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Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD)
Definition: A child with an Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) is a child with a developmental disability significantly affecting verbal and non-verbal social communication and social interaction, generally evidenced by the age of three. Other characteristics often associated with ASD are engagement in repetitive activities and stereotyped movements, resistance to environmental changes or changes in daily routines, and unusual responses to sensory experiences.
Jump To:
ASD Office Hours
The ASD Team has concluded office hours for the 2024-2025 school year. Office hours will resume in fall 2025.
What's New
2025-2026 Trainings Announced!
- Structured Teaching for Classroom Success
- ASD Foundations for Instruction
- Autism Evaluation (Formerly Educational Identification for ASD)
FAQs for Educational Identification of ASD in Young Learners
FAQ's for Educational Identification of ASD in Young Learners (PDF)
Support - Autism Education Network
The Autism Education Network is designed to provide school teams support, training, and resources to guide services for students with autism. Below are potential offerings autism network team members may provide based on the request. The level of support provided will be based on AU/school team needs as well as autism team availability.
Training (Virtual or In-Person):
The CDE autism team can create targeted, individualized trainings for an AU/school team based on current needs. These trainings can be done virtually or in-person (pending COVID guidelines), and can cover an array of topics related to autism. Trainings can be anywhere from two hours to one full day. The team does not offer individualized versions of currently offered CDE trainings (see training section below).
Field Support:
Field support is intended to offer consultation/coaching services and allows the CDE autism consultants to partner with AU/school teams to address systemic or long-standing concerns. This service supports implementation of evidence-based practices within the school setting. The consultant will work with the team to understand current needs, and then establish goals and a subsequent action plan. This plan may include up to six virtual or in-person visits (depending on need and COVID guidelines).
TeleSchool:
The CDE autism team partners with Children’s Hospital Colorado to offer support in completing functional behavior assessments (FBAs) and developing behavior intervention plans (BIPs) via virtual coaching sessions. This service is designed for teams looking to expand their skills in addressing challenging behavior (e.g., aggression, self-harm, property destruction) and can commit to recurring weekly or biweekly sessions for approximately one to two months. These sessions involve discussions, coaching, and practice implementing various forms of FBA/BIP and analyzing data. This service is recommended for teams addressing unique and intensive behaviors (e.g., considering alternative placement, behaviors that are not responding to intervention over time, behaviors that have injured staff or other students).
Resource Recommendation:
For teams looking to expand knowledge and in need of quick, potentially asynchronous learning opportunities, the CDE autism team can offer recommendations of existing resources to review. Consultants can provide individualized suggestions of webinars, modules, currently offered CDE trainings, and other related resources. To review options, please visit the webinar page to see all archived webinars, or the training section to see currently offered CDE autism team trainings.
Network Request
When completing the field request, you will be prompted to describe the needs of your program and how they relate to Colorado’s Autism Quality Indicators
Quality Indicators
Questions about the Colorado Autism Education Network? Please contact Brooke Carson (see Specialist Contacts section below) with questions about the Autism Education Network.
- Virtual Events
- Face-to-Face Trainings
- Tri-State Collaborative
- Archived Tri-State Webinars (On-Demand)
- Other Training Opportunities
Virtual Events
Autism Evaluation (formerly Educational Identification of ASD)
This distance learning opportunity will be presented over four days, in three-hour segments. The training is designed to support districts in understanding how to identify students suspected of having Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD), using evaluation tools to assess the triad of characteristics of ASD. Participants will learn how to build a body of evidence to support the identification of ASD (determining eligibility) in an educational setting (without using the ADOS).
View/Print Autism
Evaluation Flyer (PDF)
Round 1 Training Dates & Times
Tuesdays in August from 9:00 am to 12:00 pm
- August 5, 2025
- August 12, 2025
- August 19, 2025
- August 26, 2025
Round 2 Training Dates & Times
Wednesdays in February, time TBD
- February 4, 2026
- February 11, 2026
- February 18, 2026
- February 25, 2026
Additional Details
- Who should attend:
- Certified school professionals involved in assessment for the educational identification of ASD, including school psychologists, social workers, speech/language pathologists, special education teachers, occupational therapists, district administrators, and other certified staff who are part of the evaluation team.
- This training is not open to paraeducators.
- Priority will be given to those individuals who have not previously attended.
- Certificate
- Attending all four sessions is required to receive a certificate of attendance.
- Participants must complete all four virtual sessions to receive a certificate of attendance (12 CDE hours).
