The NAACS Fellowship

NAACS offers a comprehensive one-year fellowship designed for founding school teams committed to opening an autism-focused charter school. Teams will visit NAACS Demonstration Sites in Arizona and Florida four times during the school year to be immersed in a scope of training within an active autism school setting. The goal will be to equip founding teams to lead an evidence-based, autism-focused charter school that is compliant with public charter laws. The NAACS Fellowship focuses training on competencies essential to running a successful autism-focused school. These include:

Governance & Authorizers

  • Board Development and Governance
  • Collaborating with State Authorizers
  • Development of a Charter Application

Model Classroom

  • Ideal class size and student-to-staff ratios for various levels of the autism spectrum
  • Embedded environmental prompts to promote independence
  • Clearly defined and structured stations for project-based, sensory, group, and independent learning activities
  • Visual supports to increase communication and independence
  • Environment conducive to sensory integration and movement

Embedding Principles of ABA in Schools

  • Positive Reinforcement
  • Differential Reinforcement
  • Task Analysis
  • Discrete Trial Teaching (DTT)
  • Direct Instruction (DI)
  • Behavior Skills Teaching (BST)

Rigorous Curriculum & Instruction with Best Practice Supports for Autism

  • Curriculum alignment to state standards and extended standards
  • Implementing the PEAK (DTT) assessment and program in a school setting
  • Social Emotional Learning
  • Project Based Learning
  • STEAM
  • Career and Technical Education
  • Special Education Compliance

Operations for Special Population Schools

  • Staffing Models and Ratios
  • Student and Staff Recruitment
  • Safety Drills Manuals and Training
  • Operations Manuals and Training

In addition to site visits, NAACS Fellows will have monthly meetings with the NAACS team to support their progress. Fellows will also have access to the NAACS Toolbox of resources to support launching an autism charter based on best practices. NAACS Fellows will also be connected to a national network of other autism charter founders across the nation.

General Consulting Services for Specialty Schools and Charters

NAACS also offers a menu of “a la carte” consulting and technical support options for autism schools of any kind. Whether you are a private school, district program, or micro-school, we welcome inquiries from teams trying to create better educational solutions for children with autism and other neurodiverse learning needs. We support existing schools and districts in developing, implementing, and monitoring programs in various school settings.

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