIMSweb, easyCBM)? __Yes __No
5. If yes, indicate the system name and number of schools using the system at each level (ES,
MS, and HS):
LEVEL
System Adopted
System Name
# of Schools
Using
ES
__Yes __No
MS
__Yes __No
HS
__Yes __No
6. Has your district adopted a common, district-wide data system for behavioral screening and
progress monitoring (e.g. SWIS, eSIS, School Master)? __Yes __No
7. If yes, indicate the system name and number of schools in your district currently using the
system at each level (ES, MS, HS):
LEVEL
ES
MS
HS
System Adopted
System Name
# of Schools
Using
__Yes __No
__Yes __No
__Yes __No
Leadership
1. Efficient integration is planned between activities of the ASD Team with other
teams/initiatives. Select one:
In-place
Partly in-place
Not in-place
2. ASD Leadership Team is developed with representation from appropriate range of
stakeholders (special and regular education, families, administration, etc.). Select one:
In-place
Partly in-place
Not in-place
3. ASD Team has regular meeting schedule and effective operating procedures. Select one:
In-place
Partly in-place
Not in-place
4. Team determines how many and which schools will be involved. Select one:
In-place
Partly in-place
Not in-place
What resources (staff, meeting time, materials, and funds) does the district have to support the
Autism Supports Project activities?
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Coordination and Coaching
1. A district ASD Coordinator has been identified to coordinate ASD Supports activities and
plans (e.g. facilitate team decisions, communication with state coach, professional
development), and has adequate designated time to manage day-to-day operations. At
minimum, the coordinator should have fluency with knowledge and implementation of a)
organizational change strategies; b) assessment-based action planning approach; c)
coordination, coaching/facilitation, and training; and d) regular program evaluation
strategies. Select one:
In-place
Partly in-place
Not in-place
2. The team has developed a process to coordinate with other existing Leadership Teams and
initiatives in the district. Select one for each:
a. PBIS
In-place
Partly in-place
Not in-place
b. Response to Intervention (RtI)
In-place
Partly in-place
Not in-place
c. Building Capacity
In-place
Partly in-place
Not in-place
d. Other
In-place
Partly in-place
Not in-place
3. The team has identified specific individual(s) to provide coaching in ASD evidence-based
practices. Select one:
In-place
Partly in-place
Not in-place
4. A coach is available to meet at least monthly with each emerging school team and quarterly
with already established teams (those who have met fidelity on process and EBP, and are
meeting regularly to plan for learners with ASD). Select one:
In-place
Partly in-place
Not in-place
5. Describe your current system and plans to use the 2-3 year ASD project to develop coaching
support.
Funding
1. The district has identified and allocated funding to support development and ongoing
implementation of ASD Supports for at least 3 years. Select one:
In-place
Partly in-place
Not in-place
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2. The district has allocated funds for ASD assessments, curricula, and other targeted
intervention materials needed by district school teams. Select one:
In-place
Partly in-place
Not in-place
Visibility and Political Support
1. Dissemination strategies are identified and implemented to ensure that stakeholders (e.g.
families, community members, school board, etc.) are kept aware of activities and
accomplishments. Select one for each:
a. Website
In-place
Partly in-place
Not in-place
b. Newsletter
In-place
Partly in-place
Not in-place
c. Letter from superintendent
In-place
Partly in-place
Not in-place
2. The Superintendent and School Board will receive at least semi-annual progress reports
from the ASD Supports Team. Select one:
In-place
Partly in-place
Not in-place
3. The Superintendent, Principal(s), Special Education Director attend and participate in
Autism Supports Project Team. Select one:
In-place
Partly in-place
Not in-place
Demonstration Schools
1. The District has identified a small number of schools to be demonstration sites and training
grounds for school personnel. Select one:
In-place
Partly in-place
Not in-place
2. School agreements are developed and ready to use. Select one:
In-place
Partly in-place
Not in-place
Training
1. The ASD Supports Leadership Team has established a process to assist the coach or other
trainers to sustain professional development in EBPs and to train to fidelity on the process
of selection and implementation of EBPs by all staff in context. Select one:
In-place
Partly in-place
Not in-place
Describe the professional development that your ASD Supports Team has had in any of the
following:
1. ASD:
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2. Response to Intervention (RtI)
3. Positive Behavior Supports and Interventions (PBIS)
4. Reading
a. Has your district adopted a research-based core reading curriculum ___________
b. Has your district adopted research-based supplemental/intervention curricula
_____________________________
5. Math
a. Has your district adopted a research-based core math curriculum ___________
b. Has your district adopted research-based supplemental/intervention curricula
_____________________________
Evaluation
1. The ASD Leadership Team has developed an evaluation process for assessing all program
outcomes using project-based evaluation materials. Select one for each:
a. Autism Program Environment Rating Scale System
In-place
Partly in-place
Not in-place
b. EBP Implementation Checklists (Fidelity Checklists/observation forms)
In-place
Partly in-place
Not in-place
c. Goal Attainment Scaling (for learner outcomes)
In-place
Partly in-place
Not in-place
2. The ASD Leadership Team has developed and implemented a process to collect, analyze,
and make timely decisions based on program and learner data in each program housing a
learner with ASD. Select one.
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In-place
Partly in-place
Not in-place
3. A process to disseminate and acknowledge outcomes is developed and implemented.
Select one.
In-place
Partly in-place
Not in-place
Additional Comments
Please add any additional information or areas of concern or need that have not previously
been covered.
I give my assurance that if our school is accepted to receive training and on-site coaching
support through the Autism Supports project for the 2011-2012 school year our team agrees to
the terms as outlined above.
______________________________________________
Typed or printed name of School Principal
________________________________________________________________________
Signature
Date
________________________________________________________________________
Typed or printed name of Primary Contact
________________________________________________________________________
Signature
Date
Please email this District Needs Assessment to bbroyles@uidaho.edu and follow-up by sending a
fax of the assessment containing original signature to Barbara Broyles at 208-885-6145
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