- Partial credit will not be given.
Registration
- Registration is limited and will close two weeks prior to the start date. If registration is at capacity a wait list will be opened.
Instructional Strategies Course:
If you are not planning to attain the full RBT credential through the BACB, you might be interested in this free online course. The content is the same, but the RBT certification information has been removed (e.g., ethics, how to write reports, etc). The Instructional Strategies course is 21 hours vs. the 40 hours.
If you are participating strictly for professional development, you may enroll yourself in the Instructional Strategies course at any time and you have unlimited access to the content. You can work at your own pace and the books are not required.
About the Instructional Strategies Training:
- You do NOT have to apply for this course and can create an account at the link below and begin taking modules at any time.
- There is no timeline for completing the course. You can complete content whenever is convenient for you.
- The course is completely free.
- You will receive a certificate of completion for 7-8 contact hours.
- This course does NOT meet BACB requirements for the 40-hour RBT training.
This course was developed instructed by TASN Instructors:
Peggy VonFeldt, BCBA; Pam Scharping, BCBA; Shana Kaplan, BCBA
Face-to-Face Trainings
Structured Teaching for Classroom & Student Success
The CDE Autism Team is pleased to be hosting a new in-person training, Structured Teaching for Classroom & Student Success. This opportunity will consist of two in-person days of didactic and participatory learning on the Structured Teaching (ST) model, incorporating direct student practice with coaching feedback from Dr. Sperry and the ASD Support Team (consists of autism specialists).
View/Print Structured Teaching
for Classroom Success Flyer (PDF)
What is Structured Teaching (ST)?
Structured Teaching (ST) is an evidence-based model that promotes independence by capitalizing on the visual strengths of people with autism. The ST model supports students of all ages and ability levels and utilizes a highly structured environment, across a variety of educational, community and home/living settings.
Presenter
Dr. Laurie Sperry, PhD, BCBA-D: Dr Sperry brings extensive expertise in autism and specifically in comprehensive treatment programs for autistic learners in school settings. Her graduate and post doctorate work were completed in North Carolina where the concept of Structured Teaching was developed at TEACCH in Chapel Hill, one of the nation’s premiere institutions on evidence-based practices for autism.
What does the training look like?
Days 1 & 2 will be in-person (Denver Metro Area), Day 3 will be in the participant’s school with a Core Team Trainer coming to that location to provide feedback on the Structured Teaching implementation.
Core Team of autism specialists will deliver content to the participants. There will be 6 Teaching Teams comprised of 4 licensed individuals/participants (grouped at time of training to work together for the 2 days) and a Core Team Trainer. Team members will rotate roles which includes alternating between working with a student, workstation setup, note taking for their team and collecting data for their team.
Dates & Times
- Days 1 & 2
- September 9 & 10, 2025
- 8:00am to 4:00pm
- 27J School District, Brighton, Colorado
- Day 3
- Spring 2026
- 8:00am to 4:00pm
- Day 3 to be held in the participant’s school.
Additional Information
- Who Should attend
- Participants must be a direct instructional provider for students with autism and be a certified Special Education Teacher, ECSE, or Speech/Language Pathologist. Given the limited availability of slots, these are the only roles accepted for this training.
- Participants must attend all 3 days (in person and on site). Partial days or substitutions are not permitted. There will be no recorded option.
- Participants must be willing to engage with students, be open to coaching and feedback, be willing to work in a small group, and have a trainer in their classroom for Day 3.
- Participants will be given a Structured Teaching Starter Kit and will agree to utilize the items for the development of approved activities learned in Days 1 & 2, to be shared with a Core Trainer on Day 3.
- Cost
- The Exceptional Student Services Unit of the Colorado Department of Education provides the funding for the presenters.
- No travel reimbursement is provided to participants, however confirmed participants will be provided Substitute Reimbursement for Days 1 & 2, following the established guidelines.
- Certificate
- Participants will receive a certificate for 24 hours at the completion of Day 3.
- Partial credit will not be given.
- BCBAs and BCaBAs can receive CEUs as this is an ACE event.
Registration
- Applying to attend the Structured Teaching training begins with the Structured Teaching Registration Form.
- We are only able to select 24 participants.
- Applicants MUST have the approval of their Special Education Director and their supervisor to be considered for the training.
- We will be selecting individuals from across the state to ensure a representation of certified individuals.
- Once the registration deadline occurs, the CDE Autism Team will confirm and notify the 24 participants. The remaining participants will be placed on a waiting list.
Foundations for Instruction
With school districts reporting staff shortages and team members lacking autism training, this content will focus on teaching instructional strategies to IEP team providers newer to the field of ASD (0-5 years). The focus of this in-person training is for participants to learn autism strategies using specially designed instruction for effective programming (student/classroom). This will be a hands-on learning opportunity with embedded coaching and practice on learned content.
View/Print Foundations
for Instruction Flyer (PDF)
Locations & Dates of trainings:
- Day 1 (In-Person Session)
- October 1, 2025
- Adams 12 Conference Center
- From 8:30 AM to 3:30 PM
- Virtual Check-In
- November 5, 2025
- Online via Zoom
- From 9:00 AM to 11:00 AM
- Day 2 (Via Zoom)
- January 13, 2025
- Virtual via Zoom
- From 8:30 AM - 3:30 PM
Additional Details:
- 2 hybrid training dates
- 2-hour virtual component between Days 1 & 2
- Registrants are committing to 14 hours of hybrid training:
- Day 1 will be in person (October 2025)
- Virtual Check-In
- Day 2 will be virtual (January 2026)
- All 14 hours are required when registration is being determined; partial attendance or credit will not be accepted/granted.
- There is no cost for this training. The Exceptional Student Services Unit of the Colorado Department of Education provides the funding for the presenters.
- No reimbursement is provided to participants.
- In-person dates may be held virtually depending upon total number of registered participants
Registration
- Registration is limited.
- Registration for each location will close two weeks prior to the initial session date.
Tri-State ASD Collaborative
The Tri-State ASD Collaborative is committed to supporting schools and families. We recognize that finding current materials and resources for supporting individuals with autism can be overwhelming!
We invite you to explore these resources that can support all learners, including those with autism spectrum disorder (ASD). As new resources become available, lists will be updated.
ASD Resource Lists
To save you time we created condensed, topical lists with the best available ASD tools on a variety of topics, based on evidence-based practice.
Past Webinars
A full list of the archived Tri-State Webinars can be accessed from CDE's Professional Development Portal.
Other Training Opportunities
TBD
Jump To Resources:
- Autism Program Quality Indicators
- Determination of Eligibility
- Guidelines for Educational Evaluation
- Educational Identification Resources
- Local and national ASD organizations
ASD Documents from CDE
Quality indicators are used to design and evaluate a program(s) for students with ASD that is comprehensive and grounded in evidence-based practices.
The Determination of Eligibility form is to be used for eligibility meetings including initial and triennial reviews.
The ASD Guidelines (Guidelines for the Educational Evaluation of Autism Spectrum Disorder) contain information that may be used to guide the process of identifying students with ASD and developing appropriate programming, supports and services.
A Spanish version of the ASD Guidelines is also available. Guía para la valoración educativa sobre el trastorno del espectro autista (PDF)
Educational Identification Resources
FAQ's for Educational Identification of ASD in Young Learners (PDF)
Learn More About ASD
Ohio Center for Autism and Low Incidence (OCALI)
OCALI serves families, educators, and professionals working with students with autism and low-incidence disabilities, including Autism Spectrum Disorder, multiple disabilities, orthopedic impairments, other health impairments, and traumatic brain injuries.
The Autism Center at OCALI serves as a clearinghouse for information on research, resources, and trends to address the autism challenge. Information can be found through this link.
Strategies in Action - Many Faces of Autism is a free introduction to ASD
Organizations
Autism Society of America
800-328-8476
Autism Society of Colorado
720-214-0794
Autism Society of Boulder
720-272-8231
Autism Speaks
888-288-4762 (English)
888-772-9050 (Español)
Ohio Center for Autism and Low Incidence (OCALI)
866-886-2254
PEAK Parent Center
800-284-0251
ASD Office Hours
The ASD team has concluded office hours for the 2024-2025 school year. Office hours will resume in the fall 2025. Please check back for more information.
Join the Colorado Autism Spectrum Disorder Listserv
To join the Autism Spectrum Disorder listserv please contact Lauren Gould
Contact an ASD Specialist
Brooke Carson, Ph.D.
Phone: 720-215-8647
Email Brooke Carson
Rhonda Danner, M.A.
Phone: 720-460-8368
Email Rhonda Danner
Having trouble with this webpage?
If you have problems with broken links or accessing the content on this page, please contact the Exceptional Student Services Unit at ESSU@cde.state.co.us. Please copy the URL link for this page into the email when referencing the problem you are experiencing.
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